Discover

:''This article is about the Northern Han in the Period of Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms. Please see Han Zhao for the Northern Han of the Sixteen Kingdoms.''
The 'Northern Han' kingdom is a state of the Ten Kingdoms in the Period of Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms. It was founded by Liu Min (劉旻), formerlly known as Liu Chong (劉崇), and lasted from 951 – 979

Contents

Founding of the Northern Han

Territorial Extent

Wedge Between Liao and Song

Fall of the Northern Han

Rulers

Reference

Founding of the Northern Han

The Shatuo Turks had ruled most of northern China since 923 through the Later Tang Dynasty, Later Jin Dynasty, and the Later Han Dynasty. The short-lived Later Han Dynasty fell in 950. Liu Min founded the Northern Han Kingdom, sometimes referred to as the Eastern Han, in 951 claiming that he was the legitimate heir to the imperial throne of the Later Han Dynasty. Liu Min immediately restored the traditional relationship the Shatuo Turks had with the Khitans, who had founded the Liao Dynasty.

Territorial Extent

The Northern Han was a small kingdom located in Shanxi with its capital located at Taiyuan. Shanxi had been a traditional base of power since the fading days of the Tang Dynasty in the late ninth century and early tenth century. It was wedged between the two major powers of the day, the Liao Dynasty to the north and the Song Dynasty to the south. It also shared a border with the Tangut kingdom of Western Xia.

Wedge Between Liao and Song

The existence of the Northern Han was one of the two major thorns in relations between the Liao Dynasty and the Song Dynasty, the other being the continued possession of the Sixteen Prefectures by the Liao Dynasty. The Northern Han had placed itself under the protection of the Liao.
Emperor Taizu was successful in nearly completing the incorporation of the southern kingdoms into the Song Dynasty by his death in 976. His younger brother, Emperor Taizong wished to emulate his older brother’s successes. Wuyue was brought into the realm in 978.

Fall of the Northern Han

Emboldened by his success to the south, Emperor Taizong decided to embark on a campaign to finally destroy the Northern Han. Leading the army himself, he brought his forces to the Northern Han capital of Taiyuan, which was laid under siege in June. An initial relief force sent by the Liao was easily defeated by Song. After a two-month siege of the capital, the leader of the Northern Han surrendered, the kingdom was incorporated into the Song Dynasty.

Rulers

'Sovereigns in 'Northern Han Kingdom 951-979'

Temple Names ( Miao Hao 廟號 miao4 hao4)	Posthumous Names ( Shi Hao 諡號 )	Personal Names	Period of Reigns	Era Names (Nian Hao 年號) and their according range of years
世祖 shi4 zu3	神武帝 shen2 wu3 di4	劉旻 liu3 min2	951-954	Qianyou (乾祐 qian2 you4) 951-954
睿宗 rui4 zong1	孝和帝 xiao4 he2 di4	劉承鈞 liu3 cheng2 jun1	954-970	Qianyou (乾祐 qian2 you4) 954-957 Tianhui (天會 tian1 hui4) 957-970
少主 shao4 zhu3	Did not exist	劉繼恩 liu3 ji4 en1	970	Did not exist
Did not exist	英武帝 ying1 wu3 di4	劉繼元 liu3 ji4 yuan2	970-982	Guangyun (廣運 guang3 yun4) 970-982

Reference

, Mote, F.W., , , Harvard University Press, 1999, ISBN 0-674-01212-7