Emperor Mo of Western Xia
Emperor Mo (d. 1227), personal name Li Xian, was the 10th and last emperor of Western Xia (reigned from 1226 to 1227). His rule from 1226 to 1227 saw the destruction of the Western Xia as the Mongol forces under Genghis Khan overran and conquered it following the defiance and rebellion of earlier emperors.
| Emperor Mo of Xia 夏末帝 | |||||||||
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| Emperor of the Tanguts | |||||||||
| Reign | 1226–1227 | ||||||||
| Predecessor | Emperor Xianzong | ||||||||
| Born | Li Xian | ||||||||
| Died | 1227 | ||||||||
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| Emperor Mo of Xia | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chinese | 夏末帝 | ||||||
| Literal meaning | "Last Emperor of Xia" | ||||||
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| Emperor Mozhu of Xia | |||||||
| Chinese | 夏末主 | ||||||
| Literal meaning | "Last Ruler of Xia" | ||||||
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| Li Xian | |||||||
| Chinese | 李晛 | ||||||
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Reign
He was a nephew of his predecessor Emperor Xianzong. Faced with the threat of the Mongols, Li Xian and his officials rallied around the capital Zhongxing, trying to use its large walls to hold off the Mongol cavalries. However, Zhongxing suffered from a massive earthquake, which resulted in pestilence and food shortage. In 1227, Li finally surrendered to the Mongol Empire, but the Mongols killed him and his entire family out of fear that the Western Xia would rebel against Mongol Empire. His death marked the end of the Western Xia dynasty.
The Mongols gave the last ruler of the Western Xia the name Shidurghu ᠱᠢᠳᠤᠷᠭᠤ meaning "simple, right, just", and in 18th century European sources he is referred to as Schidascou or Shidaskû from his Mongolian name.