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{{cite book |first=Endymion Porter |last = Wilkinson |title = Chinese History: A Manual |year=2000 |page=12 |publisher = Harvard Univ Asia Center |isbn = 9780674002494 |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=ERnrQq0bsPYC&q=northen+han+shatuo&pg=PA12 }}{{cite book |last=Mote |first=Frederick W. |title = Imperial China 900-1800 |year=2003 |pages=67–68 |publisher=Harvard University Press |isbn=9780674012127 |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=SQWW7QgUH4gC&q=Imperial+China:+900%E2%80%931800&pg=PA3 }} while some traditional historical sources claim that the emperors claimed patrilineal Han Chinese ancestry.{{NoteTag|According to Old History of the Five Dynasties, vol. 99, and New History of the Five Dynasties, vol. 10. Liu Zhiyuan was of Shatuo origin. According to Wudai Huiyao, [https://archive.org/stream/06049337.cn#page/n30/mode/2up vol. 1] Liu Zhiyuan's great-great-grandfather Liu Tuan (劉湍) (titled as Emperor Mingyuan posthumously, granted the temple name of Wenzu) descended from Liu Bing (劉昞), Prince of Huaiyang, a son of Emperor Ming of Han.}}

The Northern Han was a small kingdom located in Shanxi with its capital located at Taiyuan. Shanxi had been a traditional base of power since the fading days of the Tang dynasty in the late ninth century and early tenth century. It was wedged between the two major powers of the day, the Liao dynasty to the north and the Later Zhou dynasty (then the Northern Song dynasty) to the south.

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.

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.

{{chart top|width=75%|The family tree of the Later Han and Northern Han rulers}}

{{Color sample|border=#03C03C|white; border-width:3px}} - Later Han emperors; {{Color sample|border=#FFA500|white; border-width:3px}} - Northern Han emperors

{{chart/start|align=center|style=font-size:112%;|summary=Boxes and lines diagram with 13 boxes}}

{{chart|border=1| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |:|ado | | | | | ado=adopted| boxstyle_ado=border-width:0px}}

{{chart|border=1| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |P|Ma | | | | | Ma=Marriage| boxstyle_Ma=border-width:0px}}

{{chart|border=1| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | }}

{{chart|border=1| | | | | | Tia | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Tia=Liu Tian 劉琠
Xianzu 显祖}}

{{chart|border=1| |,|-|-|-|-|^|-|-|-|-|.| | | | | | | | | | | | | }}

{{chart|border=1|Gao | | | | | | | |Shi | | | | | | | | | | | | | Gao=Liu Zhiyuan 劉知遠 895–948
Gaozu 高祖
947–948| boxstyle_Gao=border-width:2px; border-color:#03C03C| Shi=Liu Min 劉旻 895–954
Shizu 世祖
951–954| boxstyle_Shi=border-width:2px; border-color:#FFA500}}

{{chart|border=1| |!| | | | |,|-|-|-|-|+|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|.| | | | | }}

{{chart|border=1|Min | | |Yu | | |Jun | | Xue |m| Mrs |m| Mhe | Min={{nowrap|Liu Chengyou 劉承祐 931–951
Yindi 隱帝
948–951}}| boxstyle_Min=border-width:2px; border-color:#03C03C| Yu=Liu Yun 劉贇
d.951; r.950| boxstyle_Yu=border-width:2px| Jun={{nowrap|Liu Jun 劉钧 926–968
Ruizong 睿宗
954–968}}| boxstyle_Jun=border-width:2px; border-color:#FFA500| Xue=Xue Zhao
薛钊| Mrs=Lady Liu
劉氏| Mhe=Mr. He
何某}}

{{chart|border=1| | | | | | | | | | | |L|~|~|~|~|V|t|~|~|7|!| | | }}

{{chart|border=1| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Jie | |Jiy | | | Jie={{nowrap|Liu Jien 劉继恩 d. 968
Shaozhu 少主
968}}| boxstyle_Jie=border-width:2px; border-color:#FFA500| Jiy={{nowrap| Liu Jiyuan 劉继元 d. 992
Yingwudi 英武帝
968–979}}| boxstyle_Jiy=border-width:2px; border-color:#FFA500}}

{{chart| LHa=LATER HAN| boxstyle_LHa=border-width:0px| Nha=NORTHERN HAN| boxstyle_Nha=border-width:0px}}

{{chart/end}}

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• {{cite book |title=Imperial China: 900-1800 |last=Mote |first = F.W. |publisher=Harvard University Press |year=1999 |pages=16, 106–108 |isbn = 0-674-01212-7 }}

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Category:Later Han (Five Dynasties)

Category:Dynasties of China

Category:Former countries in Chinese history

Category:Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms

Category:951 establishments

Category:10th-century establishments in China

Category:970s disestablishments

Category:10th-century disestablishments in China

Category:States and territories established in the 950s

Category:States and territories disestablished in the 970s

Category:Northern China

Category:Former kingdoms