It is true that Emperor Chongzhen was a good emperor, but I disagree with Song Huizong.
Using the word great to describe it seems a bit excessive, because these two are both kings who lost their countries. The difference is that Song Huizong brought the blame on himself, while Chongzhen could not help himself.
At the beginning of Song Huizong's accession to the throne, the Northern Song Dynasty was the most prosperous period. This was also a rich legacy left by generations of ancestors. Unfortunately, the Taojun emperor did not know how to cherish it at all. During his reign, In the past ten years, Cai Jing, Wang Mian, Tong Guan, Liang Shicheng, Zhu Meng, Li Yan and other treacherous officials were successively appointed. These few are known as the "Six Thieves of the Northern Song Dynasty" in history. In "Water Margin", the hero who was hated by Liangshan heroes Gao Qiu actually didn't get his turn, which shows how dark society had become during the reign of Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty. During the reign of Song Huizong, the Songjiang Fangla Uprising broke out, and the direct trigger of the Fangla Uprising was the so-called "Hua Shi Gang". In order to satisfy his personal desires, Song Huizong did not hesitate to waste people and money, and spent the country's financial and material resources to collect exotic flowers from all over the country. It is a strange grass, so it is not surprising that public resentment boiled and ordinary people rose up in rebellion. The affair of Song Huizong's famous courtesan Li Shishi was an open secret at the time. You think, forget about the common people. As an emperor with a high status, what kind of impression will it leave on others with such an unruly personal life? .
Emperor Chongzhen took over a completely opposite country. To be fair, what Emperor Chongzhen did was not like a king who subjugated his country at all. The last emperor in history was either stupid or ignorant. The power fell, but Emperor Chongzhen was different. The Ming Dynasty was able to sustain for so many years in the ups and downs, which was inseparable from Emperor Chongzhen's personal efforts. The main responsibility for the decline of the Ming Dynasty lies with the previous emperors. Emperor Jiajing spent all his time refining elixirs and doted on Yan Song and Yan Shifan, a pair of treacherous officials and his son. Emperor Wanli refused to go to work for forty years, and Emperor Chongzhen's brother Tianqi was less like an emperor and more like an emperor. He was a construction engineer and also trained Wei Zhongxian, the most notorious eunuch in Chinese history. There was an uprising by Zhang Xianzhong and Li Zicheng inside, and Emperor Taiji of the Manchu Qing Dynasty was eyeing him outside. It was under such an environment that Emperor Chongzhen ascended the throne. Can we not sympathize with him?
In terms of personal charm, I admire Song Huizong more. After all, the romantic emperor of the generation has his cute side, but as a leader, Emperor Chongzhen is even better.