Li Congyi

Li Congyi (931 – June 23, 947), known as the Prince of Xu (許王), was an imperial prince of the Later Tang dynasty of China. He was the youngest son of its second emperor Li Siyuan (Emperor Mingzong). In the confusion of the destruction of the Later Tang's successor state, the Later Jin dynasty, he was forced into claiming imperial title by Xiao Han, a general of the Liao dynasty (whose forces had destroyed the Later Jin), and was subsequently killed by Liu Zhiyuan, the founder of the succeeding Later Han dynasty. During Later Tang Li Congyi was born in 931. He was Li Siyuan's youngest son, and the only one born after he became emperor. His biological mother was a concubine of Li Siyuan's, but nothing further is known in history about her identity. Li Siyuan gave Li Congyi to his favorite concubine, Consort Wang, to raise. (Similarly, Consort Wang raised Li Congyi's younger sister, the later Princess Yong'an.) In 933, Li Siyuan created Li Congyi the Prince of Xu, at the same time that he created his adoptive son Li Congke and nephews Li Congwen, Li Congzhang, and Li Congmin princes. (He already created his older biological sons Li Congrong and Li Conghou princes in 930, before Li Congyi's birth.) Later in 933, Li Congrong tried to seize power in Li Siyuan's illness, but was defeated and killed. When Li Siyuan died shortly after, Li Conghou succeeded to the throne. Subsequently, Li Congyi's wet nurse Lady Wang was exposed to have had an affair with Li Congrong and put to death. Because of this, Li Conghou also suspected Li Congyi's adoptive mother Consort Wang, but did not take further actions against her.