We take a look at the final years of Emperor Dezong's reign, his political successes and failures, and the strange, mysterious,short-lived Wang Party that would seize control over government for about 5 minutes before being kicked out by Dezong's grandson Xianzong. Also, we have a paralyzed, mute emperor, so there's that, too!

Time Period Covered:

ca. 790-806 CE

Major Historical Figures:

Tang Dynasty:

Li Kuo, Emperor Dezong of Tang [r. 780-805]

Li Song, Emperor Shunzong of Tang [r. 805]

Li Chun, Emperor Xianzong of Tang [r. 805-820]

Dou Wenchang, Eunuch Protector of the Army

Huo Xianming, Eunuch Protector of the Army

Wang Shuwen, Wang Party Founder

Wang Pi, Wang Party Member

Tibetan Empire:

Prime Minister Shang Jiecan (Shan-rgyal-btsan)

Uyghur Khannate:

Tun-Baga-Tar Khan

Major Sources Cited:

Dalby, Richard. "Court Politics in Late Tang Times" in The Cambridge History of China vol. 3

Zizhi Tongjian

Jiu Tangshu

Wang, Yunsheng (1963). "Second Treatise on the Historic Significance of that Bastard Sima's Political Innovations" in Lishi Yanjiu.

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#110 - Tang 23: Where the Wangs Went Wrong