Editing Western Xia (section)

===Huizong (1068–1086)===
[[File:Five Tangut seals.jpg|thumb|Bronze Xia seals bearing the Tangut seal script characters {{tangut|𗥦𗖅}} (ɣu sjwi) "commander"]]
[[File:Or 12380 3865 Tangut seal impression.jpg|thumb|Impression of the "commander" seal]]

The seven-year-old Bingchang, posthumously [[Emperor Huizong of Western Xia]], succeeded his father, [[Emperor Yizong of Western Xia]].{{sfn|Twitchett|1994|p=192}} Huizong's reign began with an inconclusive war with the Song dynasty in 1070–1071 over [[Sui Prefecture (Shaanxi)|Suizhou]].{{sfn|Twitchett|2009|p=46-470}} In 1072 Huizong's sister was married to Linbuzhi (Rinpoche), the son of the [[Tsongkha]] ruler, Dongzhan. These events occurred under the regency of the Empress Dowager Liang and her brother, Liang Yimai. Huizong was married to one of Yimai's daughters to ensure the continued control of the Liang over the imperial Weiming clan. In 1080 Huizong rebelled against his mother's dominance by discarding with Tangut ritual in favor of Chinese ceremonies. A year later a plot by Huizong and his concubine, Li Qing, to turn over the Xia's southern territory to the Song was uncovered. Li Qing was executed and Huizong was imprisoned. The emperor's loyalists immediately rallied their forces to oppose Liang rule while Yimai tried to in vain to summon them with the imperial silver [[paiza]].{{sfn|Twitchett|1994|p=193}}

Seeing the infighting breaking out in the Xia, the Song decided to go on the offensive.{{sfn|Mote|2003|pp=187–188}} In 1081, the Song dynasty launched a five-pronged attack on the Xia. After initial victories, Song forces failed to take the capital of Xia, [[Xingqing]], and remained on the defensive for the next three years. Xia counterattacks also experienced initial success before failing to take [[Lanzhou]] multiple times. In 1085, the war ended with the death of [[Emperor Shenzong of Song]].

In the summer of 1081, the five Song armies invaded Western Xia. Chong E defeated a Xia army, killing 8,000.{{sfn|Forage|1991|p=9}} In October, Li Xian took Lanzhou.{{sfn|Forage|1991|p=9}}{{sfn|Nie|2015|p=374}} On 15 October, Liu Changzuo's 50,000-strong army met a Xia force of 30,000 led by the Empress Regent Liang's brother. Liu's commanders advised him to take a defensive position, but he refused, and led a contingent of shield warriors with two ranks of crossbowmen and cavalry behind, with himself leading at the front with two shields. The battle lasted for several hours before the Xia forces retreated, suffering 2,700 casualties.{{sfn|Forage|1991|p=10}} Afterwards, Liu captured a large supply of [[millet]] at the town of Mingsha, and headed towards [[Lingwu|Lingzhou]].{{sfn|Forage|1991|p=10}} Liu's vanguard attacked the town's gate before the defenders had a chance to close it, dealing several hundred casualties, and seizing more than 1,000 cattle before retreating. Liu wanted Gao Zunyu to help him take Lingzhou, but Gao refused. Then Liu suggested they take the Xia capital instead, to which Gao also refused, and instead took it as a slight that he could not take Lingzhou. Gao relayed his version of events to the Song court, then had Liu removed from command, merging the two forces.{{sfn|Forage|1991|p=15}}

By November, the Xia had abandoned the middle of the [[Ordos plateau]], losing [[Xià Prefecture|Xiazhou]].{{sfn|Forage|1991|p=9}} On 20 November, Wang Zhongzheng took [[You Prefecture (Inner Mongolia)|Youzhou]] and slaughtered its inhabitants.{{sfn|Forage|1991|p=9}} At this point Wang became concerned that he would run out of supplies and quarreled with Chong E over provisions. He also forbade his troops from cooking their meals because he feared it would alert Xia raiders of their position. His troops became ill from their uncooked food, started to starve, and came under attack by enemy cavalry anyway. Wang was ordered to withdraw while Chong E covered his retreat. Wang lost 20,000 men.{{sfn|Forage|1991|p=16}}

On 8 December, Gao Zunyu decided to attack Lingzhou, only to realize he had forgotten to bring any siege equipment, and there were not enough trees around for their construction. Gao took out his frustration on Liu Changzuo, who he tried to have executed. Liu's troops were on the verge of mutiny before Fan Chuncui, a Circuit judge, convinced Gao to reconcile with Liu. On 21 December, Xia forces breached the dikes along the Yellow River and flooded the camps of the two besieging Song armies, forcing them to retreat. Xia harassment turned the retreat into a rout.{{sfn|Forage|1991|p=16}}{{sfn|Nie|2015|p=376}}

By the end of 1081, only Chong E remained in active command.{{sfn|Forage|1991|p=16}} In September 1082, the Xia counterattacked with a 300,000 strong army, laying siege to Yongle, a fortress town west of [[Mizhi County|Mizhi]]. The Xia sent out cavalry to prevent Song relief attempts. The defending commander, Xu Xi, deployed his troops outside the town gates but refused to attack the enemy troops while they forded the river. Then he refused to let his troops in when the Tangut Iron Hawk cavalry attacked, decimating the defending army. With the capture of Yongle, the Song lost 17,300 troops.{{sfn|Forage|1991|p=17}}

In March 1083, Xia forces attacked Lanzhou. The defending commander, Wang Wenyu, led a small contingent out at night and made a surprise attack on the Xia encampment, forcing them to retreat. The Tanguts made two more attempts to take Lanzhou in April and May but failed on both accounts. Their simultaneous attack on [[Shenmu|Linzhou]] also failed.{{sfn|Forage|1991|p=18}} After multiple defeats, the Xia offered peace demands to the Song, which they refused.{{sfn|Forage|1991|p=18}} In January 1084, Xia forces made a last attempt to take Lanzhou. The siege lasted for 10 days before the Tangut army ran out of supplies and was forced to retreat.{{sfn|Forage|1991|p=18}}

The war ended in 1085 with the death of Emperor Shenzong in April. In exchange for 100 Chinese prisoners, the Song returned four of the six captured towns. Hostilities between the Song and Xia would flare up again five years later, and conflict would continue sporadically until the Song lost [[Kaifeng]] in the [[Jingkang incident]] of 1127.{{sfn|Forage|1991|p=18}}

Huizong was returned to his throne in 1083. Liang Yimai died in 1085 and his son, Liang Qipu, succeeded his position as chief minister. The Empress Dowager Liang also died later that year. In 1086 Huizong passed away at the age of 26.{{sfn|Twitchett|1994|p=194}}