Emperor Shengzong of Liao, also known as Yelu Longxu, succeeded Emperor Jinzong as Emperor of the Khitan at the age of 12. As he was too young to actually rule, his mother effectively ruled the kingdom. His mother, Empress Xiao, appointed Yelu Xiuge as her senior general and launched a war on the Song army in 987. In 1005, the Song bought peace by offering 200,000 bolts of silk and 100,000 <--troy?--> ounces of silver each year. This was established in the Shanyuan Treaty. In 1009, after the Korean King was deposed, Shengzong invaded Korea with 400,000 men, and burned the Korean capital at Kaekyong. Shengzong demanded territory but in the end, Korea gained a favorable settlement in 1019. Emperor Shengzong eventually died in the year 1031. The Khitan, in Chinese Qidan (契丹 Pinyin: Qìdān), were an ethnic group which dominated much of Manchuria and was classified in Chinese history as one of the Tungus ethnic groups (東胡族 dōng hú zú). ... Alternative meaning: Song Dynasty (420-479) The Song dynasty (Chinese: 宋朝) was a ruling dynasty in China from 960-1279. ... Events Hugh Capet, Count of Paris, crowned King of France Kukulcan conquers Chichen Itza Births Deaths May 21 King Louis V of France Categories: 987 ... Events Malcolm II succeeds Kenneth III as king of Scotland. ... Silk (< OE sioloc probably < L. SERICVS / Gr. ... General Name, Symbol, Number silver, Ag, 47 Chemical series Transition metals Group, Period, Block 11, 5, d Density, Hardness 10490 kg/m3, 2. ... Events February 14: First known mention of Lithuania, in the annals of the monastery of Quedlinburg. ... Events Toi invasion: Jurchen pirates invade Kyushu. ... Events Collapse of the Moorish Caliphate of Córdoba. ...

During the rule of Emperor Shengzong, the Liao instituted feudal reform, spurring its economy. Prior to this, it had depended on territorial expansion, slavery, and thievery. Under Shengzong's rule, most slaves were liberated, becoming normal members of society. The most important parts of the economy from then on were horse raising, sheep raising, agriculture, and fishing. Shengzong was also the one to institutionalize state examinations for the election of Chinese officials. Feudalism comes from the Late Latin word feudum, itself borrowed from a Germanic root *fehu, a commonly used term in the Middle Ages which means fief, or land held under certain obligations by feodati. ... A monument celebrating the emancipation of slaves in the British Empire in 1834, erected in Victoria Tower Gardens, Millbank, Westminster, London Look up Slavery in Wiktionary, the free dictionary Slavery can mean one or more related conditions which involve control of a person against his or her will, enforced by... Theft (also known as stealing) is, in general, the wrongful taking of someone elses property without that persons willful consent. ... A society is a group of human beings distinguishable from other groups by mutual interests, characteristic relationships, shared institutions and a common culture. ... Binomial name Equus caballus The Horse (Equus caballus) is a large ungulate mammal, one of the seven modern species of the genus Equus. ... This article is about the animal, sheep; for other meanings of Sheep, see Sheep (disambiguation). ... Fishing from a Pier Fishing is a term applied to any activity which aims to capture fish or shellfish for subsistence, scientific, commercial or recreational purposes. ...