Friends who are familiar with the history of the Southern and Northern Dynasties know that the late Southern and Northern Dynasties were the "three-legged standing" of the Northern Zhou, Northern Qi, and Southern Chen. But what is less known is that in addition to Northern Zhou, Northern Qi, and Southern Chen, there was also an imperial regime called Western Liang at that time, and the "four divisions" of the world with Northern Zhou, Northern Qi, and Southern Chen were even later than Northern Qi and Northern Zhou. So what exactly is Xiliang?
In the third year of the Taiqing Dynasty (549), Xiao Yan, the founding emperor of Southern Liang and emperor of Liangwu, died in the "Rebellion of Hou Jing". Because Xiao Yan had taken indulgent measures against the imperial family before xiao yuan, Xiao Yan's sons and grandsons immediately after Xiao Yan's death began a large-scale infighting, and even Hou Jing could not take care of it. Xiao Yan's grandson, Xiao Tong, the third son of Xiao Tong, the Prince of Zhaoming, was also one of the main contestants in this Xiao Liang infighting.
After a fierce civil war, Xiao Yan's seventh son, Xiao Xuan the Prince of Xiangdong, won the infighting and won the support of Wang Shengxuan, Chen Baxian, Wang Lin, and a number of Southern Liang Haoxiong, and Hou Jing was finally pacified by Xiao Yan. With Xiao Xuan's strength, Xiao Xuan became more and more difficult to resist. In the fifteenth year of the reign (549), Xiao Xian made a decision against his ancestors to ask For Help from Western Wei.
Xiao Qian's request for help was positively responded to by Yuwen Tai, the supreme ruler of Western Wei, and the Western Wei general Yang Zhong (Yang Jian's father) led a large army into Xiangyang, where Xiao Qi was located, repelling Xiao Xuan's army. In the sixteenth year of the reign (550), Western Wei made Xiao Zhen the King of Liang. In the first year of Chengsheng (552), Xiao Xuan ascended the throne at Jiangling, that is, Emperor Yuan of Liang. Xiao Xuan then began to provoke the Western Wei who supported Xiao Xuan.
In the third year of Chengsheng (554), Western Wei captured Jiangling. Emperor Yuan of Liang was captured by Western Wei and later killed by Xiao Chen, and Southern Liang survived in name only. Western Wei moved Xiao Qin to Jiangling and supported him as emperor, with the state name Liang and the historical title of "Western Liang". However, Emperor Xiao Was actually a puppet of Western Wei, and his actual jurisdiction was only around the generals. Xiao Qi himself stationed troops in Jiangling Dongcheng, and Western Wei stationed troops in Jiangling Xicheng.
Xiao Qin actually wanted to get rid of his puppet identity, but due to the strength of Western Wei (Northern Zhou), he did not dare to make a move. In the eighth year of Dading (562), Xiao Xi died of illness due to depression and anger, and his son Xiao Yue succeeded to the throne. Compared with his father, Xiao Yue had no idea of getting rid of his puppet status at all, but actively married the Northern Zhou royal family or associated with him. Xiao Yue's daughter later became empress of the Sui Dynasty.
In the fifth year of the Kai Emperor (585), Xiao Yue died of illness. For the sake of his family, Emperor Wen of Sui gave Xiao Yue a high courtesy. However, with the development of the sui dynasty's unification process, Western Liang has lost its meaning of existence. In the seventh year of The Reign of Emperor Kai (587), Emperor Wen of Sui recruited The Western Liang Emperor Xiao Chun into the dynasty and renamed him the Duke of Ju, and Western Liang perished.