Emperor Suzong of Tang
Emperor Suzong of Tang (yihai day, 711 – 16 May 762; r. 756 – 762), personal name Li Heng, né Li Sisheng (李嗣升), known as Li Jun (李浚) from 725 to 736, known as Li Yu (李璵) from 736 to 738, known briefly as Li Shao (李紹) in 738, was an emperor of the Chinese Tang dynasty and the son of Emperor Xuanzong.
| Emperor Suzong of Tang 唐肅宗 | |||||||||||||
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| Huangdi 皇帝 Khan of Heaven 天可汗 | |||||||||||||
| Emperor of the Tang dynasty | |||||||||||||
| Reign | 12 August 756 – 16 May 762 | ||||||||||||
| Coronation | 12 August 756 | ||||||||||||
| Predecessor | Emperor Xuanzong | ||||||||||||
| Successor | Emperor Daizong | ||||||||||||
| Born | yihai day, 711 | ||||||||||||
| Died | 16 May 762 (aged 51) | ||||||||||||
| Burial | Jian Mausoleum (建陵) | ||||||||||||
| Consorts | Lady Wei of Jingzhao (div. 746) Lady Zhang (m. –762) Empress Zhangjing (m. 725; died 730) | ||||||||||||
| Issue | Emperor Daizong Li Xi Li Tan Li Jin Li Xian Li Ting Li Guang Li Chui Princess Su Princess Xiao Princess Hezheng Princess Tan Princess Ji Princess Yonghe Princess Gao Princess Yongmu | ||||||||||||
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| House | Li | ||||||||||||
| Dynasty | Tang | ||||||||||||
| Father | Emperor Xuanzong | ||||||||||||
| Mother | Empress Yuanxian | ||||||||||||
| Tang Suzong | |||||||
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| Chinese | 唐肅宗 | ||||||
| Literal meaning | "Respectful Ancestor of the Tang" | ||||||
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| Li Heng | |||||||
| Chinese | 李亨 | ||||||
| Literal meaning | (personal name) | ||||||
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Suzong ascended the throne after his father fled to Sichuan during the An Lushan Rebellion in 756; Li Heng himself had fled in the opposite direction, to Lingwu, where he was declared emperor by the army. Much of Emperor Suzong's reign was spent in quelling the aforementioned rebellion, which was ultimately put down in 763 during the reign of his son Emperor Daizong.
During Emperor Suzong's reign, the tradition of eunuchs becoming top-ranked officials began, with Li Fuguo becoming the commander of the imperial guards and possessing nearly absolute power near Emperor Suzong's reign.
Li Fuguo allied and befriended Emperor Suzong's wife, Empress Zhang, at the beginning of Emperor Suzong's reign, and in an alliance of power, both cleared the court of any opposition against them and controlled everything, but at the end of Emperor Suzong's reign, both became enemies. In 762, with Emperor Suzong gravely ill, Li Fuguo killed Empress Zhang in a power struggle and shortly after that, Emperor Suzong died.
He was succeeded by his son Emperor Daizong, who was eventually able to kill Li Fuguo, but the tradition of eunuchs in power had started. Suzong's death on 16 May came only 13 days after the death of his father, the Emperor Xuanzong.