Zhao Hong ( – February 1225) was a crown prince of the

Song dynasty The Song dynasty ( ) was an Dynasties of China, 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 Fiv ...

, the heir apparent of

Emperor Ningzong Emperor Ningzong of Song (19 November 1168 – 17 September 1224), personal name Zhao Kuo, was the 13th emperor of the Song dynasty of China and the fourth emperor of the Southern Song dynasty. He reigned from 1194 until his death in 1224. He ...

Biography

Zhao Hong was the adopted son of Zhao Bing, who in turn waings the biological grandson of Emperor Xiaozong. Zhao Hong was therefore, an adopted nephew of the reigning

. When the Crown Prince Zhao Xun died in 1220 from

dysentery Dysentery ( , ), historically known as the bloody flux, is a type of gastroenteritis that results in bloody diarrhea. Other symptoms may include fever, abdominal pain, and a feeling of incomplete defecation. Complications may include dehyd ...

asked for a boy at least 14 years old to adopt. Zhao Hong was selected, adopted, and installed as Crown Prince in 1221.

Deposal

The powerful chancellor Shi Miyuan did not want Zhao Hong to succeed Ningzong when he died because Shi Miyuan once found Zhao Hong sober and passed out on his quarters and in 1223, a lute-playing girl forced to act like a spy by Shi Miyuan spied on Zhao Hong and reported to Shi that once Zhao Hong would become Emperor, he would banish and exile Shi Miyuan and his subordinates to the far south. Shi Miyuan not wanting to lose his power decided to send his ally Yu Tianxi to locate a suitable heir. Yu found Zhao Yuju, a minor official in

Shaoxing Shaoxing is a prefecture-level city on the southern shore of Hangzhou Bay in northeastern Zhejiang province, China. Located on the south bank of the Qiantang River estuary, it borders Ningbo to the east, Taizhou, Zhejiang, Taizhou to the south ...

and sent him to Shi. Shi decided to groom him as the potential heir renaming him Zhao Guicheng and forced Empress Yang onto the plot. When

died, Shi Miyuan first brought Zhao Guicheng into the throne room and put him on the throne and then called Zhao Hong into the room without any bodyguards. Shi Miyuan then said that Zhao Guicheng was now the Emperor sparking protests from Zhao Hong until he was forced to bow in recognition of Zhao Guicheng. Zhao Hong was moved to a nearby prefecture,

Huzhou Huzhou (, ; Huzhou dialect: Romanization of Wu Chinese, ''ghou² cieu¹'') is a prefecture-level city in northern Zhejiang province (Hangzhou–Jiaxing–Huzhou Plain, China). Lying south of the Lake Tai, it borders Jiaxing to the east, Hangzho ...

where he could live in luxury.

Death

Zhao Hong was persuaded to join a rebellion after much resistance from him. He was however defeated after two weeks. He was executed by strangulation in February 1225.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Zhao, Hong 1225 deaths Song dynasty princes People executed by the Song dynasty Deaths by strangulation Chinese crown princes who never acceded Rebel princes