In the feudal dynasty, the emperor was the highest-ranking person, with the power to live and kill. Therefore, many people are eyeing the throne, and the emperor's son often fights for the throne.
There are many such cases in history, and even Tang Taizong, the ming emperor who pioneered the rule of The Tang Dynasty, was criticized for the Xuanwumen mutiny. In addition to the royals, there were often scheming courtiers who wanted to usurp the throne.
However, feudal society attaches great importance to the bloodline, no matter how the imperial throne is changed, who will eventually inherit it, as long as it is not the emperor's own bloodline, it will be attacked, saying that it is not justified. Even if it is a "brother who dies and a brother", the emperor who inherits the throne is also the biological blood of the previous emperor.
Tang Taizong
Tang Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty, he inherited the throne as the emperor's uncle, but after all, he was the biological blood of Tang Xianzong, so it was reasonable for him to inherit the throne.
Tang Xuanzong's succession to the throne was not controversial, and the controversy occurred to his son. Although the history books record that Li Yizong was the eldest son of Tang Xuanzong, Tang Yizong's succession to the throne seems to be justified.
However, some scholars and experts who study history have raised questions, believing that Tang Yizong was not the son of Tang Xuanzong, but pretended to be the crown prince and ascended the throne. This question is based on historical data.
Tang Xuanzong
Historical records
The annals of history have always been an important basis for future generations to study history. The records in the history books are all written by historians, and there are very strict procedures for writing and proofreading, so there are basically no mistakes or omissions.
These experts in the study of history started from these history books to investigate the historical records of Tang Yizong, and indeed found a very important basis. The historical study of the Tang Dynasty mainly begins with the New Book of Tang and the Old Book of Tang.
In these two history books, it is recorded that Tang Xuanzong had eleven princes, and the life deeds of these eleven princes are also recorded in detail. However, there was no Tang Yizong among them, and after Adding Tang Yizong, there were twelve people. The errors and omissions here are too great, and the writing of history books cannot have such a big problem.
Tang Yizong
Because the writing of the history book is to let the emperor pass the goal, once there is a big problem, the son of heaven is angry, and the historian who writes the history book will have his head on the ground. At the risk of killing his head, shi guan certainly did not dare to scribble. Therefore, the problem that arises here is most likely not a mistake, but a fact.
Therefore, experts have tangible evidence for the inference that Tang Yizong is not the eldest son of Tang Xuanzong. In addition to the historical records, the scholars also went through the history books that recorded the change of throne at that time, and through the study of the events that occurred at that time, they determined whether their speculations were true.
Tang Yizong stills
Change of throne
Tang Xuanzong was seriously ill and learned that his time was running out. His son, on the other hand, was too young to take on the responsibility of his own. Therefore, before his death, Tang Xuanzong wanted to entrust his son to his confidants and talented ministers at that time. Emperor Xuanzong of Tang wanted these ministers to assist his son Li Zi to ascend the throne.
In previous dynasties, there were examples of emperors who were young and assisted by highly respected ministers, in order to help the new emperor gain a firm foothold in the dynasty and not to surrender the country to others. Tang Xuanzong set up the will and everything was properly planned, but something happened that surprised everyone.
Wang Zongshi was a lieutenant of the Tang Dynasty and had a heavy army. On the deathbed of Tang Xuanzong, he launched a mutiny and revised Tang Xuanzong's will, changing the crown prince who inherited the throne to Li Yi.
With the support of Wang Zongshi, Li Yi successfully ascended to the throne. After he became emperor, he reused Wang Zongshi, and the Tang Dynasty declined more and more under his control. Because the military attaché held the troops, the civilian officer did not dare to compete with him. Therefore, even if Tang Xuanzong arranged for some close ministers to assist in supporting Li Zi.
Under Wang Zongshi's mutiny, everything was a foregone conclusion, and there was no room for turning. Li Yi ascended to the throne, but there was a lot of suspicion among the government and the public. The history books record that because the ministers of the DPRK and China had many suspicions about Li Yi, Li Yi took out "inscriptions" to prove his identity.
Stills of Wang Zongshi
Faint and incompetent
But "inscriptions" can be forged. Moreover, some scholars have specifically studied this "inscription" and found that the above record is not detailed. The "inscription" records who the emperor's children were born to and at what age.
However, in the "inscription" given by Li Yi, the record of the birth year is very vague and cannot be used as proof that Li Yi is the biological bloodline of Tang Xuanzong. Therefore, this "inscription" is not strong evidence. In any case, the matter is a foregone conclusion. Li Yi had already ascended to the throne, but he was not a Ming Jun.
Li Yi coveted pleasure and fainted and incompetent. He did not know how to appoint talented people, indulged in wine all day, and knew nothing about the affairs of the country.
Tang Yizong's interest in song and dance banquets was greater than that of governing the country, and during his reign, there was a small feast for three days and a big feast for five days in the imperial palace. And it is very luxurious, and the decorations at the banquet are expensive.
Tang Yizong raised many music officials for him to watch, and as long as he sang happily, he was often rewarded.
In addition, he did not want to stay in the palace, often taking a group of officials out of the palace, or playing for pleasure. The huge expenses at every turn are a heavy burden on the national treasury. Moreover, the silver of the national treasury must be deducted from the people's money, and the people's tax pressure is great, and their lives are getting worse and worse.
Real identity
As for the true identity of Tang Yizong, researchers believe that Tang Yizong is a descendant of Li Rong. Li Rong was the son of Emperor Suzong of Tang and was given the title of Prince of Yun. The history books record that Li Rong was childless during his lifetime, but his title and fief needed to be inherited, so Li Rong inherited a son from the clan.
The person chosen by Li Rong was Li Yi, who was nominally a descendant of Li Rong, but his blood was far behind. Therefore, Li Yi's succession to the throne of the Tang Dynasty is unjustified. If Tang Yizong was Li Rong's biological son, then it was barely reasonable for him to inherit the throne, but he was only the heir of the clan after all.
If he inherited Li Rong's title in peace and security, he could also enjoy a lifetime of wealth, but he wanted to seize the throne, but he did not have the talent to be an emperor. Even if the Tang Dynasty was a peaceful and prosperous world, it had been squandered on Li Yi's hands for so many years, and in the end there was only an empty shell left.
The Tang Dynasty has always been the most prosperous and happy dynasty in the hearts of many people, but looking closely at the Tang Dynasty, there are still many unsatisfactory things.
The rise and fall of dynasties was greatly related to the emperor's diligence and honesty or extravagance, and what Tang Yizong did actually accelerated the decline of the Tang Dynasty. It is a pity that a dynasty was destroyed at the hands of an unjustly named emperor.