Li Zhen

Li Zhen

Li Xuan (1204-1227, August 28), male, of Dangxiang nationality, was the grandson of Li zunxu, Xia Shenzong, the nephew of Li Dewang, Xia Xianzong, the son of the king of Qingping Prefecture, and the last emperor of Xixia.

In the spring of 1227 A.D., the Mongol army entered the walled city of Xingfu. After half a year, due to the exhaustion of food in the city, a large number of soldiers and civilians got sick, and a strong earthquake struck the city. All the palaces in the city were collapsed. In June of the lunar calendar, the Mongol army had to offer Genghis Khan the ancestral Golden Buddha and gold and silver treasures to surrender and ask for a month's grace before offering them to the city.

In July of the lunar calendar, Genghis Khan died shortly after Li Ying's surrender to Mongolia. After Li Ying surrendered, he was killed according to Genghis Khan's will. Chahan, the general of the Mongolian army, made great efforts to make Yinchuan avoid the fate of slaughtering the city. He merged into the city to pacify the army and the people in the city. The army and the people in the city were saved, and Xixia perished.

Xianzong died of fear and then succeeded to the throne. He reigned for two years and died. Later, he was killed by Mongolian soldiers and his burial place was unknown.

Life of the characters

Inherit the throne

Li Xuan is the grandson of Li zunxu, the emperor of Xixia, the nephew of Li Dewang, the emperor of Xianzong, and the son of the king of Qingping. In the fourth year of Qianding (1226), Li Dewang died, and the officials of the Western Xia Dynasty took over the throne and changed his name to Baoyi.

Mongolian attack

After succeeding to the throne, Li Zhen immediately sent an envoy to the Jin Dynasty to report his grief in order to obtain the support of the Jin Dynasty. The Jin Dynasty sent envoys to the Xixia to hang sacrifices, and sent the Xixia people who had been plundered in previous wars back to the Xixia.

When Li Zhen ascended the throne, he faced the danger of national subjugation. After he ascended the throne, he led the army and people to fight against Mongolia and save the nation, but he could not resist the fierce attack of Genghis Khan.

The Mongol army was divided into East and West roads to push into Xingfu in the city of xixhadu. In August, the Mongol army crossed Shatuo (now Zhongwei of Ningxia) on the West Road, seized Jiudu of the Yellow River and captured Yingli. In October, the Mongol East Route Army conquered xiazhou. Thus, the two attacks formed a pincer attack, which pointed to the capital of the Western Xia Dynasty, Zhongxing and Lingzhou. In November, Genghis Khan personally led the army to besiege Lingzhou, and Li Zhen sent General Wei Ming linggong to lead 100000 troops to save Lingzhou. Genghis Khan's cavalry galloped over the frozen yellow river. The battle was very fierce. Xia's army was defeated. Xia's general Zori and others were killed. Lingzhou was lost and wunala city was captured by the Mongolian army. The guard General of Lingzhou city was Li Deren, the former crown prince of Xixia Shenzong. He was captured by the Mongolian army and was executed for his perseverance. Li De's son, Li Weizhong, was seven years old. Seeing that his father was killed, he also begged to die. Mongolia would not bear to kill him and save his life.

In December, the Mongol army conquered yanzhouchuan, searched everywhere, burned, killed and looted, and the Xixia residents survived. The victims were "nothing but white bones covering the wild, thousands of miles into the red land". After Genghis Khan conquered Lingzhou and Yanzhou, he sent General alushu to encircle Zhongxing Prefecture. Li Zhen sent his troops to HeLa hecaerdi to fight bravely with the Mongolian army. The two armies were at loggerheads. The Mongolian army planned to besiege Zhongxing Prefecture for a long time. Li Zhen sent envoys to the state of Jin because of the siege of Zhongxing mansion. Please stop the exchange of envoys between the two countries. In the first month of the second year of Baoyi (1227), Jin aizong unexpectedly sent envoys to Xixia to celebrate Zhengdan. Xixia was busy with the military affairs of guarding the city, so that the reception of Jin envoys was not polite.

Surrender to subjugation

In February of 1227, Genghis Khan led the Mongolian army to cross the Yellow River southward and invade jinjishi Prefecture. Then it conquered Lintao Prefecture and Tao, he and Xining prefectures. At that time, Xixia was in the situation of "cold spring, hungry horses, thin people and unbearable soldiers". Li Heng suddenly heard that tens of thousands of Mongolian soldiers were suffering from epidemic diseases and wanted to take the opportunity to sneak attack. Later, it was reported that Mongolian general Yelu Chucai used rhubarb captured during the attack on Lingzhou to cure the disease, so that the Mongolian army was safe, so the Xia soldiers did not dare to go out. In March, the Mongolian army attacked Shazhou again. Genghis Khan sent General hudu tiemu'er to recruit and surrender the generals first. The generals pseudo surrendered, slaughtered cattle and bought wine to reward the Mongolian army, and secretly set up ambush to wait. Suddenly, tiemu'er was nearly captured. After he got out of danger, he led the Mongolian army to counterattack and Shazhou fell.

Li Zhen was besieged in the Zhongxing mansion. Seeing that the city was conquered, his country was in danger and at a loss. He summoned Gao Lianghui, the right Prime Minister of the three dynasties, and entrusted him with state affairs. Gao Lianghui, a "hundred officials in the town, encourages officers and soldiers from outside", sticks to the capital and patrols day and night from winter to summer. All his subordinates advised him to take care of himself. He sighed, "I have been blessed by the country in my life. I can't eliminate the troubles and troubles. If this is the case, why do I do it?" He died of overwork and old age. At the end of the three times to cry before his death, Zhongxing city in a sad voice.

In May, Genghis Khan returned to Longde (today's Xiji border of Ningxia), because of the hot weather, to Liupanshan summer. Seeing that Xixia was isolated and helpless, he sent Chahan, the first thousand households in front of Yuzhang, to Zhongxing mansion to give instructions to Li Chen, but he was refused again. In June, a strong earthquake occurred in Xixia, the palace buildings collapsed, and the plague spread. The Zhongxing government, which has been trapped for half a year, has run out of food, and the army and the people have completely lost their ability to resist and fight because of illness. Li Zhen was in a desperate situation, so he had to take Li Zhonger, Minister of Xixia, weiminglinggong and other civil and military officers and generals to surrender to the Mongolian army on the basis of "Tuji", but he asked for a month's grace, "to prepare for the tribute and move the people" and then personally "come to pay homage to the Mongolian army".

Genghis Khan agreed to Li's request. At this time, Genghis Khan had been seriously ill and was staying in Qingshui county (now Qingshui County, Gansu Province) and Xijiang River (now Niutou River) to recuperate. Genghis Khan heard that Xixia would surrender to Xiancheng, so he made a will: after his death, he would not mourn temporarily, waiting for Li Yun to surrender to Xiancheng.

In July 1227, Genghis Khan died in the palace of Qingshui county. When Li Xiancheng came out and descended, the royal family and the Mongolian army paid homage and were killed when they arrived at sarichuan. After the Mongol army entered zhongxingfu, Xixia was destroyed.

Historical records

History of the Song Dynasty volume 486 biographies 245

History of the Yuan Dynasty volume 120 biography 7

member of family

Grandfather: Xia Shenzong Li zunxu

Father: Li, king of Qingping County

Uncle: Li Deren, the deposed Prince and Li Dewang, Xia Xianzong