Emperor Taiwu has been described as "Northern Wei's Teddy Roosevelt", and overshadows many of the Tuoba emperors to follow his reign of conquest and war. But the most forgotten of those successors, his grandson Emperor Wencheng, may have actually been far more responsible for the longterm success and stability of Wei than most realize. Though Taiwu gets all the glory for conquering the North, poor, unsung Wencheng would be the one responsible for keeping and governing it.

[Show Notes]

Timeframe: 452-465

Major Figures:
Emperor Wencheng of Northern Wei (née Tuoba Jun)
Empress Dowager Chang
Consort Li
Consort/Empress Feng
Crowned Prince Tuoba Hong
Buliugu Li (Li the Bulgar)
Yuan He
Rouran Khaganate
Gaoche Turkic Tribes

Major Locations:
Pingcheng (N. Wei capital)
Yungang Grottoes
Hexi Corridor

Major sources:
Scott Pearce
A King’s Two Bodies
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