生平

宋宁宗生于乾道四年（1168年）十月丙午，五年（1169年）五月赐名扩，十一月，授右千牛卫大将军。淳熙五年（1178年）十月，除明州观察使、封英国公。十二年（1185年）三月，除安庆军节度使、封平阳郡王。十六年（1189年）三月，拜少保、武宁军节度使，进封嘉王。绍熙五年（1194年）七月，绍熙内禅受禅位，即皇帝位，其父光宗被尊太上皇帝。绍熙内禅名义上是光宗自行禅位，实际上是知枢密院事赵汝愚、工部尚书赵彦逾、参知政事陈騤、同知枢密院事余端礼、主管殿前司公事郭杲、主管侍卫亲军步军司公事阎仲、吏部司员外郎叶适、左司郎官徐谊、知閤门事韩侂胄等人，在获得隆慈太皇太后支持所造成的宫廷政变，废除宋光宗，改立嘉王。

宋宁宗继位后，宗室右丞相赵汝愚与外戚韩侂胄不和，两者互相争斗。最后韩侂胄使用「宗室不得为宰执」的祖宗家法，让宋宁宗罢免了赵汝愚，并且将其所提倡的理学称为伪学，对理学家造成了打击，造成庆元党禁。这个政策一直维持到1202年，韩侂胄后悔和叶适建言才解除禁制。韩从此成为南宋举足轻重的人物。他的地位和权力远高出一般的宰相。

宋宁宗在南宋统治初期由于韩侂胄的作用对金朝持对抗态度，他追封岳飞为鄂王，剥夺秦桧的所有封职。1206年，韩侂胄北伐战败后宋宁宗改变了政策。1207年11月，其皇后杨氏与史弥远一起秘密策划利用韩侂胄战败的机会谋杀了韩侂胄，并且将韩侂胄的首级送往金朝谢罪。1208年，在史弥远的操纵下，宋宁宗与金朝达成了嘉定和议，向金朝皇帝称伯，自己称侄，将原来的二十万两岁币增至三十万两，绢三十万匹，并且支付金国军费三百万两。韩侂胄死后，史弥远成为了宋宁宗的宰相兼枢密使，独揽大政，同时史弥远恢复了秦桧的王爵和官职。

宋宁宗先后有9个儿子，但是在未成年时就夭折，以后的继承人问题都有史弥远介入与操控。曾以养子赵询为太子，但早死（1207年至1220年在位）。后立养子赵竑为太子（1221年至1224年在位），但是因为赵竑对史弥远专权不满，因此宋宁宗死后史弥远矫诏立赵昀为皇帝。

宋宁宗于嘉定十七年八月初三（1224年9月17日）崩于福宁殿。十二月，上谥号曰「仁文哲武恭孝皇帝」（功施于人曰仁 圣德广运曰文 知人能官曰哲 辟土斥疆曰武 接下不骄曰恭 继志成事曰孝），庙号『宁宗』。宝庆元年（1225年）三月，葬于永茂陵。三年（1227年）九月，加谥号曰「法天备道纯德茂功仁文哲武圣睿恭孝皇帝」。

主要措施

政治

宋宁宗十分重视台谏，但由于他缺乏一定的辨别是非的能力，使得这一政治体制成为权臣控制自己的工具。韩侂胄死后，宋宁宗进行了革除韩侂胄弊政的政治更化。历史上称为「嘉定更化」。这些措施包括广开言路、修正国史、清洗韩党、平反昭雪等。但由于宁宗用人失误，使得更化效果并不理想，适得其反。

其他

1199年五月，宁宗颁布由杨忠辅创制的新历法，并赐名为《统天历》。该历法是宋代颁行的18种历法中最精确的，领先西方《格里历》383年。1202年，宋宁宗令大臣谢深甫等人编纂的《庆元条法事类》成书，并于次年（1203年）正式下诏颁行。

北伐诏书

主条目：开禧北伐

开禧二年（1206年）五月，宋宁宗下诏北伐金国。

北伐诏书曰：

「天道好还，盖中国有必伸之理，人心助顺，虽匹夫无不报之仇。朕丕承万世之基，追述三朝之志。蠢兹逆虏，犹托要盟，朘生灵之资，奉溪壑之欲，此非出于得已，彼乃谓之当然。衣冠遗黎，虐视均于草芥；骨肉同姓，吞噬剧于豺狼。兼别境之侵陵，重连年之水旱，流移罔恤，盗贼恣行。边陲第谨于周防，文牒屡形于恐胁。自处大国，如临小邦，迹其不恭，如务容忍。曾故态之弗改，谓皇朝之可欺，军入塞而公肆创残，使来庭而敢为桀鹜。洎行李之继迁，复慢词之见加，含垢纳污，在人情而已极。声罪致讨，属故运之将倾。兵出有名，师直为壮，况志士仁人挺身而竟节，而谋臣猛将投袂以立功。西北二百州之豪杰，怀旧而愿归；东南七十载之遗黎，久郁而思奋。闻鼓旗之电举，想怒气之飙驰。噫！齐君复仇，上通九世，唐宗刷耻，卒报百王。矧乎家国之仇，接乎月日之近，夙宵是悼，涕泗无从。将勉辑于大勋，必允资于众力。言乎远，言乎迩，孰无中义之心？为人子，为人臣，当念愤。益砺执干之勇，式对在天之灵，庶几中黎旧业之再光，庸示永世宏纲之犹在。布告中外，明体至怀。」

死因

宋史并没有记载宁宗去世是身患何病，而野史《东南纪闻》则记载宁宗病重，史弥远急于拥立理宗即位，于是奉上金丹百粒，宁宗服用后不久就去世。

轶事

• 宋史记载宁宗在即位前曾力请护送高宗的灵柩去会稽下葬，路上见到百姓在田间艰难劳作的场景，感慨地对身边的人说：「平时居住在宫中，哪里知道劳动的辛苦！」此外在个人生活上，宁宗也力行节俭，穿戴也较为朴素，使用的酒器都是以锡代银。有一年元宵夜，他独自对著蜡烛清坐，一个宦官见此劝他设宴过节，宁宗以外间百姓无饭可吃而拒绝。宁宗还曾游幸聚景园，晚上回宫的时候，临安的百姓争相观看，都想一睹天子之容。不幸的是有人被践踏踩死，宁宗得知此事后十分后悔，从此再也不出宫游玩了。

• 宁宗常让两个小太监背著两扇屏风作为他的前导，走到哪里都要跟随。屏风用白纸作底，边上糊著青纸，上写著「少饮酒，怕吐；少食生冷，怕痛。」当大臣让他喝酒或吃生冷食物时，他就指指屏风加以拒绝。就算饮酒也不超过三杯。

• 嘉泰年间，宁宗有意前往西湖泛舟游赏。有个叫张巨济的大臣上书劝谏宁宗道：「慈懿皇后的陵寝近在湖滨，陛下出游，难免要鼓乐一番，岂不是要惊动先人的在天之灵吗？」宁宗认为他说的很有道理，不仅升了他的俸禄，还把游船都沉到湖底，以表示自己不再游湖的决心。

家庭

祖先

妻妾

• 恭淑皇后韩氏

• 恭圣仁烈皇后杨氏

• 曹美人

• 美人阎氏（高平郡夫人），嘉泰三年（1203年）三月初三日，美人曹氏进封婕妤，高平郡夫人阎氏封美人。

• 钟夫人

子

• 长子未有命名

• 兖冲惠王赵埈，恭淑皇后韩氏生

• 邠冲温王赵坦，恭淑皇后韩氏生

• 郢冲英王赵增，恭圣仁烈皇后杨氏生

• 华冲穆王赵埛，恭圣仁烈皇后杨氏生

• 顺冲怀王赵圻，钟夫人生

• 申冲懿王赵墌，钟夫人生

• 肃冲靖王赵垍

• 邳冲美王赵坻

女

• 祁国公主，出生6个月就死亡，追封祁国。

宰相

• 赵汝愚

• 余端礼

• 京镗

• 谢深甫

• 陈自强

• 韩侂胄

• 钱象祖

• 史弥远

• 葛洪

评价

正史评价

• 元朝官修正史《宋史》脱脱等的评价是：「宋世内禅者四，宁宗之禅，独当事势之难，能不失礼节焉，斯可谓善处矣。初年以旧学辅导之功，召用宿儒，引拔善类，一时守文继体之政，烨然可观。中更侂胄用事，内蓄群奸，至指正人为邪，正学为伪，外挑强邻，流毒淮甸。频岁兵败，乃函侂胄之首，行成于金，国体亏矣。既而弥远擅权，幸帝耄荒，窃弄威福。至于皇储国统，乘机伺间，亦得遂其废立之私，他可知也。虽然，宋东都至于仁宗，四传而享国百年，邵雍称为前代所无，南渡至宁宗，亦四传而享国九十有八年，是亦岂偶然哉。惜乎神器授受之际，宁、理之视仁、英，其迹虽同，其情相去远矣。」

• 宋元之际佚名编撰的宋史全文的评价是：「帝谦仁恭俭，出于自然。蚤亲师孺，留意学问。在位三十馀年，池台苑囿，无所增益，府库之财，未尝妄费。裤履虽敝，或加补濯，而爱民之念，始终弗替，一遇水旱，忧见颜色。御众临下，率从宽简，故吴曦以世将据蜀，不劳资斧而授首；江淮湖镇之区，寇盗或作，旋即底定，皆履信思顺之所致也。升遐之日，远迩哀慕。」

其他评价

• 宁宗生父光宗赵敦的评价是：「皇子嘉王，仁孝之德，中外所推，居小心，未尝违礼，嗣膺大宝，兹谓得人。」

• 南宋大臣袁燮评价道：「陛下尊居宸极馀二十年，无声色之奉，无游畋之娱，无耽乐饮酒之过，不事奢靡，不殖货利，不行暴虐，凡前代帝王失德之事，陛下皆无之。」

• 清赵翼：「光宗虽云内禅，其实废也。宁宗背其生父，正其不孝之罪大，而急夺其位，且以扶立者为其有大劳而报之」。而「人知光宗之不孝，而不知宁宗之不孝，尤倍于光宗。」

• 民国史学家蔡东藩先生的评价是：「初任韩侂胄，继任史弥远，两奸专国，宋室益衰。」

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 (吴曦; 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 韩氏; 1165–1200)

　• Zhao Jun, Prince Yanchonghui (兖冲惠王 赵埈; 1196), second son

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

• Empress Gongsheng, of the Yang clan (恭圣皇后 杨氏; 1162–1233), personal name Guizhi (桂枝)

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

　• Zhao Jiong, Prince Hua (华王 赵埛; 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 锺氏)

　• Zhao Qi, Prince Shun (顺王 赵圻; 1207), sixth son

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

• Unknown

　• Zhao Ji, Prince Su (肃王 赵垍; 1208), eighth son

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

　• Princess Qi (祁公主), first daughter

Adopted Issue:

• Zhao Xun, Crown Prince Jingxian (景献皇太子 赵询; 1192–1220)

• Zhao Hong, Prince Zhenzhaosu (镇昭肃王 赵竤; d. 1225)

• Zhao Yun, Lizong (理宗 赵昀; 1205–1264)

Ancestry