Biography

Zhao Hong was the adopted son of Zhao Kai, who in turn was the biological son of Emperor Xiaozong. Zhao Hong was therefore, a adopted cousin of the reigning Emperor Ningzong.

When the Crown Prince Zhao Xun died in 1220 from dysentery, Emperor Ningzong asked for a boy at least 14 years old to adopt. Zhao Hong was selected, adopted, and installed as Crown Prince in 1221.

Deposal

The powerful chancellor Shi Miyuan did not want Hong to succeed Ningzong when he died because Shi Miyuan once found Zhao Hong sober and passed out on his quarters and in 1223, a lute-playing girl forced to act like a spy by Shi Miyuan spied on Zhao Hong and reported to Shi that once Zhao Hong would become Emperor, he would banish and exile Shi Miyuan and subordinates to the far south. Shi Miyuan not wanting to lose his power decided to send his ally Yu Tianxi to locate a suitable heir. Yu found Zhao Yuju, a minor official in Shaoxing and sent him to Shi. Shi decided to groom him as the potential heir renaming him Zhao Guicheng and forced Empress Yang onto the plot.

When Emperor Ningzong died, Shi Miyuan first brought Zhao Guicheng into the throne room and put him on the throne and then called Zhao Hong into the room without any bodyguards. Shi Miyuan then said that Zhao Guicheng was now the Emperor sparking protests from Zhao Hong until he was forced to bow in recognition of Zhao Guicheng. Zhao Hong was moved to a nearby prefecture, Huzhou where he could live in luxury.

Death

Zhao Hong was persuaded to join a rebellion after much resistance from him. He was however defeated after two weeks. He was executed by strangulation in February 1225.

生平

出身

赵竑为宋太祖四子秦王赵德芳九世孙，赵希瞿所生。因沂王赵抦薨而无子，遂立赵竑为嗣，赐名为均，后又改名贵和。宁宗皇子赵询病死，1221年6月立皇侄福州观察使赵贵和为皇子，改其名为赵竑，授宁武军节度使，封为祁国公。1222年(嘉定15年)五月，加检校少保，封为济国公。

遭废

开禧三年（1207年），史弥远受宋宁宗密令，谋杀韩仛胄，并促成宋金嘉定和议，被宁宗拜相。

史弥远居相位，权倾一时，亦与皇太子赵询关系良好。赵询死后，赵竑被立为太子，史弥远与赵竑不相熟，又得知赵竑好琴艺，故买善于琴艺的美人，进献赵竑，刺探言行举止。赵竑曾指地图上海南岛之处言：「吾他日得志，置史弥远于此。」又曾称呼史弥远为「新恩」，意指将来将发配至新州、恩州等地。赵竑又曾趁酒醉击碎史弥远所进献的乞巧奇玩，史弥远安插在太子府中的探子向史弥远报告，令史弥远惊惧，而谋求「伊尹、霍光之事」。

由于赵竑被立为太子，沂王王位悬空，宁宗命史弥远寻找合适宗室继承沂王王位。史弥远派门客余天锡自民间寻来宗室赵希瓐之子赵与莒，接至临安，并请郑清之教导。1222年(嘉定15年)，赵与莒被立为沂王赵抦之后，改名赵贵诚。而史弥远又离间宁宗、杨皇后与赵竑，进言再立赵贵诚为皇子，宁宗不许。然而嘉定十七年（1224年）八月，宋宁宗病重时，史弥远召郑清之与直学士院程佖入宫，矫诏立赵贵诚为皇子，赐名赵昀，授武泰军节度使，封成国公。

闰八月三日，宁宗驾崩，史弥远请国舅杨次山之子杨谷、杨石一夜之中七度进宫，以杨家祸福生死劝说杨皇后，杨皇后终于首肯，史弥远遣使至沂靖惠王府，宣召赵昀入宫，杨皇后抚其背说「汝今为吾子矣！」赵昀即位，赵竑入宫后不愿下拜，殿前都指挥使夏震遂压制其头行礼，杨皇后矫诏授赵竑为开府仪同三司，进封为济阳郡王，判宁国府。后宋理宗又加封赵竑少保，进封济王，命其出居湖州。

霅川之变

宝庆元年（1225年）正月，湖州太学生潘壬、潘丙兄弟与堂兄潘甫连络山东忠义军首领李全，准备拥立赵竑为帝，结果李全并未发兵，潘氏兄弟岁组织太湖盐贩、渔民、巡卒数十人，趁夜入城为赵竑黄袍加身，湖州知府谢周卿率领官员朝贺。

潘氏兄弟以李全名义发出文告，声讨史弥远罪状，赵竑惊觉拥立势力单薄，派王元春禀报朝廷，并派遣州兵讨伐，史弥远亦调遣军队镇压，不久被平定，潘氏兄弟被杀。事平后，史弥远派余天锡逼迫赵竑自裁。赵竑身亡后，原被追赠为少师，封保静镇潼军节度使。不久又被剥夺王爵，追贬为巴陵郡公。

身后

事后，真德秀、魏了翁、洪咨夔、邓若水、胡梦昱等人为赵竑鸣冤，而相继出贬。然南宋每逢灾异、战祸，朝野则旧事重提。理宗嘉熙元年（1237年），下诏求直言，朝野上疏为济王伸冤，进士潘牥上进策谴责史弥远。侍御史蒋岘为史弥远党羽，上疏弹劾起居舍人方大琮、正字王迈、编修刘克庄等人「鼓煽异论」，并指责潘牥为逆贼，一一遭黜。史弥远从弟监都进奏院史弥巩、枢密院编修官徐鹿卿也纷纷上书欲平反济王之冤，皆遭贬官。

景定五年（1264年），宋理宗驾崩，宋度宗即位，恢复追赠赵竑少师、节度使等官衔。宋恭帝德佑元年（1275年）十一月，礼部尚书兼给事中王应麟，上书请为济王立后嗣，太后谢道清追赠赵竑太师、尚书令，諡号「昭肃」，恢复其王爵，追封为镇王，并择立宗室为后嗣奉祀，并赐田万亩。

家庭

祖上

• 九世祖秦康惠王赵德芳，妻焦氏焦继勋之女，赵惟叙生母

• 八世祖高平郡王赵惟叙，夫人刘氏

• 七世祖赵从溥

• 六世祖润国公赵世尧

• 五世祖高密侯赵令旼

• 高祖父赵子乙，妻睢阳王氏

• 曾祖父赵伯存

• 祖父赵师丑

• 父赵希瞿

• 赵竑

妻

• 吴氏：后为比丘尼，端平元年赐号为「惠净法空大师」

子女

• 赵铨：嘉定十七年六月辛未（1224年6月23日）生，授左千牛卫大将军，同年八月丁亥（1224年9月7日）夭折，赠复州防御使，追封永宁侯

戏剧

中国大陆电视连续剧《大宋提刑官》第二部即以济王赵竑之事为历史背景，剧中济王赵泱即以赵竑为原型，宋理宗赵昀于剧中改名为赵闳，权相石开元则影射史弥远。