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Former Information

  native Name
  conventional Long Name Han
  common Name Northern Han
  continent Asia
  region China
  country China
  era Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period
  status Empire
  empire Later Han Dynasty
  government Type Monarchy
  year Start 951
  year End 979
  event Start Established
  date Start 951
  event End Ended by the Song Dynasty
  date End 979
  p1 Later Han Dynasty
  s1 Song Dynasty
  capital Taiyuan
  latd latm= latNS= longd= longm= longEW=
  common Languages Middle Chinese
  leader1 Emperor Shizu
  leader2 Emperor Ruizong
  leader3 Emperor Shaozhu
  leader4 Emperor Yingwudi
  year Leader1 951 - 954
  year Leader2 954 - 970
  year Leader3 970
  year Leader4 970 - 982
  title Leader King


The Northern Han kingdom is a state of the Ten Kingdoms in the Period of Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms. It was founded by Liu Min (劉旻), formerlly known as Liu Chong (劉崇), and lasted from 951979


FOUNDING OF THE NORTHERN HAN


The Shatuo Turks had ruled most of northern China since 923 through the Later Tang Dynasty , Later Jin Dynasty , and the Later Han Dynasty . The short-lived Later Han Dynasty fell in 950 . Liu Min founded the Northern Han Kingdom, sometimes referred to as the Eastern Han, in 951 claiming that he was the legitimate heir to the imperial throne of the Later Han Dynasty . Liu Min immediately restored the traditional relationship the Shatuo Turks had with the Khitans , who had founded the Liao Dynasty .


TERRITORIAL EXTENT


The Northern Han was a small kingdom located in Shanxi with its capital located at Taiyuan . Shanxi had been a traditional base of power since the fading days of the Tang Dynasty in the late Ninth Century and early Tenth Century . It was wedged between the two major powers of the day, the Liao Dynasty to the north and the Song Dynasty to the south. It also shared a border with the Tangut kingdom of Western Xia .


WEDGE BETWEEN LIAO AND SONG


The existence of the Northern Han was one of the two major thorns in relations between the Liao Dynasty and the Song Dynasty , the other being the continued possession of the Sixteen Prefectures by the Liao Dynasty . The Northern Han had placed itself under the protection of the Liao .

Emperor Taizu was successful in nearly completing the incorporation of the southern kingdoms into the Song Dynasty by his death in 976 . His younger brother, Emperor Taizong wished to emulate his older brother’s successes. Wuyue was brought into the realm in 978 .


FALL OF THE NORTHERN HAN


Emboldened by his success to the south, Emperor Taizong decided to embark on a campaign to finally destroy the Northern Han. Leading the army himself, he brought his forces to the Northern Han capital of Taiyuan , which was laid under siege in June. An initial relief force sent by the Liao was easily defeated by Song . After a two-month siege of the capital, the leader of the Northern Han surrendered, the kingdom was incorporated into the Song Dynasty .


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