Helian Ding
| Helian Ding | |||||||||
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| Reign | 428–431 | ||||||||
| Born | unknown | ||||||||
| Died | May 13, 432? | ||||||||
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| Dynasty | Xia | ||||||||
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| Era name and dates | |
| Shèngguāng (勝光): 428–431 |
Helian Ding (Chinese: 赫連定; died 432), nickname Zhifen (直獖), was the last emperor of the Xiongnu state Xia. He was a son of the founding emperor Helian Bobo (Emperor Wulie) and a younger brother of his predecessor Helian Chang. After Helian Chang was captured by rival Northern Wei's army in 428, Helian Ding took the throne himself and for several years tried to resist Northern Wei attacks, but by 430 he had lost nearly his entire territory. In 431, he attempted to head west to try to attack Northern Liang and seize its territory, but on the way, he was intercepted by Tuyuhun's khan Murong Mugui (慕容慕璝) and captured, ending Xia. In 432, Murong Mugui turned him over to Emperor Taiwu of Northern Wei, who had him executed.
It is not known when Helian Ding was born, or who his mother was. In 414, when Helian Bobo created his son Helian Gui (赫連璝) crown prince and the other sons dukes, Helian Chang was created the Duke of Pingyuan. Helian Ding was said to have been a delinquent and frivolous youth, and Helian Bobo had low opinions of him and gave him little authority.
After Helian Bobo's death in 425, Helian Ding's older brother Helian Chang (who had replaced Helian Gui as crown prince in 424) succeeded him. Helian Chang gave Helian Ding more authorities than before, and Helian Ding quickly became one of the major generals that his brother relied on. After rival Northern Wei's general Daxi Jin (達奚斤) captured the important city of Chang'an in 426, Helian Chang sent Helian Ding south in spring 427 from the capital Tongwan (統萬, in modern Yulin, Shaanxi) to try to capture Chang'an. He became stalemated with Daxi at Chang'an.
Meanwhile, knowing that Helian Ding was occupied, Emperor Taiwu of Northern Wei made an attack on Tongwan, and Helian Chang initially wanted to recall Helian Ding from Chang'an; instead, Helian Ding advised him to defend Tongwan securely to wear out the Northern Wei forces, and then he, after capture Chang'an, could then return and attack Northern Wei forces on two sides. Helian Chang agreed and did not engage Northern Wei forces. However, subsequently, receiving false information that Northern Wei forces had run out of food, he decided to attack Northern Wei forces and was soundly defeated, and he fled to Shanggui (上邽, in modern Tianshui, Gansu). Northern Wei captured Tongwan. Upon hearing the news of Tongwayn's fall, Helian Ding abandoned his campaign against Daxi and joined Helian Chang at Shanggui. Daxi gave chase, intending to destroy Xia. It might have been at this time that Helian Chang promoted Helian Ding to the title of Prince of Pingyuan.
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