Clan of Khitan origin founded in 907
The
Yelu
clan (
Khitan
:
, spelled
?y.er.uu.?ld
,
[1]
pronounced
Yeruuld
;
Chinese
:
耶律
;
pinyin
:
Y?l?
), alternatively rendered as
Yila
(
Chinese
:
移剌
;
pinyin
:
Yil?
) 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 Yelu 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.
Yelu 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.
The Yelu 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.
Rise to power
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]
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 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 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
.
Liao dynasty
[
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]
Every monarch of the
Liao dynasty
was from the Yelu clan, which adopted the surname sometime in 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 the Yelu 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 Yelu imperial clan survived and established another dynastic empire in the
Western Regions
known as the
Western Liao
, also called the Qara Khitai.
Yelu leaders
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]
Liao dynasty
[
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]
Emperors of the
Liao dynasty
(916-1125)
Temple Names (
Miao Hao
廟號 miaohao)
|
Posthumous Names (
Shi Hao
諡號 shihao)
|
Birth Names
|
Period of Reigns
|
Era Names (
Nian Hao
年號 nianhao) and their according range of years
|
Convention: "Liao" + temple name except Liao Tianzuodi who is referred using "Liao" + regnal name
|
|
|
Nieli (涅里 Niel?)
|
|
|
|
|
Pidie (毗牒 Pidie)
|
|
|
|
|
Keling (?領 Kel?ng)
|
|
|
Suzu (Posthumously honored) (肅祖 Suz?)
|
昭烈皇帝
|
Noulisi (?里思 Noul?s?)
|
|
|
Yizu (Posthumously honored) (懿祖 Yiz?)
|
莊敬皇帝
|
Salade (薩剌德 Salade)
|
|
|
Xuanzu (Posthumously honored) (玄祖 Xuanz?)
|
簡獻皇帝
|
Yundeshi (勻德實 Yundeshi)
|
|
|
Dezu (Posthumously honored) (德祖 Dez?)
|
宣簡皇帝
|
Saladi (撒剌的 S?lad?)
|
|
|
Taizu
(太祖 Taiz?)
|
升天皇帝, 大聖大明天皇帝, 大聖大明神烈天皇帝
|
Yi (億 Yi)
|
916-926
|
Shence (神冊 Shence) 916-922
Tianzan (天贊 Ti?nzan) 922-926
Tianxian (天顯 Ti?nxi?n) 926
|
Yizong (義宗 Yiz?ng)
|
文武元皇王, 讓國皇帝, 文獻皇帝, 文獻欽義皇帝
|
Bei (倍 Bei)
|
|
|
Taizong
(太宗 Taiz?ng)
|
嗣聖皇帝, 孝武皇帝, 孝武惠文皇帝
|
Deguang (德光 Degu?ng)
|
926-947
|
Tianxian (天顯 Ti?nxi?n) 927-938
Huitong (會同 Huitong) 938-947
Datong (大同 Datong) 947
|
Shizong
(世宗 Shiz?ng)
|
孝和皇帝, 孝和莊憲皇帝
|
Ruan (阮 Ru?n)
|
947-951
|
Tianlu (天祿 Ti?nlu) 947-951
|
Muzong
(穆宗 Muz?ng)
|
天順皇帝, 孝安敬正皇帝
|
Jing (璟 J?ng)
|
951-969
|
Yingli (應曆 Yingli) 951-969
|
Jingzong
(景宗 J?ngz?ng)
|
孝成皇帝, 孝成康靖皇帝
|
Xian (賢 Xian)
|
969-982
|
Baoning (保寧 B?oning) 969-979
Qianheng (乾亨 Qianh?ng) 979-982
|
Shengzong
(聖宗 Shengz?ng)
|
文武大孝宣皇帝
|
Longxu (隆? Longxu)
|
982-1031
|
Qianheng (乾亨 Qianh?ng) 982
Tonghe (統和 T?nghe) 983-1012
Kaitai (開泰 K?itai) 1012-1021
Taiping (太平 Taiping) 1021-1031
|
Xingzong
(興宗 X?ngz?ng)
|
神聖孝章皇帝
|
Zongzhen (宗眞 Z?ngzh?n)
|
1031-1055
|
Jingfu (景福 J?ngfu) 1031-1032
Chongxi (重熙 Chongx?) 1032-1055
|
Daozong
(道宗 Daoz?ng)
|
仁聖大孝文皇帝
|
Hongji (洪基 Hongj?)
|
1055-1101
|
Qingning (?寧 Q?ngning) 1055-1064
Xianyong (咸雍 Xiany?ng) 1065-1074
Taikang (太康 Taik?ng) or Dakang (大康 Dak?ng) 1075-1084
Da'an (大安 Da'?n) 1085-1094
Shouchang (壽昌 Shouch?ng) or Shoulong (壽隆 Shoulong) 1095-1101
|
Shunzong (順宗 Shunz?ng)
|
昭懷太子, 大孝順聖皇帝
|
Jun (濬 Jun)
|
|
|
Gongzong (恭宗 G?ngz?ng)
|
Tianzuodi
(天祚帝 Ti?nzuodi)
1
|
Yanxi (延禧 Yanx?)
|
1101-1125
|
Qiantong (乾統 Qiant?ng) 1101-1110
Tianqing (天慶 Ti?nqing) 1111-1120
Baoda (保大 B?oda) 1121-1125
|
1
Regnal name. Not a posthumous name.
|
Western Liao dynasty
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Emperors of the
Western Liao dynasty
(1124-1218)
Temple Names (
Miao Hao
廟號 miaohao)
|
Posthumous Names (
Shi Hao
諡號 shihao)
|
Birth Names
|
Convention
|
Period of Reign
|
Era Names (
Nian Hao
年號 nianhao) and their according range of years
|
Convention: check each sovereign
|
Dezong (德宗 Dez?ng)
|
Tianyouwuliedi (天祐武烈帝 Ti?nyouw?liedi)
|
Yelu Dashi
(耶律大石 Y?l? Dashi or 耶律達實 Y?l? Dashi)
1
|
use birth name
|
1124-1144
|
Yanqing (延慶 Yanqing) 1124 or 1125-1134
Kangguo (康國 K?ngguo) 1134-1144
|
Did not apply
|
Gantianhou (感天后 G?nti?nhou)
|
Tabuyan
(塔不煙 T?buy?n)
|
"Xi Liao" + posthumous name
|
1144-1150
|
Xianqing (咸? Xianq?ng) 1144-1150
|
Renzong (仁宗 Renz?ng)
|
正?皇帝
|
Yelu Yilie
(耶律夷列 Y?l? Yilie)
|
"Xi Liao" + temple name
|
1150-1164
|
Shaoxing (紹興 Shaox?ng) 1150-1164
|
Did not apply
|
Chengtianhou (承天后 Chengti?nhou)
|
Pusuwan
(普速完 P?suwan)
|
"Xi Liao" + posthumous name
|
1164-1178
|
Chongfu (崇福 Chongfu) 1164-1178
|
None
|
None
|
Yelu Zhilugu
(耶律直魯古 Y?l? Zhil?g?)
|
use birth name
|
1178-1211
|
Tianxi (天禧 Ti?nx?) 1178-1211
|
None
|
None
|
Kuchlug
(
Ch.
屈出律 Q?ch?l?)
2
|
use birth name
|
1211-1218
|
Tianxi (天禧 Ti?nx?) 1211-1218
|
1
"Dashi" might be the Chinese title "Taishi", meaning "vizier"; or it could mean "stone" in Turkish, as the Chinese transliteration suggests.
2
Kuchlug was not a member of the Yelu clan by birth, but he later became the son-in-law of
Yelu Zhilugu and usurped the Western Liao throne.
|
See also
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References
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