Emperor Yizong of Western Xia (1047–1068), sinicized name Li Liangzuo (), was the second

emperor The word ''emperor'' (from , via ) can mean the male ruler of an empire. ''Empress'', the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife (empress consort), mother/grandmother (empress dowager/grand empress dowager), or a woman who rules ...

of the

Western Xia dynasty The Western Xia or the Xi Xia ( zh, c=, w=Hsi1 Hsia4, p=Xī Xià), officially the Great Xia ( zh, c=大夏, w=Ta4 Hsia4, p=Dà Xià, labels=no), also known as the Tangut Empire, and known as Stein (1972), pp. 70–71. to the Tanguts ...

of China, reigning from 1048 to 1067. Yizong was also known by his

Tangut Tangut may refer to: *Tangut people, an ancient ethnic group in Northwest China *Tangut language, the extinct language spoken by the Tangut people *Tangut script, the writing system used to write the Tangut language *Tangut (Unicode block) *Wester ...

name Ningling Liangcha (寧令兩岔). "Ningling" (寧令, Tangut: ) was his Tangut title, which meant "

Grand Prince Grand prince or great prince (feminine: grand princess or great princess) (; ; ; ; ) is a hereditary title, used either by certain monarchs or by members of certain monarchs' families. Grand duke is the usual and established, though not litera ...

", while "Liangcha" (兩岔) was his personal name. After the death of his father,

Li Yuanhao Emperor Jingzong of Western Xia (1003–1048), born Li Yuanhao () or Tuoba Yuanhao (), also known as Zhao Yuanhao (趙元昊), Weiming Yuanhao (嵬名元昊) and Weiming Nangxiao (嵬名曩霄), was the founding emperor of the Western Xia dynasty ...

(Emperor Jingzong) in 1048, Yizong assumed the throne at the age of one, but most of the power laid in the hands of

his mother ''His Mother'' is a 1912 American silent film produced by Kalem Company. It was directed by Sidney Olcott with Gene Gauntier and Jack J. Clark in the leading roles. It was one of more than a dozen films produced by the Kalem Company filmed in Ir ...

the Empress Dowager. In 1049, the Liao dynasty attacked the Western Xia and forced it to become a vassal state. In 1056, the Dowager was killed and Yizong's uncle,

Mozang Epang Mozang Epang (, d. 1061) was an ethnic Tangut statesman and chancellor of the Western Xia dynasty of China during the reign of the Emperor Jingzong and Emperor Yizong. Life Family background Mozang Epang was a member of the Tangut promine ...

, became the regent. In 1061, Yizong's uncle and cousin plotted against him, so he had them executed and assumed direct control of the Western Xia. Yizong expanded the central government, adding many offices. He made the armies more efficient and improved his control over faraway states. Yizong began to attack the

Northern Song dynasty The Song dynasty ( ) was an imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 960 to 1279. The dynasty was founded by Emperor Taizu of Song, who usurped the throne of the Later Zhou dynasty and went on to conquer the rest of the Ten Kingdoms, endin ...

and raided their villages. He also forced the Turpan leader to surrender. In later years, Yizong began to improve diplomatic relationships with the Northern Song and Liao dynasties. He died suddenly in 1068.

Family

Consorts and issues: * Empress, of the Mozang clan (皇后沒藏氏, d.1061), daughter of Mozang Epang *

Empress Gongsu Empress Dowager Liang (; Tangut: ; d. 1085), posthumous name Empress Gongsu Zhangxian (恭肅章憲皇后), was the empress consort of the Emperor Yizong of Western Xia. She was a member of the Liang clan, but her personal name is not known. After ...

, of the Liang clan (恭肅皇后梁氏, d.1085), personal name Luoyao (落瑤) ** Li Bingchang, Emperor Huizong (西夏惠宗李秉常; 1060 – 1086), 1st son **Princess Li (李氏), 1st daughter ***Married son of Dong Zhan (董毡), Dong Tongbi (董通比)

References

''The Ageless Chinese'' by Dun J. Li 1047 births 1067 deaths Western Xia emperors 11th-century Chinese monarchs 11th-century Tangut rulers {{China-royal-stub