Northern Han

The Northern Han kingdom (simplified Chinese: 北汉; traditional Chinese: 北漢; pinyin: Běi Hàn) was a state of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. It was founded by Liu Min (劉旻), formerly known as Liu Chong (劉崇), and lasted from 951 to 979.

Founding of the Northern Han

The short-lived state of Later Han 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 Later Han. Liu Min immediately restored the traditional relationship with the Khitans, who had founded the Liao Dynasty.

Sources conflict as to the origin of the Later Han and Northern Han emperors; some indicate sinicized Shatuo ancestry^[1]^[2] while another claims that the emperors claimed patrilineal Han Chinese ancestry.^[3]

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 and the kingdom was incorporated into the Song Dynasty.

Rulers

**Sovereigns in** Northern Han Kingdom 951–979
Temple Names (Miao Hao 廟號)	Posthumous Names (Shi Hao 諡號)	Personal Names	Period of Reigns	Era Names (Nian Hao 年號) and their according range of years
世祖 Shìzǔ	神武帝 Shénwǔdì	Liu Min (劉旻)	951–954	Qiányòu (乾祐) 951–954
睿宗 Ruìzōng	孝和帝 Xiàohédì	Liu Jun (劉鈞)	954–968	Qiányòu (乾祐) 954–957 Tiānhuì (天會) 957–968
少主 Shàozhǔ	Did not exist	Liu Ji'en (劉繼恩)	968	Did not exist
Did not exist	英武帝 Yīngwǔdì	Liu Jiyuan (劉繼元)	968–979	Guǎngyùn (廣運) 968–979

The family tree of the Later Han and Northern Han rulers

- Later Han emperors; - Northern Han emperors

adopted

Marriage

Liu Tian 劉琠
Xianzu 显祖

Liu Zhiyuan 劉知遠 895–948
Gaozu 高祖
947–948

Liu Min 劉旻 895–954
Shizu 世祖
951–954

Liu Chengyou 劉承祐 931–951
Yindi 隱帝
948–951

Liu Yun 劉贇
d.951; r.950

Liu Jun 劉钧 926–968
Ruizong 睿宗
954–968

Xue Zhao
薛钊

Lady Liu
劉氏

Mr. He
何某

Liu Jien 劉继恩 d. 968
Shaozhu 少主
968

Liu Jiyuan 劉继元 d. 992
Yingwudi 英武帝
968–979

References

Notes

↑ Endymion Porter Wilkinson (2000). Chinese History: A Manual. p. 12.
↑ Mote, Frederick W (2003). Imperial China 900-1800. pp. 67–68.
↑ According to Old History of the Five Dynasties, vol. 99, and New History of the Five Dynasties, vol. 10. Liu Zhiyuan was of Shatuo origin. According to Wudai Huiyao, vol. 1 Liu Zhiyuan's great-great-grandfather Liu Tuan (劉湍) (titled as Emperor Mingyuan posthumously, granted the temple name of Wenzu) descended from Liu Bing (劉昞), Prince of Huaiyang, a son of Emperor Ming of Han

Sources

Mote, F.W. (1999). Imperial China: 900-1800. Harvard University Press. pp. 16, 106–108. ISBN 0-674-01212-7.

Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period
Five Dynasties	Later Liang Later Tang Later Jin Later Han Later Zhou
Ten Kingdoms (States)	Wu Former Shu Chu Wuyue Min Southern Han Jingnan Later Shu Southern Tang Northern Han
Other states	Jin Qi Zhao Yan Yin
De facto independent entities	Yiwu Jiedushi Dingnan Jiedushi Qingyuan Jiedushi Jinghai Jiedushi Wuping Jiedushi Guiyi Jiedushi
Neighboring states	Balhae Gansu Uyghur Kingdom Liao dynasty Tibetan kingdoms Dali Ngô dynasty
Histories	Old History of the Five Dynasties New History of the Five Dynasties Spring and Autumn Annals of the Ten Kingdoms Wudai Huiyao
Xia → Shang → Zhou → Qin → Han → 3 Kingdoms → Jìn / 16 Kingdoms → N. & S. Dynasties → Sui → Tang → 5 Dynasties & 10 Kingdoms → Liao / Song / W. Xia / Jīn → Yuan → Ming → Qing → Modern China: (ROC/PRC)

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