Founding of the Northern Han
The short-lived state of Later Han fell in 950 because of Guo Wei, a powerful military governor's ''de facto'' coup. 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 Later Han. Liu Min immediately restored the traditional relationship with the Khitans, who had founded the Liao dynasty. Sources conflict as to the origin of the Later Han and Northern Han emperors; some indicate sinicized Shatuo ancestry while some traditional historical sources claim that the emperors claimed patrilineal Han Chinese ancestry.Territorial extent
The Northern Han was a small kingdom located inWedge between Liao and Song
The existence of the Northern Han was one of the two major thorns in relations between the Liao Dynasty and Later Zhou's successor Northern Song, 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.''History of the Five Dynasties'', vol. 59. Emperor Taizu of Song 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 emperor of the Northern Han surrendered and the kingdom was incorporated into the Northern Song.Rulers
The family tree of the Later Han and Northern Han rulers
- Later Han emperors; - Northern Han emperorsNotes
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* {{DEFAULTSORT:Han Later Han (Five Dynasties) Dynasties of China Former countries in Chinese history Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms 951 establishments 10th-century establishments in China 970s disestablishments 10th-century disestablishments in China States and territories established in the 950s States and territories disestablished in the 970s Northern China Former kingdoms