Emperor Taizu of Song
Also called: Zhao Kuangyin
Founder of the Song (r. 960–976), a Later Zhou palace-army general who took the throne in the Chenqiao mutiny of 960 and curbed the military governors in favour of civil officials
From a military family of Zhuo commandery, he won the trust of Emperor Shizong of Later Zhou and became commander of the palace army. In the Chenqiao mutiny of 960 he took the throne from the child Emperor Gong and founded the Song. Famously, the next year he persuaded his veteran generals over wine to give up their commands. He annexed Jingnan, Later Shu, Southern Han and Southern Tang in turn, but died suddenly in 976 with Northern Han and Wuyue still unconquered, and was succeeded by his brother Taizong. The civil rule he established remained the guiding principle of the Song for three centuries.