Emperor Gaozong of Song China
Birth and death:	Jun. 12, 1107–Nov. 9, 1187
Family name:	Zhao (趙)
Given name:	Gou (構)
Courtesy name (字):	Deji (德基)
Dates of reign:	Jun. 12, 1127¹–Jul. 24, 1162²
Dynasty:	Song (宋)
Temple name:	Gaozong (高宗)
Posthumous name: (short)	Never used short
Posthumous name: (full)	Emperor Shouming Zhongxing Quangong Zhide Shengshen Wuwen Zhaoren Xianxiao³ 受命中興全功至德聖神武文昭仁 憲孝皇帝
General note: Dates given here are in the Julian calendar. They are not in the proleptic Gregorian calendar.
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1. Following the capture of his older half-brother Emperor Qinzong in January 1127 by the Jurchen invaders, was proclaimed emperor on June 12, 1127 in the southern capital. Was deposed for 25 days between March 26 and April 20, 1129 by generals Miao Fu (苗傅) and Liu Zhengyan (劉正彥). Restored, was pursued by the Jurchen and was not in full control of Southern China until the late 1130s. 2. Abdicated in favor of the son of a distant cousin whom he had adopted. Granted himself the title Taishang Huang (太上皇) and continued in practice to rule through the new emperor. 3. Final version of the posthumous name given in 1191.

Emperor Gaozong (June 12, 1107 – November 9, 1187), born Zhao Gou, was the tenth emperor of the Song Dynasty of China, and the first emperor of the Southern Song. He reigned from 1127 to 1162. He fled south after the Jurchens overran Kaifeng in the Jingkang Incident, hence the beginning of the Southern Song dynasty 1127-1279. Gaozong re-established his seat of government in Lin'an (臨安, 临安; today's Hangzhou, 杭州). This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Events William Warelwast becomes Bishop of Exeter. ... // Events May 1 - Battle of Cresson - Saladin defeats the crusaders July 4 - Saladin defeats Guy of Lusignan, King of Jerusalem, at the Battle of Hattin. ... Personal names in Chinese culture follow a number of conventions different from those of personal names in Western culture. ... Chinese given names (Chinese: 名字; pinyin: míngzì) are made up of one or two characters. ... 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A posthumous name (Traditional Chinese: 諡號/謚號 Simplified Chinese: 谥号; Pinyin: shì hào; Romaji: shigō/tsuigō; Revised Romanization of Korean: siho) is a honorary name given to royalty in some cultures posthumously, that is, after the persons death. ... The Julian calendar was introduced in 46 BC by Julius Caesar and took force in 45 BC (709 ab urbe condita). ... The proleptic Gregorian calendar is produced by extending the Gregorian Calendar to dates preceding its official introduction in 1582. ... Categories: Song Dynasty emperors | People stubs ... Events Conrad III establishes the Hohenstaufen dynasty when he is crowned antiking to the Holy Roman Emperor, Lothair II. First coalition of the Norman princes against Roger II of Sicily. ... The Jurchens (Chinese: 女真, pinyin: nǚzhēn) were a Tungusic people who inhabited parts of Manchuria and northern Korea until the seventeenth century, when they became the Manchus. ... 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Taishang Huang (Chinese: 太上皇, tàishàng huáng) was a Chinese title, sometimes translated in English as Grand Emperor or Emperor Emeritus, used all across Eastern Asia for a retired emperor. ... // Events May 12 - Richard I of England marries Berengaria of Navarre. ... June 12 is the 163rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (164th in leap years), with 202 days remaining. ... Events William Warelwast becomes Bishop of Exeter. ... November 9 is the 313th day of the year (314th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 52 days remaining. ... // Events May 1 - Battle of Cresson - Saladin defeats the crusaders July 4 - Saladin defeats Guy of Lusignan, King of Jerusalem, at the Battle of Hattin. ... Alternative meaning: Song Dynasty (420-479) The Song dynasty (Chinese: 宋朝) was a ruling dynasty in China from 960-1279. ... Events Conrad III establishes the Hohenstaufen dynasty when he is crowned antiking to the Holy Roman Emperor, Lothair II. 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Gaozong was the 9th son of Emperor Huizong and the younger half-brother of Emperor Qinzong. His mother was a concubine from the Wei (韋) family who later became empress dowager, and is known posthumously as Empress Xianren (顯仁皇后) (1080-1159). Emperor Huizong (November 2, 1082 – June 4, 1135) was the eighth and one of the most famous emperors of the Song Dynasty of China, with a personal life spent amidst luxury, sophistication, and art, and ending in tragedy. ... Categories: Song Dynasty emperors | People stubs ... Empress Dowager (Chinese, Korean and Japanese: 皇太后; Chinese pinyin Húang Tài Hòu, Korean pronunciation: Hwang Tae Hu, Japanese pronunciation: Kōtaigō) was title given to the mother of a Chinese emperor. ... Events William I of England, in a letter, reminds the Bishop of Rome that the King of England owes him no allegiance. ... Events In the Roman Catholic Church, Cardinals are given the right of election of the Pope. ...

During his reign, Jurchens often attacked the Southern Song empire. Initially, he used military officials such as Li Gang, Yue Fei, Han Shizhong and Yu Yunwen to hold the Jurchens at bay. However, after years of fighting and significant military success, Gaozong settled on a pacifist stance. One of the major reasons behind this was that Gaozong and the traitorous premier Qin Hui did not actually want the Song army to defeat the Jurchens, as this might result in Emperor Qinzong being restored to the throne. As a result, Gaozong and Qin plotted to frame Yue Fei for some ambiguous offence and had him put to death. General Han Shizhong was also dismissed from his military duties. Gaozong then signed the Treaty of Shaoxing with the Jurchens which further ceded huge amounts of territories to the Jurchens in the hope of appeasement. The Jurchens (Traditional Chinese: 女眞; Simplified Chinese: 女真; Hanyu Pinyin: ) were a Tungus people who inhabited parts of Manchuria and northern Korea until the seventeenth century, when they became the Manchus. ... Statue of Yue Fei, from the Yue Fei Mausoleum in Hangzhou. ... The Treaty of Shaoxing (紹興和議, pinyin: Shàoxīng Héyì) is the agreement which ended the conflicts between the Jin Dynasty and Southern Song Dynasty. ... The Jurchens (Traditional Chinese: 女眞; Simplified Chinese: 女真; Hanyu Pinyin: ) were a Tungus people who inhabited parts of Manchuria and northern Korea until the seventeenth century, when they became the Manchus. ...

Gaozong abdicated in 1162 after reigning for more than 35 years but lived on until 1187. He was 80 when he died. His temple name means "High Ancestor". Events June 3 - Thomas Becket consecrated as Archbishop of Canterbury. ... // Events May 1 - Battle of Cresson - Saladin defeats the crusaders July 4 - Saladin defeats Guy of Lusignan, King of Jerusalem, at the Battle of Hattin. ... Temple names (Traditional Chinese: 廟號 Simplified Chinese: 庙号 Pinyin: miào hào;), are commonly used when naming most Chinese, Vietnamese (such dynasties as Tran,Anterior Lê and Nguyen Dynasty) and most Korean rulers of the Goryeo and Joseon Dynasties. ...

See also

• Yue Fei