Emperor Zhang of Han
Zhanghe (章和) 87-88
Emperor Zhang of Han (汉 章帝Chinese, Pinyin Hàn Zhang Dì, W.-G. Han Chang -ti, * 57, † 88), birth name Liú Dá was 75-88 AD Emperor of the Han Dynasty.
Emperor Zhang proved to be dedicated and zealous rulers. He reduced taxes and had no affair of state in mind. He also cut government spending and promoted Confucianism. Under his rule lived culture and society in China, such a bloom that his reign and that of his father Emperor Ming is considered the Golden Age of the Later Han Dynasty.
Under Emperor Zhang of the general Ban Chao Chinese troops led west to the Caspian Sea and in today's Ukraine. He established direct contact with the Parthian Empire and possibly even sent an embassy to Rome.
After Emperor Zhang's reign, the empire of the Han Dynasty to fall slowly by internal power struggles between officials of the eunuchs and the imperial family began.
Family background
The then Prince Da was born in the year 57, the son of the then Crown Prince Liu Zhuang Jia and his wife. The favorite wife of the Crown Prince, Ms. Ma was her maternal aunt. Since she had no sons, she adopted Ms Jia son. Since about Prince grew up the son of Ms. Ma, but because he knew his birth mother, he felt more than her son.
Emperor Guangwu Liu The grandfather died the year of his birth, and Crown Prince Zhuang succeeded him as Emperor Ming on the throne. In the year 60 he got at the insistence of his mother Yin Lihua his wife Empress Ma and Liu As crown prince, even though he had four older brothers.
As Crown Prince,
About the career of the Crown Prince There is not much known. He was in the classics of Confucian literature teaching ( the Four Classic Novels and Five Classics ) and supported in this by his adoptive mother, to whom he had an intimate connection. Moreover, his uncle the Ma clan were close to him.
In the year 75 died Emperor Ming, and Liu Da followed him at the age of 18 years as emperor on the throne according to Zhang. Empress Ma was awarded the title of empress dowager.
Early government with the Empress Dowager
Emperor Zhang worked as a ruler as hard as his father, but he was gentle and forgiving. He sought from eligible officers and carried them. The emperor himself led a frugal life. He had a humble mind and honored especially the older officials who had already served his father and grandfather.
On the advice of the consultant Zhong Yang (杨 终) and the Prime Minister Diwu Lun (第五 伦) Emperor Zhang decided in 76 to give the campaigns in Xiyu (modern Xinjiang and Central Asia), which had begun his father. However, the general Ban Chao stationed there did the presence of the Han empire in Xiyu for essential. He refused to withdraw its troops until the Emperor finally gave in and Ban Chao blamed for the other campaigns in Xiyu.
Because his uncle Ma clan were close to him, Emperor Zhang wanted to appoint the beginning of his reign to Margrave. Empress Dowager Ma refused to do so, although some time off because she thought it was inappropriate, but the Emperor decided in 79 to ignore his mother. He appointed his uncle Marquis, although they were asking, at least to receive only the corresponding office and not the title.
In the year 77 the emperor took his niece to wife Dou and raised them a year later to the Empress.
Empress Dowager Ma, who had her son until then constructively advise not died in the year 79 also now ventured Emperor Zhang was to appoint his own mother Jia empress mother; he allowed her only life and the maintenance of a princess.
Intrigues of the Dou clan
After his mother's death of Emperor Zhang was eager for peace and prosperity, but disputes between the families of his wives, especially with the Dou clan, gradually destabilized the government.
Empress Dowager Ma had during her lifetime two daughters Yang Song (宋 杨) chose to concubines of Emperor Zhang. The older concubine song gave birth to a son named Liu Qing 78. Because Empress Dou had no son, Liu Qing was crown prince in the following year. The Song sisters were in the favor of the Empress Dowager.
Empress Dou adopted in the same year (79 ) the son of the concubine Liang, Liu Zhao. With her mother and uncles conspired the Empress to make their adopted son Crown Prince. After the death of the empress mother sued the concubines song to falsely of witchcraft. Emperor Zhang was furious and banished the Crown Prince Liu Qing from the palace. The Song Sisters he let the eunuch Cai Lun of interrogate. In prison they were poisoned. Crown Prince Qing was deposed and appointed instead to the Prince of Qinghe; Liu Zhao was Crown Prince. The two brothers were nevertheless always in proportion to each other. Empress Dou now also slandered Liu Zhao's birth mother, a concubine Liang, and her sister. They lost the favor of Emperor Zhang and died soon after her father had died in prison.
By switching off the concubines of the rise of the Dou clan had begun. In 83 of the Kaiser also found out that his Ma - cousins disregarded the laws. From indignation he sent their fathers, uncles in their brands back. Now the Dou clan, especially Dou Dou Xian and could you (窦 笃), at the court of taking power. This was the first time in the history of the Han Dynasty that the family of the Empress held more power than that of the Empress Dowager. This development turned out for the following generations out as a factor for corruption.
Late Government
Emperor Zhang's diligence and openness remained of the courtly intrigues unaffected. So in the year 84 students were Kong Xi (孔 僖) and Cui Yin (崔 骃) accused of Emperor Wu and therefore Emperor Zhang criticized. Kong Xi sent a letter to the Emperor with his defense, and Emperor Zhang accepted. He made Kong Xi even to an official of the administration.
In the year 86 the first time a revolt broke out of the Qiang tribes. Although he was quickly put down, but in the following decades, the Qiang should always rise up against the corrupt civil administration of the Han empire and contribute to the decline of the dynasty.
Emperor Zhang died in 88th Crown Prince Zhao succeeded him as Emperor He.
Family
- Father: Emperor Ming of Han, the fifth son
- Birth mother: Jia
- Adoptive mother, Empress Ma
- Wife Empress Dou
- Concubines Dou, sister of Empress Dou
- Song, mother of Liu Qing
- Song, sister of the previous
- Liang, mother of Liu Zhao
- Liang, sister of the previous
- Sheng, mother of Liu Shou and Kai Liu
- Liu Kang (刘 伉), 79 Prince Jen by Qiancheng († 94)
- Liu Quan (刘 全), 79 Prince Dao of Pingchun († 79)
- Liu Qing (刘庆), originally Crown Prince, later Prince Xiao Qinghe, father of the Emperor to
- Liu Zhao (刘 肇), Crown Prince, later Emperor He
- Liu Shou (刘 寿), 90 Prince Hui of Jibei († 121)
- Liu Kai (刘 开), 90 Prince Xiao of Hejian († 132)
- Liu Shu (刘淑), 90 Prince Huai of Chengyang († 95)
- Liu wansui (刘 万岁), 93 Prince Shang of Guangzong († 93)
- Nan Liu (刘 男), 80 Princess Wude
- Wang Liu (刘 王), 80 Princess Pingyi
- Liu Ji (刘吉), 94 Princess Yin'an
- Emperor of the Eastern Han Dynasty
- Chinese
- Born 57
- Died 88
- Man