Editing Battle of Yamen (section)

==Background==
In 1276, the Southern Song court, in their rush to flee the capital city of [[Hangzhou|Lin'an]] to avoid Yuan forces approaching [[Fuzhou]], left [[Emperor Gong of Song|Emperor Gong]] behind to be captured. Hopes of resistance centered on two young princes, Gong's brothers. The older boy, [[Emperor Duanzong of Song|Zhao Shi]], was declared emperor. In 1277, when Fuzhou fell to the Yuan dynasty, the exiled Southern Song dynasty fled to [[Quanzhou]], where [[Zhang Shijie]], the [[Da jiang|Grand General]] of Song, hoped to borrow boats to continue their flight. However, the [[Muslim]] merchant [[Pu Shougeng]] refused their request, prompting Zhang to confiscate Pu's properties and flee on stolen boats with the Southern Song court. In fury, Pu slaughtered imperial clan members and many officials in Quanzhou and surrendered to the Yuan, strengthening the Yuan's naval power.

At this point of the war, it was obvious that the Song did not have sufficient strength to risk fighting the Yuan in a head-on conflict. Zhang Shijie decided to build a vast fleet with what remained, to allow the Song court and soldiers to move from place to place until the situation improved. The Song court sailed to [[Guangdong]] from Quanzhou. However, Zhao Shi's boat capsized in a storm on the way to [[Leizhou]]. Although he survived, he fell ill because of this ordeal. The imperial court later sought refuge in [[Lantau Island]]'s [[Mui Wo]], where Zhao Shi eventually died; he was succeeded by his younger sibling, [[Zhao Bing]], who was seven.{{citation needed|date=June 2009}} Zhang Shijie brought the new emperor to Yamen and prepared the defense against the Yuan there.

In 1278, [[Wen Tianxiang]], who had fought against the Yuan in Guangdong and [[Jiangxi]], was captured by Wang Weiyi<!--redlinked in zhwiki--> in [[Haifeng]] County, eliminating all the Song land forces nearby.