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Emperor Ruizong of Tang (唐睿宗) (22 June 662〔 – 13 July 716〔), personal name Lǐ Dàn (李旦), known at times during his life as Li Xulun (李旭輪), Li Lun (李輪), Wu Lun (武輪), and Wu Dan (武旦), was the fifth and ninth emperor of Tang Dynasty. He was the eighth son of Emperor Gaozong and the fourth son of Emperor Gaozong's second wife Empress Wu (later known as Wu Zetian). In February 684, Li Dan's mother Empress Wu demoted his older brother Emperor Zhongzong (Li Xian) who had attempted to rule free of his mother, and named him emperor (as Emperor Ruizong). Emperor Ruizong, however, was a puppet under control of his mother and did not have any real power. In October 690 he ceded the imperial throne to his mother, who installed herself as "emperor" – the only woman in Chinese history ever to rule as emperor.〔Decades earlier, in 653, a minor female agrarian rebel leader, Chen Shuozhen (陳碩真), had claimed the title of "Emperor Wenjia" (文佳皇帝), during her rebellion. However, because her rebellion was very limited in scope and was quickly crushed, she is not typically regarded as a true "female emperor." See ''Zizhi Tongjian'', vol. 199. Earlier than that, during Northern Wei Dynasty, Empress Dowager Hu, after her son Emperor Xiaoming's death, falsely declared Emperor Xiaoming's daughter to be a son and declared the daughter to be the new emperor, but almost immediately revealed that the child was in fact female, and thereafter declared Yuan Zhao, the young son of Emperor Xiaoming's cousin Yuan Baohui (元寶暉) emperor. See ''Zizhi Tongjian'', vol. 152. Emperor Xiaoming's daughter is also therefore not usually considered a true emperor.〕 Emperor Ruizong was reduced to the position of crown prince, with the unconventional title of ''Huangsi'' (皇嗣, literally "imperial heir"). In the following years, Empress Wu's nephews Wu Chengsi and Wu Sansi tried to have one of them named heir to the throne, but Wu Zetian resisted these calls. Eventually, in October 698, faced with foreign invasion and dissatisfaction at home, Empress Wu accepted the suggestion of the chancellor Di Renjie and recalled the exiled Li Xian to the capital Luoyang. Soon, Li Dan offered to yield the position of crown prince to his elder brother, and Li Xian became crown prince instead. In 705, a coup overthrew Wu Zetian and restored Emperor Zhongzong to the throne. The five years of Emperor Zhongzong's reign were dominated by Zhongzong's empress consort, Empress Wei. In the beginning of July 710, Emperor Zhongzong died, allegedly poisoned by Empress Wei who then named Zhongzong's youngest son Li Chongmao the Prince of Wen emperor (as Emperor Shang). A mere two weeks later, Li Dan's sister Princess Taiping and Li Dan's son Li Longji the Prince of Linzi launched a coup which resulted in the death of Empress Wei. Princess Taiping, Li Longji, and Li Longji's brother Li Chengqi the Prince of Song then persuaded Li Dan to take the throne himself, and he agreed, returning the throne in Emperor Shang's stead. Li Longji, although not the oldest son, was made crown prince on account of his accomplishments. Soon, however, tensions between Princess Taiping, who had many supporters, and Li Longji mounted. Eventually, in September 712, Emperor Ruizong, believing that astrological signs called for a change of emperors, abdicated in favor of Li Longji (as Emperor Xuanzong). However, at Princess Taiping's suggestion, Emperor Ruizong, now carrying the title of ''Taishang Huang'' (retired emperor), continued to wield actual power. However, in 713, suspecting Princess Taiping of planning a coup, Emperor Xuanzong acted first, killing her associates and forcing her to commit suicide. After the death of Princess Taiping, Emperor Ruizong himself yielded imperial powers to Emperor Xuanzong and left the governmental scene. He died in 716. ==Background== Li Xulun was born in 662, as the youngest son of Emperor Gaozong and his second wife Empress Wu (later known as Wu Zetian). Later that year, he was created the Prince of Yin. In 664, he was nominally made the commandant at Ji Prefecture (冀州, roughly modern Hengshui, Hebei) and the Chanyu Protectorate General (headquarters in modern Hohhot, Inner Mongolia). It was said that, as he grew, he became known for humility, the love for his siblings, and talent in calligraphy. In 666, his title was changed to Prince of Yu. In 669, his title was changed to Prince of Ji, and his name was changed from Xulun to Lun. In 675, his title was changed to Prince of Xiang. In 678, his title was changed back to Prince of Yu, and his name was further changed to Li Dan. He was also made the prefect of Luo Prefecture (洛州), the prefecture containing the eastern capital Luoyang. Sometime between 676 and 679, he married his wife Princess Liu. Emperor Gaozong died in 683 and was succeeded by Li Dan's older brother Li Zhe the Crown Prince (as Emperor Zhongzong), but Empress Wu retained power as empress dowager and regent. In 684, when Emperor Zhongzong displayed signs of independence, she deposed him and replaced him with Li Dan (as Emperor Ruizong), but wielded power even more firmly. Indeed, she housed Emperor Ruizong in a different palace and did not let him meet the imperial officials or give input on affairs of state. Emperor Ruizong's wife Princess Liu was created empress, while her son Li Chengqi was created crown prince. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Emperor Ruizong of Tang」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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