The Song Dynasty manages to epically pull defeat from the jaws of victory when it manages to twice goad its nominal ally, the Jurchen Jin, into a border war. The first time, it’s beaten so badly that it has to give up almost half of its northern holdings. But when even that’s not enough to quench Emperor Qinzong’s delusions of grandeur, he and his regime will pay with everything they have…

Time Period Covered: 

1125-1127 CE

Major Historical Figures:

Northern Song:

Emperor Huizong of Song (Zhao Ji) [r. 1100-1126, ret. Emperor 1126-1127]

Emperor Qinzong of Song (Zhao Huan) [r. 1126-1127]

General Tong Guan [1054–1126]

General Wang Bing [d. 1126]

Jurchen Jin:

Emperor Taizong of Jin (Wuqimai) [r. 1123-1135] 

Prince Wanyan Zonghan (Nianhan) [1080-1136]

Prince Wanyan Zongwang (Wolibu) [c. 1073-1133?]

Zhang Bangchang, Puppet Emperor of Chu [1081–1127]

Major Works Cited:

Levine, Ari Daniel. “The Reigns of Hui-Tsung and Ch-in-Tsung” in The Cambridge History of China, Vol.05: The Sung Dynasty and Its Precursors, 907–1279. Part 1.

Lorge, Peter Allen. War, Politics, and Society in Early Modern China, 900-1795

Tao, Jing-shen. “The Move to the South and the Reign of Kao-Tsung (1127–1162)” in The Cambridge History of China, Vol.05: The Sung Dynasty and Its Precursors, 907–1279. Part 1.

Various. the Accounts of Jingkang

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