Reign

He was noted for the cultural and intellectual achievements made during his reign. In particular, Zhu Xi wrote some of his most famous Neo-Confucianist works during this period. However, Emperor Ningzong was known for his aversion towards the spread of Neo-Confucianism in his imperial court due to the influence of his chancellor Han Tuozhou and on the political side, however, Emperor Ningzong saw his government being plagued by rising inflation that threatened the economy and the military advances by the Jurchens from the north during the wars between the Song dynasty and Jurchen-led Jin dynasty.

In absence of a son, he adopted a relative named Zhao Xun in 1197 who was only 6 years old.

In 1198, Neo-Confucianism was banned for two years until the ban was repelled in 1202.

Song Invasion of the Jin

As the Jin were weakening because of natural disasters, Ningzong's chancellor Han Tuozhou continually provoked the weak Jin by launching raids. War against the Jin was officially declared on June 14, 1206 by Han Tuozhou. The war was a disaster. Despite the Jin's weakness due to the natural disasters, it had countered the attacks from the Song and even counter-attacked. To make things worse, Ningzong was not interested in the war effort and morale was low. There was not enough supplies and many of the army deserted. Wu Xi (吳曦; d. 1207), the governor-general of Sichuan, defected to the Jin in December 1206. This was bad, as Wu was holding the western front, however, Song loyalists assassinated Wu on March 29, 1207, before Jin troops could take control of the surrendered territories. Fighting continued in 1207, but by the end of that year the war was at a stalemate. The Song was now on the defensive, while the Jin failed to make gains in Song territory. The failure of Han Tuozhou's aggressive policies led to his demise. On December 15, 1207, Han was beaten to death by the Imperial Palace Guards.

Peace

A peace treaty was signed on November 2, 1208, and the Song tribute to the Jin was reinstated. The Song annual indemnity increased by 50,000 taels of silver and 50,000 packs of fabric. The treaty also stipulated that the Song had to present to the Jin the head of Han Tuozhou, who the Jin held responsible for starting the war. The heads of Han and Su were severed from their exhumed corpses, exhibited to the public, then delivered to the Jin finally ending the war.

In 1210, The Mongols, formerly a Jin tributary, ended their vassalage and attacked the Jin in 1211. In light of this event, the Song court debated ending tributary payments to the weakened Jin, but they chose to avoid antagonizing the Jin. As the Mongols expanded, the Jin suffered territorial losses and attacked the Song in 1217 to compensate for their shrinking territory. The Jin continued attacking the Song until they agreed to a peace treaty and the Jin returned home. However, the Song would never regain their lost land.

In 1220, his adopted heir Zhao Xun died from dysentery. Zhao Xun was only 29 years old. Shi Miyuan decided when Ningzong died, another relative named Zhao Hong was to succeed him but Zhao Hong was never placed as heir-apparent due to conflicts with Shi Miyuan and when Ningzong died, he was replaced by Zhao Yun, the future Emperor Lizong.

He fell ill before dying a few days later in 1224. Ningzong may have been poisoned; it is also worth mentioning that Ningzong was physically weak as a nearly emaciated which suggested physical ailments of some gravity was shown in his official portrait. He was succeeded by another relative named Zhao Yun as all of Ningzong's children died young who later became Emperor Lizong.

Family

Consorts and Issue:

• Empress Gongshu, of the Han clan (恭淑皇后 韓氏; 1165–1200)

　• Zhao Jun, Prince Yanchonghui (兗衝惠王 趙埈; 1196), second son

　• Zhao Tan, Prince Bin (邠王 趙坦; 1200), third son

• Empress Gongsheng, of the Yang clan (恭聖皇后 楊氏; 1162–1233), personal name Guizhi (桂枝)

　• Zhao Zeng, Prince Ying (郢王 趙增; 1200–1201), fourth son

　• Zhao Jiong, Prince Hua (華王 趙埛; 1202), fifth son

• Jieyu, of the Cao clan (婕妤 曹氏)

　• Princess Yuping (玉屏公主)

　　• Married Lin Cun (林存)

• Furen, of the Zhong clan (夫人 鍾氏)

　• Zhao Qi, Prince Shun (順王 趙圻; 1207), sixth son

　• Zhao Zhi, Prince Shen (申王 趙墌; 1207), seventh son

• Unknown

　• Zhao Ji, Prince Su (肅王 趙垍; 1208), eighth son

　• Zhao Zhi, Prince Pi (邳王 趙坻; 1223), ninth son

　• Princess Qi (祁公主), first daughter

Adopted Issue:

• Zhao Xun, Crown Prince Jingxian (景獻皇太子 趙詢; 1192–1220)

• Zhao Hong, Prince Zhenzhaosu (鎮昭肅王 趙竤; d. 1225)

• Zhao Yun, Lizong (理宗 趙昀; 1205–1264)

Ancestry

生平

宋寧宗生于乾道四年（1168年）十月丙午，五年（1169年）五月賜名擴，十一月，授右千牛衛大將軍。淳熙五年（1178年）十月，除明州觀察使、封英國公。十二年（1185年）三月，除安慶軍節度使、封平陽郡王。十六年（1189年）三月，拜少保、武寧軍節度使，進封嘉王。紹熙五年（1194年）七月，紹熙內禪受禪位，即皇帝位，其父光宗被尊太上皇帝。紹熙內禪名義上是光宗自行禪位，實際上是知樞密院事趙汝愚、工部尚書趙彥逾、參知政事陳騤、同知樞密院事余端禮、主管殿前司公事郭杲、主管侍衛親軍步軍司公事閻仲、吏部司員外郎葉適、左司郎官徐誼、知閤門事韓侂冑等人，在獲得隆慈太皇太后支持所造成的宮廷政變，廢除宋光宗，改立嘉王。

宋寧宗繼位後，宗室右丞相趙汝愚與外戚韓侂胄不和，兩者互相爭鬥。最後韓侂胄使用「宗室不得為宰執」的祖宗家法，讓宋寧宗罷免了趙汝愚，並且將其所提倡的理學稱為偽學，對理學家造成了打擊，造成慶元黨禁。這個政策一直維持到1202年，韓侂冑後悔和葉適建言才解除禁制。韓從此成為南宋舉足輕重的人物。他的地位和權力遠高出一般的宰相。

宋寧宗在南宋統治初期由于韓侂胄的作用對金朝持對抗態度，他追封岳飛為鄂王，剝奪秦檜的所有封職。1206年，韓侂胄北伐戰敗後宋寧宗改變了政策。1207年11月，其皇后楊氏與史彌遠一起秘密策劃利用韓侂胄戰敗的機會謀殺了韓侂胄，並且將韓侂胄的首級送往金朝謝罪。1208年，在史彌遠的操縱下，宋寧宗與金朝達成了嘉定和議，向金朝皇帝稱伯，自己稱侄，將原來的二十萬兩歲幣增至三十萬兩，絹三十萬匹，並且支付金國軍費三百萬兩。韓侂胄死後，史彌遠成為了宋寧宗的宰相兼樞密使，獨攬大政，同時史彌遠恢復了秦檜的王爵和官職。

宋寧宗先後有9個兒子，但是在未成年時就夭折，以後的繼承人問題都有史彌遠介入與操控。曾以養子趙詢為太子，但早死（1207年至1220年在位）。後立養子趙竑為太子（1221年至1224年在位），但是因為趙竑對史彌遠專權不滿，因此宋寧宗死後史彌遠矯詔立趙昀為皇帝。

宋寧宗於嘉定十七年八月初三（1224年9月17日）崩於福寧殿。十二月，上謚號曰「仁文哲武恭孝皇帝」（功施于人曰仁 聖德廣運曰文 知人能官曰哲 闢土斥疆曰武 接下不驕曰恭 繼志成事曰孝），廟號『寧宗』。寶慶元年（1225年）三月，葬於永茂陵。三年（1227年）九月，加謚號曰「法天備道純德茂功仁文哲武聖睿恭孝皇帝」。

主要措施

政治

宋寧宗十分重視台諫，但由於他缺乏一定的辨別是非的能力，使得這一政治體製成為權臣控制自己的工具。韓侂胄死後，宋寧宗進行了革除韓侂胄弊政的政治更化。歷史上稱為「嘉定更化」。這些措施包括廣開言路、修正國史、清洗韓黨、平反昭雪等。但由於寧宗用人失誤，使得更化效果並不理想，適得其反。

其他

1199年五月，寧宗頒佈由楊忠輔創制的新曆法，並賜名為《統天曆》。該曆法是宋代頒行的18種曆法中最精確的，領先西方《格里曆》383年。1202年，宋寧宗令大臣謝深甫等人編纂的《慶元條法事類》成書，並於次年（1203年）正式下詔頒行。

北伐詔書

主條目：開禧北伐

開禧二年（1206年）五月，宋寧宗下詔北伐金國。

北伐詔書曰：

「天道好還，蓋中國有必伸之理，人心助順，雖匹夫無不報之仇。朕丕承萬世之基，追述三朝之志。蠢茲逆虜，猶托要盟，朘生靈之資，奉溪壑之欲，此非出于得已，彼乃謂之當然。衣冠遺黎，虐視均于草芥；骨肉同姓，吞噬劇于豺狼。兼別境之侵陵，重連年之水旱，流移罔恤，盜賊恣行。邊陲第謹于周防，文牒屢形于恐脅。自處大國，如臨小邦，跡其不恭，如務容忍。曾故態之弗改，謂皇朝之可欺，軍入塞而公肆創殘，使來庭而敢為桀鶩。洎行李之繼遷，複慢詞之見加，含垢納污，在人情而已極。聲罪致討，屬故運之將傾。兵出有名，師直為壯，況志士仁人挺身而竟節，而謀臣猛將投袂以立功。西北二百州之豪傑，懷舊而願歸；東南七十載之遺黎，久鬱而思奮。聞鼓旗之電舉，想怒氣之飆馳。噫！齊君複仇，上通九世，唐宗刷恥，卒報百王。矧乎家國之仇，接乎月日之近，夙宵是悼，涕泗無從。將勉輯于大勛，必允資于眾力。言乎遠，言乎邇，孰無中義之心？為人子，為人臣，當念憤。益礪執幹之勇，式對在天之靈，庶幾中黎舊業之再光，庸示永世宏綱之猶在。布告中外，明體至懷。」

死因

宋史並沒有記載寧宗去世是身患何病，而野史《東南紀聞》則記載寧宗病重，史彌遠急于擁立理宗即位，于是奉上金丹百粒，寧宗服用後不久就去世。

軼事

• 宋史記載寧宗在即位前曾力請護送高宗的靈柩去會稽下葬，路上見到百姓在田間艱難勞作的場景，感慨地對身邊的人說：「平時居住在宮中，哪裡知道勞動的辛苦！」此外在個人生活上，寧宗也力行節儉，穿戴也較為樸素，使用的酒器都是以錫代銀。有一年元宵夜，他獨自對著蠟燭清坐，一個宦官見此勸他設宴過節，寧宗以外間百姓無飯可吃而拒絕。寧宗還曾游幸聚景園，晚上回宮的時候，臨安的百姓爭相觀看，都想一睹天子之容。不幸的是有人被踐踏踩死，寧宗得知此事後十分後悔，從此再也不出宮遊玩了。

• 寧宗常讓兩個小太監背著兩扇屏風作為他的前導，走到哪裡都要跟隨。屏風用白紙作底，邊上糊著青紙，上寫著「少飲酒，怕吐；少食生冷，怕痛。」當大臣讓他喝酒或吃生冷食物時，他就指指屏風加以拒絕。就算飲酒也不超過三杯。

• 嘉泰年間，寧宗有意前往西湖泛舟游賞。有個叫張巨濟的大臣上書勸諫寧宗道：「慈懿皇后的陵寢近在湖濱，陛下出遊，難免要鼓樂一番，豈不是要驚動先人的在天之靈嗎？」寧宗認為他說的很有道理，不僅升了他的俸祿，還把遊船都沉到湖底，以表示自己不再游湖的決心。

家庭

祖先

妻妾

• 恭淑皇后韓氏

• 恭聖仁烈皇后楊氏

• 曹美人

• 美人閻氏（高平郡夫人），嘉泰三年（1203年）三月初三日，美人曹氏進封婕妤，高平郡夫人閻氏封美人。

• 鐘夫人

子

• 長子未有命名

• 兗沖惠王趙埈，恭淑皇后韓氏生

• 邠沖溫王趙坦，恭淑皇后韓氏生

• 郢沖英王趙增，恭聖仁烈皇后楊氏生

• 華沖穆王趙埛，恭聖仁烈皇后楊氏生

• 順沖懷王趙圻，鐘夫人生

• 申沖懿王趙墌，鐘夫人生

• 肅沖靖王趙垍

• 邳沖美王趙坻

女

• 祁國公主，出生6個月就死亡，追封祁國。

宰相

• 趙汝愚

• 余端禮

• 京鏜

• 謝深甫

• 陳自強

• 韓侂冑

• 錢象祖

• 史彌遠

• 葛洪

評價

正史評價

• 元朝官修正史《宋史》脫脫等的評價是：「宋世內禪者四，寧宗之禪，獨當事勢之難，能不失禮節焉，斯可謂善處矣。初年以舊學輔導之功，召用宿儒，引拔善類，一時守文繼體之政，燁然可觀。中更侂胄用事，內蓄群奸，至指正人為邪，正學為偽，外挑強鄰，流毒淮甸。頻歲兵敗，乃函侂胄之首，行成于金，國體虧矣。既而彌遠擅權，幸帝耄荒，竊弄威福。至于皇儲國統，乘機伺間，亦得遂其廢立之私，他可知也。雖然，宋東都至于仁宗，四傳而享國百年，邵雍稱為前代所無，南渡至寧宗，亦四傳而享國九十有八年，是亦豈偶然哉。惜乎神器授受之際，寧、理之視仁、英，其跡雖同，其情相去遠矣。」

• 宋元之際佚名編撰的宋史全文的評價是：「帝謙仁恭儉，出于自然。蚤親師孺，留意學問。在位三十餘年，池台苑囿，無所增益，府庫之財，未嘗妄費。褲履雖敝，或加補濯，而愛民之念，始終弗替，一遇水旱，憂見顏色。御眾臨下，率從寬簡，故吳曦以世將據蜀，不勞資斧而授首；江淮湖鎮之區，寇盜或作，旋即底定，皆履信思順之所致也。升遐之日，遠邇哀慕。」

其他評價

• 寧宗生父光宗趙惇的評價是：「皇子嘉王，仁孝之德，中外所推，居小心，未嘗違禮，嗣膺大寶，茲謂得人。」

• 南宋大臣袁燮評價道：「陛下尊居宸極餘二十年，無聲色之奉，無游畋之娛，無耽樂飲酒之過，不事奢靡，不殖貨利，不行暴虐，凡前代帝王失德之事，陛下皆無之。」

• 清趙翼：「光宗雖云內禪，其實廢也。寧宗背其生父，正其不孝之罪大，而急奪其位，且以扶立者為其有大勞而報之」。而「人知光宗之不孝，而不知寧宗之不孝，尤倍于光宗。」

• 民國史學家蔡東藩先生的評價是：「初任韓侂胄，繼任史彌遠，兩奸專國，宋室益衰。」