In the era of ancient Chinese imperialism, imperial power often became the highest goal of people's contention, especially within the imperial family, and family affection was not vulnerable in the face of huge interests! However, relatively speaking, among the emperors of ancient China, there were some emperors who handled the issue of heirs more securely, and one of them is worth mentioning is the Guangwu Emperor Liu Xiu.
Portrait of Liu Xiu, Emperor Guangwu
In the 25th year of the reign of Jianwu, Liu Xiu proclaimed himself emperor in Gaoyi, Hebei, and married Guo Shengtong of the Hebei clan, and in order to win the support of the Hebei clan, Liu Xiu made Guo Shengtong empress. Liu Xiu's original wife was in nanyang's hometown and had not yet been able to come to Liu Xiu's side. Naturally, he could not be made empress.
Later, Liu Xiu and Guo Shengtong gave birth to the eldest son Liu Qiang, who, according to the patriarchal system, as the eldest son born to the empress, was made crown prince by Liu Xiu. Liu Xiu also has a great love for Liu Qiang, and also tries his best to cultivate as a successor. If nothing else, Liu Qiang would successfully succeed him as the second emperor of the Eastern Han Dynasty. Judging from his later performance, if he succeeded to the throne, he would also be a relatively good emperor.
Territory of the Eastern Han Dynasty
However, such a hypothesis did not appear. As far as Liu Xiu's personal emotional life is concerned, he has deeper feelings for his original Yin Lihua. Guo Shengtong's personality was inevitably too strong, and the emperor may have tolerated it in the early years, but later, emperor Guangwu gradually could not stand Guo Shengtong's strength. In the seventeenth year of the reign of Emperor Guangwu Liu Xiujianwu, Liu Xiu finally deposed Guo Shengtong as empress dowager and replaced her with Empress Yin Lihua.
Guo Shengtong in film and television works
Although the Guangwu Emperor Liu Xiu deposed Guo Shengtong, his feelings for his son Liu Qiang did not change. He still made Liu Qiang the crown prince. However, according to the patriarchal system, after the empress was replaced, Liu Qiang was no longer the eldest son. At this time, the eldest son of The Concubine became Liu Yang, the eldest son born to Yin Lihua. Liu Qiang's position became more awkward. Liu Qiang repeatedly proposed to Emperor Guangwu to resign as crown prince. Liu Xiu, on the other hand, resolutely refused, repeatedly saying that his feelings for his son had not changed, and his attitude towards his son had not changed.
Yin Lihua in film and television works
But for Liu Qiang, this prince was too uncomfortable, and if he succeeded to the throne as emperor in the future, how should he deal with the relationship between his mother-in-law and his mother, the two empresses? This is also a very troublesome thing. Therefore, Liu Qiang resolutely resigned from his father. Finally, two years later, Liu Xiu also considered the actual situation of his son, agreed to Liu Qiang's request, renamed Liu Qiang the King of the East Sea, and made Liu Yang the crown prince and renamed Liu Zhuang.
Luoyang City in the Han Dynasty
In the second year of Jianwu Zhongyuan, Liu Xiu fell ill and died, and Liu Zhuang took the throne, and he was the Emperor Ming of Han. After Emperor Ming of Han ascended the throne, Liu Qiang's position was also very sensitive. On the one hand, Liu Qiang himself is very careful, on the other hand, Liu Zhuang himself is also very respectful and friendly to his brother. Later, after Liu Qiang's death, Emperor Ming of Han was very sad and ordered that Liu Qiang be buried with very high specifications. Liu Qiang's title of King of the East China Sea was passed on until the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty.
Portrait of The Han Ming Emperor
In other eras, it was all for the sake of fighting for the prince to set off a bloody storm, but Liu Xiu's sons were able to push each other. Moreover, the replacement of the crown prince in other dynasties often caused violent political turmoil, and the replacement of the prince in Liu Xiu's era was also very smooth. In other dynasties, it is difficult to save the abdicated prince, but Liu Qiang was able to die, which cannot be said to be very rare in the imperial era!