There were nine emperors in the Northern Song Dynasty, in order: Song Taizu, Song Taizong, Song Zhenzong, Song Renzong, Song Yingzong, Song Shenzong, Song Zhezong, Song Huizong, Song Qinzong.
1. Song Taizu
Zhao Kuangyin (March 21, 927 - November 14, 976), the founder of the Song Dynasty in China, Han nationality, was born in Jiamaying, Luoyang , whose ancestral home is Zhuozhou, Hebei. Born into a military family, he is the second son of Zhao Hongyin.
In 960, in the name of "pacifying the two states", he falsely reported that the Khitans had united with the Northern Han Dynasty to invade the south, led troops to launch the Chenqiao Mutiny, wore a yellow robe, proclaimed himself emperor on behalf of the Zhou Dynasty, established the Song Dynasty, and made Kaifeng the capital. . Reigned for 16 years.
2. Song Taizong
Zhao Guangyi (939-997), the second emperor of the Song Dynasty. His real name was Zhao Kuangyi, but he later changed his name to Zhao Guangyi to avoid the taboo of his brother Taizu. After he ascended the throne, he changed his name to Jiong. After the death of Taizu, 38-year-old Zhao Guangyi ascended the throne as emperor. After taking the throne, he used political pressure to force King Qian Chu of Wuyue and Chen Hongjin, who ruled Zhang and Quan prefectures, to surrender in the third year of Taiping and Xingguo (978).
The following year, he personally conquered Taiyuan and destroyed the Northern Han Dynasty, ending the separation and separatism of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms. He attacked Liao twice in an attempt to regain the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun, but both failed. From then on, he took a defensive stance against Liao. He also further strengthened the centralization of power. During his reign, he changed the bad habits of emphasizing military force and neglecting literature since the late Tang Dynasty. He reigned for 21 years.
3. Song Zhenzong
Zhao Heng (968-1022), the third emperor of the Song Dynasty and the third son of Song Taizong, succeeded to the throne in 997 and died in 1022. Jingde In the first year of the year (1004), the Liao Kingdom founded by the Khitans invaded. Prime Minister Kou Zhun tried his best to persuade the emperor to conquer the country in person, despite all opinions.
The two sides fought at Chanyuan, three hundred miles away from the capital Bianjing. The situation was in favor of the Song Dynasty. However, because Zhenzong was afraid of the momentum of the Liao Dynasty, he ignored Kou Zhun's objection and paid a large amount of gold and silver as tribute to the Liao Dynasty every year. "Sui coins" made an alliance and reconciled in Chanyuan. It was called the Chanyuan Alliance in history. After that, the Northern Song Dynasty entered a period of economic prosperity. In the late Zhenzong period, social conflicts continued to intensify, making the Song Dynasty's "internal and external troubles" increasingly serious.
4. Song Renzong
Zhao Zhen (1010-1063), the fourth emperor of China's Northern Song Dynasty (reigned 1023-1063). Reigned for forty-one years. During his reign, the Song Dynasty faced a situation of bureaucratic expansion, redundant officials and redundant troops, and repeated defeats in foreign wars. Although Xixia had surrendered to the Song Dynasty, the border crisis had never been eliminated. Later, although the "Qingli New Deal" was implemented for a time, it was not fully successful.
5. Song Yingzong
Zhao Shu (1032-1067), the fifth emperor of the Northern Song Dynasty, reigned from 1063 to 1067. His original name was Zongshi, and he was later renamed Zhao Shu During the reign of Emperor Yingzong, he appointed his old ministers Han Qi and others. He did not want to reform, but there was no war with Liao and Xixia. In 1067, he died of illness in the Palace of Funing.
6. Song Shenzong
Zhao Xu, the eldest son of Yingzong, reigned from 1067 to 1085. After taking the throne, because he was deeply dissatisfied with the weak politics and he had always admired Wang Anshi's talents, he ordered Wang Anshi to implement reforms in order to revitalize the Northern Song Dynasty. This was known as Wang Anshi's Reform and Xining Reform in history. Because the reform was carried out too hastily and failed to comply with the law, it ultimately failed. However, Shenzong maintained the new law for nearly twenty years.
7. Zhezong of the Song Dynasty
Zhao Xu (January 4, 1076 - February 23, 1100), the seventh emperor of the Northern Song Dynasty (reigned from 1085 to 1100) , is the sixth son of the former emperor Song Shenzong. His original name was Mai, and he was once named the Prince of Yan'an County. When Shenzong was critically ill, he made him the crown prince. In the eighth year of Yuanfeng, Shenzong died, and Zhao Xu ascended the throne as emperor Zhezong of Song Dynasty. He changed the name to "Yuanyou" in Yuan Dynasty and reigned for 15 years.
8. Song Huizong
Zhao Ji (November 2, 1082 AD - June 4, 1135 AD) was the eighth emperor of the Song Dynasty and the 11th son of Shenzong. In the 25th year of his reign (February 23, 1100 - January 18, 1126), he was captured and tortured to death at the age of 54.
He created a calligraphy font that later generations called "Thin Gold Calligraphy". In addition, his monogram on the calligraphy and painting is similar to an elongated "天" character, which is said to symbolize "天下". one person".
9. Song Qinzong
Zhao Huan (1100-1156 AD), formerly known as Zhao Dan, also known as Zhao Xuan. He was the last emperor of the Northern Song Dynasty and the eldest son of Song Huizong Zhao Ji. In December of the seventh year of Xuanhe (AD 1125), when the Jin people invaded southward, Huizong Zen came to his throne and reigned for 1 year and 2 months. He is indecisive, capricious, and lacks judgment on political issues. During the Jingkang Incident, he was captured by the Jin people and went north.