Biography of tang taizong

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In 616, when Li Yuan was put in charge of the important city of Taiyuan (太原, in modern Taiyuan, Shanxi), he took Li Shimin there with him, leaving at least three other sons, Li Jiancheng, Li Yuanji, and Li Zhiyun (李智雲, by Li Yuan's concubine Lady Wan), at his ancestral home in Hedong (河東, in modern Yuncheng, Shanxi). Emperor Taizong came to suspect that Wei was part of the plot to overthrow him.

He also bestowed on Li Shimin the special title of "Grand General of Heavenly Strategies" (天策上將, Tiance Shangjiang). In the winter of 617, he captured Chang'an and placed Yang You on the throne as Emperor Gong of Sui. He had himself made regent (with the title of grand chancellor) and created the Prince of Tang.

Anticipating Dou's maneuver, Li Shimin left a small detachment, commanded by Li Yuanji, at Luoyang, while marching east himself, taking up positions at the strategic Hulao Pass. When he killed his brothers as they were entering the palace and deposed his father in the year 626, a Gokturk leader named Qaghan led an army to Chang'an (modern-day Xi'an) to attack the Tang rulers.

Li Shimin agreed to an alliance with Qaghan and also agreed to send tribute.

Later in the spring, Emperor Taizong commissioned 24 portraits at Lingyan Pavilion to commemorate the 24 great contributors to his reign.

Most of Sui territory did not recognize Emperor Gong and continued to regard Emperor Yang as the sovereign, not as a retired emperor. SHis officials advised him to weaken Goguryeo gradually by conducting annual harassment campaigns against Goguryeo's northern region.

When this was discovered, Emperor Taizong forced Li Youliang to commit suicide. The Eastern Turks were a formidable power in the northern steppe, and before taking up arms against the Sui, Gaozu had chosen to pay them off with tribute to secure his rear.

In 626, the Eastern Turks had arrived within 100 kilometers of Chang’an when Taizong led his army to meet them at the Wei River.

This trade prospered the Tang economy, and the cultural and religious influences changed the culture.

Expanded Empire

He wanted to conquer the northeast from the start of his reign. This victory roughly united China under Tang rule. The army was successful in its attacks, forcing Ashina Duobi to flee, and by late spring of 630, Ashina Duobi had been captured, and Eastern Tujue chieftains had all submitted to Tang.

The struggle against Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji

An intense rivalry arose between Li Shimin and his older brother Li Jiancheng, who had been created Crown Prince in 618, reportedly after Emperor Gaozu first offered the position to Li Shimin as a reward for his contributions. The Eastern Tujue supported Liu Wuzhou, the Dingyang Khan, who soon rose against Wang, killed him, and captured Emperor Yang's secondary palace near Taiyuan.

Duomozhi surrendered and was taken to Chang'an, ending Xueyantuo's rule over the region. As Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji approached the central gate leading to Emperor Gaozu's palace, Xuanwu Gate (玄武門), Li Shimin ambushed them. In 648 a Chinese force, with Tibetan assistance, crossed into India and brought an Indian rebel who had assassinated King Harsha Vardhana of India (Taizong and Harsha had diplomatic exchanges thanks to the Chinese Buddhist monk Xuanzang’s [Hsuan-tsang’s] journey to India) to Chang’an for punishment.

Nominally a Lutheran, he fought in Poland and Russia with Gustavus Adolphus, 1613– 1617, then against the Swedes in behalf of Poland (1621). Meanwhile, Li Shimin's staff of generals and strategists, was being supplemented with a number of literary men. Li Yuan subsequently changed Li Shimin's title to Duke of Zhao.