Emperor Gaozong of Song

Emperor Gaozong of Song (赵构, Zhao Gou) was the tenth emperor of the Song dynasty and the founding ruler of the Southern Song (r. 1127–1162). Born in 1107 as the ninth son of Emperor Huizong, he ascended the throne in the aftermath of the devastating Jin–Song Wars, which saw the fall of the Northern Song capital, Kaifeng, and the capture of his father and brother during the Jingkang Incident (1127).

As one of the few surviving members of the imperial family, Zhao Gou established the Southern Song dynasty in Lin’an (modern-day Hangzhou), where he worked tirelessly to rebuild the empire. His reign was marked by efforts to stabilize the court, reestablish governance, and strengthen the economy, though he faced continued military pressure from the Jin dynasty. Despite early attempts to reclaim lost northern territories, Gaozong eventually adopted a defensive stance, relying on skilled generals such as Yue Fei, Han Shizhong, and Zhang Jun to fend off Jin incursions.