Emperor Jingzong of Western Xia (7 June 1003-19 January 1048) was Emperor of Western Xia from 10 November 1038 to 19 January 1048, preceding Emperor Yizong of Western Xia. He founded Xi Xia after conquering Gansu from the Uyghurs, and his dynasty would exist in northwest China until 1227.
Biography[]
Li Yuanhao was born in 1003, the son of the Tangut ruler Li Deming. After his father's death in 1032, Yuanhao became the leader of the Tangut people, and he became well-versed in military strategy; his army's ranks would swell to 500,000 troops. In 1034, he began campaigning against the Song dynasty, followed by the Uyghurs two years later. He took large portions of Gansu from the Uyghurs, and he founded the Western Xia empire in 1038. In 1044, he made peace with the Song, recognizing the legitimacy of the Song dynasty in exchange for annual tributes from the Song. In 1048, his son cut his nose in an attempt to kill him; while the attempt failed, the cut caused a bacterial infection that killed the emperor.