Emperor Duzong

Emperor Duzong of Song
宋度宗
Palace portrait on a hanging scroll, kept in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, Taiwan
Emperor of the Song dynasty
Reign16 November 1264 –
12 August 1274
Coronation16 November 1264
PredecessorEmperor Lizong
SuccessorEmperor Gong
BornZhao Mengqi (1240–1251)
Zhao Zi (1251–1253)
Zhao Qi (1253–1274)
2 May 1240
Shaoxing, Song dynasty
Died12 August 1274(1274-08-12) (aged 34)
Lin'an, Song dynasty (modern Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China)
Burial
Yongshao Mausoleum (永紹陵, in present-day Shaoxing, Zhejiang)
Consorts
(m. 1261⁠–⁠1274)
Lady Yang
(before 1274)
IssueEmperor Duanzong
Emperor Gong
Zhao Bing
Princess Xin'an Zhuangyi
Princess Zhenjing
Princess
Era dates
Xianchun (咸淳; 1265–1274)
Posthumous name
Emperor Duanwen Mingwu Jingxiao (端文明武景孝皇帝)
Temple name
Duzong (度宗)
HouseZhao
DynastySong (Southern Song)
FatherZhao Yurui
MotherHuang Dingxi
Signature
Emperor Duzong of Song
Chinese宋度宗
Literal meaning"Measured Ancestor of the Song"
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinSòng Dùzōng
Zhao Qi
Traditional Chinese趙禥
Simplified Chinese赵禥
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinZhào Qí
Zhao Mengqi
Traditional Chinese趙孟啟
Simplified Chinese赵孟启
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinZhào Mèngqǐ
Zhao Zi
Traditional Chinese趙孜
Simplified Chinese赵孜
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinZhào Zī

Emperor Duzong of Song (2 May 1240 – 12 August 1274), personal name Zhao Qi, was the 15th emperor of the Song dynasty of China and the sixth emperor of the Southern Song dynasty. He was a nephew of his predecessor, Emperor Lizong, and reigned from 1264 until his death in 1274.

His birth name was Zhao Mengqi but his name was changed to Zhao Zi in 1251 and finally to Zhao Qi in 1253 after he was designated as Emperor Lizong's heir apparent. Duzong's reign was filled with rebellions and warfare; the court was dominated by his chancellor Jia Sidao and Duzong himself gave in into drinking and women, thus abandoning his duties. He died in 1274 leaving behind three young boys, one of whom took the throne as Emperor Gong. He was the last Emperor of the Song to issue coins; subsequent Song emperors were too busy fighting the newly proclaimed Yuan dynasty to establish mints to cast any coins and did not have enough resources.