Emperor Muzong of Tang

Emperor Muzong of Tang (July 26, 795 Li You's mother Princess Guo was Li Chun's wife and a granddaughter of the prominent general Guo Ziyi—her parents were Guo Ziyi's son Guo Ai and Princess Shenping, a sister to Emperor Dezong. Li You was Li Chun's third son.

In 806, by which time Li Chun was emperor (as Emperor Xianzong), Li You was created the Prince of Sui. His mother Princess Guo, however, despite her having been Li Chun's wife, was not created empress, but only an imperial consort, albeit with the high rank of Guifei . (During the remainder of his reign, Emperor Xianzong would repeatedly resisted calls by imperial officials to have Consort Guo made empress, using one excuse after another, fearing that if she, with her honored heritage, were made empress, she would so dominate the palace that no other imperial consort would dare approach him.) Further, although Li You, as the son of Consort Guo, was considered by the imperial officials as the proper heir, when the imperial scholars, led by Li Jiang, requested that Emperor Xianzong create a crown prince in 809, Emperor Xianzong did not create Li You crown prince, and instead created Li You's older brother Li Ning (by Consort Ji) crown prince. Meanwhile, the powerful eunuch Tutu Chengcui had often urged Emperor Xianzong to replace Li Heng with Li Kuan (whose name had been changed to Li Yun by this point). Tutu, however, did not relent in his hopes to have Li Yun made crown prince, even by 820, when Emperor Xianzong had become seriously ill. Li Heng, worried about what would happen next, requested advice from his uncle (Consort Guo's brother) Guo Zhao , who advised him to simply serve his father with filial piety and not worry about the rest.

By this point, Emperor Xianzong, whose illness was said to be due to alchemists' pills that were designed to achieve immortality. Xianzong's temper and rage had become uncontrolled, causing widespread fear among the eunuchs. In spring 820, he died suddenly—and it was believed that he was assassinated by the eunuch Chen Hongzhi , but the eunuch suppressed an investigation into the matter, announcing that Emperor Xianzong had died from the pills' complications. In the aftermaths, the eunuchs Liang Shouqian , Ma Jintan , Liu Chengjie , Wei Yuansu , and Wang Shoucheng, who supported Li Heng, killed Tutu and Li Yun, allowing Li Heng to take the throne (as Emperor Muzong).

Reign

Loss of Chengde, Lulong, and Weibo Circuits As soon as Emperor Muzong took the throne, he put to death the alchemists who had been supplying Emperor Xianzong with the immortality pills. He further quickly exiled the chancellors Huangfu Bo and Linghu Chu, replacing them with new chancellors. He also honored his mother Consort Guo as empress dowager and was extravagant in supplies to her. He himself was spending much time in games and hunts, against the advice of those officials who found such activities inappropriate, but was said to be tolerant toward those giving such advice. As of 819, when Emperor Xianzong's forces crushed those of Li Shidao, the military governor of Pinglu, in effect, these circuits that had broken away from the imperial government since the end of the Anshi Rebellion had resubmitted to the imperial government. moving Tian Hongzheng the military governor of Weibo—whose submission to the imperial government in 812 had been a crucial step in the Yuanhe Restoration

In fall 821, when a low-level officer accidentally collided with Wei's guards, Wei ordered the officer whipped, but the other officers were unaccustomed to this kind of punishment and refused to carry out the punishment. Zhang Hongjing had the officers arrested. That night, the soldiers mutinied, killed Wei and several other staff member of Zhang's, and put Zhang under arrest. The next day, the mutineers began to regret their actions, but when they met Zhang to ask for forgiveness, Zhang did not speak at all. The mutineers believed that Zhang was not intending to pardon them, and instead supported Zhu Kerong's father Zhu Hui to serve as the acting military governor. Zhu Hui declined, but recommended Zhu Kerong, and the soldiers agreed.

In spring 824, Emperor Muzong's old illness recurred, and he died shortly after. Li Zhan succeeded him (as Emperor Jingzong).

Chancellors during reign Huangfu Bo (820) Linghu Chu (820) Han Hong (820) Xiao Mian (820–821) Duan Wenchang (820–821) Cui Zhi (820–822) Du Yuanying (821–823) Wang Bo (821–822) Yuan Zhen (822) Pei Du (822) Li Fengji (822–824) Niu Sengru (823–824)

Family Empress Gongxi, of the Wang clan (; d. 845) Li Zhan, Jingzong (; 809–827), first son Empress Zhenxian, of the Xiao clan (; d. 847) Li Ang, Wenzong (; 809–840), second son Empress Xuanyi, of the Wei clan Li Yan, Wuzong (; 814–846), ninth son Noble Consort, of the Wu clan Princess Yifeng Married Wei Churen of Jingzhao , and had issue (one son) Worthy Consort, of the Yang clan of Hongnong Li Rong, Prince An (; 812–840), eighth son First Imperial Concubine, of the Zhang clan Princess Huaiyang Married Liu Zhengyuan of Hedong Talented Lady, of the Zheng clan Princess Jintang (; 812–875), fourth daughter Married Guo Zhonggong of Huayin in 838, and had issue (two sons, three daughters) Unknown Li Cou, Crown Prince Huaiyi (; d. 835), sixth son Princess Yan'an Married Dou Huan, Duke Qishan Princess Qingyuan Princess Raoyang Married Guo Zhongci of Huayin, Duke Taiyuan Princess Yichang Princess Ankang