Dynasties of ChinaNorthern and Southern DynastiesXiao Liang
Shaotai · Taiping · Reign 555—557
The young emperor who was proclaimed after the fall of Jiangling had his ups and downs in the battles between Wang Sengbian and Chen Baxian, and was eventually abdicated by Chen.
Xiao Fangzhi is the ninth son of Emperor Yuan of Liang Dynasty and was granted the title of King An of Jin. After the fall of Jiangling in 554, Wang Sengbian and Chen Baxian welcomed him to Jiankang, and the following year he took over the throne as King of Liang. The Northern Qi Dynasty used force to escort Xiao Yuanming, the nephew of Liang Emperor Wu, to the south. Wang Sengbian was forced to welcome Xiao Yuanming as emperor and changed Xiao Fangzhi to Crown Prince. In September 555, Chen Baxian attacked and killed Wang Sengbian and deposed Xiao Yuanming. In October, he supported Xiao Fangzhi as the throne. In 557, he abdicated at Chen Baxian, and the Liang Dynasty was destroyed. He was killed the following year at the age of sixteen.
PoliticsXiao Yuanming proclaims himself emperor
The Northern Qi Dynasty sent troops to escort Xiao Yuanming south, and Wang Sengbian welcomed him into Jiankang and proclaimed himself emperor. He made the 13-year-old Xiao Fangzhi the Crown Prince, and the Liang Dynasty became a vassal of the Northern Qi Dynasty for a time.
PoliticsAscension to the throne
In September, Chen Baxian attacked and killed Wang Sengbian from Jingkou and deposed Xiao Yuanming. In October, he supported Xiao Fangzhi to ascend the throne and changed the Yuan Dynasty to Shaotai.
MilitaryDefeat Northern Qi
The Northern Qi army crossed the river and marched towards Jiankang. Chen Baxian led his army to defeat the Qi army in the Shogunate Mountain area and stabilized the situation in the south of the Yangtze River.
Politicsabdication killed
In October 557, Chen Baxian abdication, the Liang Dynasty was destroyed, Xiao Fangzhi was demoted to the king of Jiangyin, and was killed by Chen Baxian the following year.
After attacking and killing Wang Sengbian and supporting Xiao Fangzhi, he took over the power of the Liang Dynasty and repelled the attack of the Northern Qi Dynasty. In 557, the accession following abdication established the Chen Dynasty.
The commander-in-chief of Hou Jing after the pacification, he submitted to the Northern Qi Dynasty to welcome Xiao Yuanming after the fall of Jiangling. He was attacked and killed by Chen Baxian in 555.
The nephew of Emperor Wu of Liang, he was captured by the Eastern Wei Dynasty in the Battle of Hanshan. In 555, he was escorted back to Jiankang by the Northern Qi Dynasty and proclaimed emperor. He was deposed by Chen Baxian and died of illness the following year.