House of Zhao

Zhao
Country	Song Empire (China)
Estates	Palaces in Kaifeng and Hanzhou
Titles	Emperor of the Song Empire
Founded	960
Founder	Zhao Kuangyin
Final ruler	Zhao Bing
Deposition	1279
Ethnicity	Han Chinese

The House of Zhao (traditional Chinese: 趙; simplified Chinese: 赵; pinyin: Zhào; Wade–Giles: Chao) was the imperial clan of the Song Empire (960–1279) of China.

The House of Zhao originated from the Zhao family of Zhuo Commandery (涿郡; Zhuó Jùn), which is located around present-day Zhuozhou, Hebei Province in China. This Zhao family has a long history since the Spring and Autumn period (roughly 771–476 BCE).

The Tianshui Zhao 天水趙氏. The Song dynasty Emperors hailed from the Guandong Zhao while the Longxi Li produced the Tang Emperors.

The founder of the Song Empire, Zhao Kuangyin, was born in a military family. His father, Zhao Hongyin, moved from Zhuo Commandery to Luoyang. Zhao Kuangyin also had an elder brother Zhao Guangji, two younger brothers Zhao Kuangyi and Zhao Guangmei, and two younger sisters.

During the reign of Emperor Zhenzong, the Yellow Emperor was claimed to be as an ancestor of the Song emperors.

Zhao Kuangyin started his military career under the Later Han dynasty. However, he quickly changed his stance, and came to serve Chai Rong, an enemy of the Later Han. He also persuaded his father, who was a Later Han general, to serve Chai Rong. This caused the decline and collapse of the Later Han. With Chai Rong's trust, Zhao Kuangyin was assigned to be a guardian for Chai Rong's seven-year-old son, Guo Zongxun, before Chai's death.

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