Emperor Yingzong of Song
宋英宗
“Four years, most of them spent arguing about what to call his father”
Adopted into the succession because Renzong had no heir, and ill for much of his short reign. The court spent two years of it on the Puyi debate — whether he could refer to his biological father as father — which sounds trivial and was really a fight about who controlled the emperor.
Empress Cao ruled as regent through his illness and then handed the government back, which was not the usual outcome.
His empress was Gao Taotao, who as dowager governed for eight years and reversed the Wang Anshi reforms wholesale.
The empresses of this reign
Painted on silk in gemstone mineral pigments by Xiang Li.
About this page
Written for this site to place Yingzong's reign around the paintings. For the full biography, the dynastic histories and the scholarship behind them, start at Wikipedia.
Every Song emperor
Northern Song
北宋 960 – 1127| Reign | Emperor | Painted empresses |
|---|---|---|
| 960 – 976 | Taizu 宋太祖 Zhao Kuangyin 趙匡胤 / 赵匡胤 | |
| 976 – 997 | Taizong 宋太宗 Zhao Kuangyi 趙光義 / 赵光义 | |
| 997 – 1022 | Zhenzong 宋真宗 Zhao Heng 趙恆 / 赵恒 | |
| 1022 – 1063 | Renzong 宋仁宗 Zhao Zhen 趙禎 / 赵祯 | |
| 1063 – 1067 | Yingzong 宋英宗 Zhao Shu 趙曙 / 赵曙 | |
| 1067 – 1085 | Shenzong 宋神宗 Zhao Xu 趙頊 / 赵顼 | |
| 1085 – 1100 | Zhezong 宋哲宗 Zhao Xu 趙煦 / 赵煦 | |
| 1100 – 1126 | Huizong 宋徽宗 Zhao Ji 趙佶 / 赵佶 | |
| 1126 – 1127 | Qinzong 宋欽宗 / 宋钦宗 Zhao Huan 趙桓 / 赵桓 |
Southern Song
南宋 1127 – 1279| Reign | Emperor | Painted empresses |
|---|---|---|
| 1127 – 1162 | Gaozong 宋高宗 Zhao Gou 趙構 / 赵构 | |
| 1162 – 1189 | Xiaozong 宋孝宗 Zhao Shen 趙昚 / 赵昚 | |
| 1189 – 1194 | Guangzong 宋光宗 Zhao Dun 趙惇 / 赵惇 | |
| 1194 – 1224 | Ningzong 宋寧宗 / 宋宁宗 Zhao Kuo 趙擴 / 赵扩 | |
| 1224 – 1264 | Lizong 宋理宗 Zhao Yun 趙昀 / 赵昀 | |
| 1264 – 1274 | Duzong 宋度宗 Zhao Qi 趙禥 / 赵禥 | |
| 1274 – 1276 | Gong 宋恭帝 Zhao Xian 趙㬎 / 赵㬎 | |
| 1276 – 1278 | Duanzong 宋端宗 Zhao Shi 趙昰 / 赵昰 | — |
| 1278 – 1279 | Bing 宋末帝 Zhao Bing 趙昺 / 赵昺 |