How difficult was it to usurp the throne in ancient times?

Answer 1

The difficulty of usurping the throne in ancient times was influenced by many factors.

** 1. Political aspects **
1. ** Obstacles of Orthodoxy **
- In the feudal dynasty, orthodoxy was deeply rooted in the hearts of the people. The succession of the throne often followed established rules such as the eldest son succession system. The usurper had to face the pressure of public opinion to break this traditional order. For example, Li Shimin launched the "Xuanwu Gate Rebellion" to usurp the throne. Although he achieved prosperity during his reign, his methods of usurping power had always been criticized by some people. This orthodoxy made it difficult for the usurper to gain widespread support. The ministers in the court, the local officials, and the common people would all resist the usurper psychologically.
2. ** Balance of political forces **
- If the usurper wanted to succeed, he had to find support from the political forces of the court. If the forces in the court were relatively balanced, it would be very difficult for the usurper to break through this balance. For example, in some dynasties, there were relatives, eunuchs, and powerful officials who restricted each other. For example, when Cao Pi forced Emperor Xian of Han to abdicate the throne, he had to build on the political foundation laid by Cao Cao and deal with the different forces in the court, including the different factions in Cao Cao's old subordinates. He also had to deal with the opposition of the forces loyal to the Han Dynasty. Otherwise, it would be difficult to usurp the throne.

3. ** Restrictions of the political system **
- Different dynasties had different political systems, and these systems restricted the usurpation of the throne to a certain extent. For example, in some dynasties, there was a prime minister system. The prime minister could form a certain check and balance on the emperor's power. It was more difficult for the usurper to bypass the prime minister or win over the prime minister. Moreover, the selection system of officials in some dynasties made the bureaucracy relatively stable, and it was difficult for the usurper to easily control the entire bureaucracy to serve his usurpation.

** 2. Military aspects **
1. ** Control of military power **
- The usurper often needed to control a certain amount of military power. However, in ancient times, the distribution of military power was more complicated. On one hand, the central government had the Imperial Army and other military forces directly under it. On the other hand, there were local garrisons. For example, when Zhu Di usurped the throne, although he had a certain amount of military power as the King of Yan, it was not easy to resist the central army of Emperor Jianwen. He needed to carefully plan his military operations, and he had to face many variables in the course of the war, such as the attitude of the garrisons in various places, the supply of materials in the war, and so on.
2. ** The loyalty of a military general **
- The loyalty of the military generals was an important issue for the usurpers. If the usurper could not get enough support from the military generals, it would be difficult to carry out his plan. For example, before Zhao Kuangyin usurped the throne, he was a general under Zhou Shizong Chai Rong. When he usurped the throne, he had to ensure that the generals around him supported him, and at the same time, he had to deal with other generals who might oppose him.

** 3. Internal family relations **
1. ** Competition within the family **
- Within the royal family, the usurper faced competition from other members of the family. The throne was often coveted by many princes or members of the royal family. The usurper needed to possess many abilities and methods to win in the internal competition of the family. For example, Ying Huhai, the second emperor of Qin, had usurped the throne among the many princes of Qin Shihuang. He had to deal with the relationship with the other princes, including the murder of his brother Fusu. However, once this method was exposed, it would lead to more internal conflicts.
2. ** The influence of family power **
- The power of the usurper's family would sometimes have an impact on the usurper. For example, in some cases, the uncle and other relatives might help the usurper, but at the same time, other forces in the family might oppose it. For example, in ancient times, although the uncle might be the help of the usurper, other elders or members of the royal family might protect the legitimate inheritance of the throne and oppose the usurper's actions.

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