Emperor Gaozu of Tang
Emperor Gaozu, also known as Li Yuan, was the founder of China's Tang Dynasty.
A general of mixed Chinese and Turkic ancestry, Li Yuan led an uprising against the Sui Dynasty following Emperor Yang of Sui's repeatedly failed attempts to invade Korea. He forced Emperor Yang's abdication in 617, declaring the beginning of the Tang Dynasty the following year, and securing control over most of China proper by the end of his reign, in 624.
| Preceded by Emperor Yang of Sui |
Emperor of Tang 618-624 |
Succeeded by Emperor Taizong of Tang |
References
- Valerie Hansen, The Open Empire, New York: W.W. Norton & Company (2000), 196.