The Yelü clan ( Khitan : , spelled əy.er.uu.əld , pronounced Yeruuld ; Chinese : 耶律 ; pinyin : Yēlǜ ), alternatively rendered as Yila ( Chinese : 移剌 ; pinyin : Yílǎ ) or Yarud , was a prominent family of ethnic Khitan origin in the history of China . The clan assumed leadership of the Khitan tribal confederation in 907 when Abaoji was made khagan. In 916, Abaoji founded the Liao dynasty . After the fall of the Liao dynasty in 1125, members of the Yelü family continued to play significant roles in history, most notably for ruling the Western Liao and during the Mongols era of conquest in the 13th century. Yelü Chucai , the last recorded person to be able to speak and read the Khitan language , is notable for advising Genghis Khan in the Confucian tradition.
12-673: The Yelü clan established numerous dynastic regimes in Chinese history: the Liao dynasty, Northern Liao , Western Liao, Eastern Liao , and Later Liao . In particular, the Liao dynasty and Western Liao were powerful empires that had significant impact on regional history. Abaoji, born in 872, was the son of the chieftain of the Yila tribe. At this time, the Yaolian clan had led the Khitan people since
24-801: A dynastic regime of China , distinct from the Liao dynasty , established by the Khitan Yelü clan in northern China. The state only existed for a short period of time between 1122 and 1123. During the reign of Emperor Tianzuo of Liao , the Jurchen chieftain Wanyan Aguda rebelled against the rule of the Liao dynasty . In 1115, the Jin dynasty was officially proclaimed with Wanyan Aguda as its first emperor. In 1122, Emperor Tianzuo fled to Jiashan (north of modern-day Tumed Left Banner, Inner Mongolia ) under
36-589: A century and a half. From this, Abaoji and his successors developed the Liao dynasty, which would conquer all of Manchuria , the northern fringe of the Central Plain known as the Sixteen Prefectures and adjacent areas of northern Korea , eastern Mongolian Plateau and parts of far-eastern Siberia . Every monarch of the Liao dynasty was from the Yelü clan, which adopted the surname sometime in
48-738: The Western Liao , also called the Qara Khitai. Tianzan (天贊 Tiānzàn) 922-926 Tianxian (天顯 Tiānxiǎn) 926 Huitong (會同 Huìtóng) 938-947 Datong (大同 Dàtóng) 947 Qianheng (乾亨 Qiánhēng) 979-982 Tonghe (統和 Tǒnghé) 983-1012 Kaitai (開泰 Kāitài) 1012-1021 Taiping (太平 Tàipíng) 1021-1031 Chongxi (重熙 Chóngxī) 1032-1055 Xianyong (咸雍 Xiányōng) 1065-1074 Taikang (太康 Tàikāng) or Dakang (大康 Dàkāng) 1075-1084 Da'an (大安 Dà'ān) 1085-1094 Shouchang (壽昌 Shòuchāng) or Shoulong (壽隆 Shòulóng) 1095-1101 Tianqing (天慶 Tiānqìng) 1111-1120 Baoda (保大 Bǎodà) 1121-1125 Kangguo (康國 Kāngguó) 1134-1144 Kuchlug
60-456: The 930s, after the death of Abaoji (Emperor Taizu). The clan directly governed the southern half of the empire while the Xiao consort clan governed the north. The Southern Chancellory was charged with governing the sedentary population of the empire, mostly ethnic Han and residents of the conquered kingdom of Bohai . As such, there is evidence of at least limited Sinicization on the part of
72-466: The Yelü clan. Even as late as 1074, a proposal was brought before the Liao emperors to adopt surnames throughout the empire. This was rejected as an idea that would disrupt the traditional Khitan social order. The Liao dynasty fell to the Jurchen -led Jin dynasty in 1125, but a branch of the Yelü imperial clan survived and established another dynastic empire in the Western Regions known as
84-882: The death of Emperor Tianxi, he was succeeded nominally by Yelü Ding, the Prince of Qin. However, as Yelü Ding was in exile with the Emperor Tianzuo, the Empress Dowager Xiao Puxian'nü was made regent. During the regency of Empress Dowager Xiao, her request for the Jin dynasty to recognize Yelü Ding as emperor was denied. As the Jin forces advanced towards the Northern Liao capital, the Empress Dowager Xiao and Yelü Dashi sought refuge at Emperor Tianzuo's exiled court. The Empress Dowager Xiao
96-532: The mid-eighth century, and were the only Khitan family to have adopted a surname at this point as this was seen as a mark of Han culture and not befitting of peoples of the steppe. In 901, Abaoji was elected chieftain of the Yila tribe and in 905 forged relations with Li Keyong of the Shatuo Turks . In 907, he was chosen leader of the Khitans, the first outside the Yaolian lineage to be chosen in more than
108-461: The military pressure from the Jin dynasty. Subsequently, Yelü Chun was enthroned as "Emperor Tianxi" ( Chinese : 天錫皇帝 ) by Yelü Dashi and Huilibao. The Emperor Tianzuo, on the other hand, was demoted to a prince and given the title "Prince of Xiangyin" by the Northern Liao court. As the Liao dynasty ruled by Emperor Tianzuo still existed, the regime headed by Emperor Tianxi is known in retrospect as " Northern Liao " ( Chinese : 北遼 ). After
120-566: Was executed for rebelling against the Emperor Tianzuo, but Yelü Dashi was spared. In 1123, Nanjing surrendered to the Jin forces. When the Jin army attacked the Emperor Tianzuo's refuge in Qingzhong (south of modern-day Hohhot, Inner Mongolia ), he decided to escape to the Western Xia dynasty . Yelü Yali, the Prince of Liang, fled north and proclaimed himself emperor, only to die five months later. His son, Yelü Zhulie, succeeded him, but
132-466: Was killed one month later by his own troops. The death of Yelü Zhulie in 1123 marked the end of Northern Liao. In 1124, Yelü Dashi would lead a faction of the Liao court to Central Asia where he proclaimed the Western Liao dynasty . The Liao dynasty led by Emperor Tianzuo would collapse in 1125 when he was captured by the Jin general Wanyan Loushi. Tumed Left Banner Tumed Left Banner ( Mongolian : ᠲᠦᠮᠡᠳ ᠵᠡᠭᠦᠨ ᠬᠣᠰᠢᠭᠤ ; Chinese : 土默特左旗 )
SECTION 10
#1732771776278144-518: Was not a member of the Yelü clan by birth, but he later became the son-in-law of Yelü Zhilugu and usurped the Western Liao throne. Northern Liao The Northern Liao ( simplified Chinese : 北辽 ; traditional Chinese : 北遼 ; pinyin : Běi Liáo ), officially the Great Liao ( simplified Chinese : 大辽 ; traditional Chinese : 大遼 ; pinyin : Dà Liáo ), was
#277722