What was the level of Liao State and Northern Song Dynasty, the two superpowers in the world at that time?

At the end of the Northern Song Dynasty, the only countries with a large population in East Asia were Liao and Song, so they were big countries. In contrast, including Xixia and Dali, others are tribes or countries with small places and few people. So compared with the small countries around, Song Dynasty and Liao Dynasty were really superpowers.

Of course, the Song Dynasty, as a superpower, had a similar force value.

At that time, Liao country had a heritage of 200 years, and in the Northern Song Dynasty, it had a heritage of 160 years. When Xu Jinguo rose, these two countries had very strong internal financial resources. But at the same time, there are also many political and governance problems, such as ethnic and religious contradictions, internal political contradictions, corruption and weakness of the ruling group, and so on.

Therefore, Song and Liao countries are already in the middle and late stage, and they can't compare with a newly rising country, whether in internal politics or foreign military affairs. At that time, although the Song and Liao countries were very big, the core of political rule was riddled with holes, big and big, strong but not so strong. Xu Jin's luck is just right. When they came together, they met the time when these two countries were heading for extinction.

At that time, Liao country seemed to have a vast land and its ruling center was relatively safe. At that time, the ruling centers of Liao were Lin Heng in Beijing, Dading in Beijing, Liaoyang in Tokyo, Datong in Xijing and Lijin in Nanjing, which were collectively called the five capitals. Although the location of these ruling centers was relatively safe, in fact, the population of Liao was mainly distributed in sixteen prefectures at that time, and for many other remote places, the central government did not actually form a natural class rule.

Although Liao was founded by the Khitans and ethnic minorities, most people living in Liao were Han Chinese and jurchen. Although the Khitans were considered as ethnic minorities at that time, the fact is that the Khitans at that time have been sinicized a lot, and they are no longer the ethnic minorities who can adapt well to harsh environments, are very brave and good at fighting, and are like a duck to water. Many places have been sinicized and no longer have their original resilience.

In fact, at that time, Xu Jin's means of attacking Liao was also very simple, as long as he concentrated his forces on attacking the major cities of Liao. Then win the support of other ethnic groups, so that the regime change can be directly realized. As for other local forces, there are other remnants of the former dynasty, which can be annihilated and surrendered. It is too far to fight, and you can fight as you want. It's far away from me anyway, and it doesn't threaten me. As soon as you find out you're here, hit him.

At that time, Jurchen was still a real minority, not yet sinicized, but still so tenacious. Strong nomadic people are best at fighting and running the army. Jurchen, the whole ethnic group is a soldier. Although there are few people, their soldiers are of good quality, and almost all of them are soldiers. Military orders are strict. At that time, compared with the military strength of Song and Liao, it was nothing.

At that time, the internal problems of Liao country were unstable, because although Liao country was established by the Khitans, there were many ethnic groups in China, which led to serious ethnic and class contradictions. All ethnic groups in Liao, Bohai, Han and Mobei engage in activities, uprisings and rebellions when they have nothing to do. Such a thing not only greatly consumed the strength, wealth and time of Liao country, but also brought many allies and resources to Nuzhen.

Sure enough, Jurchen killed the Bohai people directly after the success of World War I with others in the early days, swallowed the rich resources accumulated by Liao countries for many years, and suddenly became rich. Moreover, at this time, the internal political power of Liao country was also very serious. Lu Ye Yan Xi, the Emperor of Liao, knew the internal instability, and decided to mobilize soldiers from all over the country to start the Crusade. As a result, a new king was established directly because of internal mutiny. An armed military parade, which was supposed to be Mount Tai's egg-pressing style, suddenly became a big gift package for local send warm. From then on, Liao was finished. I have to say that good timing is really an important reason why Jin destroyed Liao.

Looking back at the Northern Song Dynasty, alas, there is nothing to see. Can a country that has paid tribute to Liao for a hundred years make a fool of itself? Without splash, there will be many jokes.

In the Northern Song Dynasty, the territory was complete, and the fighting power remained undiminished. The loyal troops of China were constantly assembled in Bianjing. First of all, because of the struggle between parties and imperial power, they missed the opportunity to defeat the Eighth Jin Army, giving people a head and elite troops. Finally, the loyalist army was dissolved and they fell into superstition. Fighting does not depend on the phalanx of soldiers and magicians. Finally, they directly opened the city gate and surrendered to the enemy.

The last emperors of Song and Liao were really two extremes. The emperor of Liao country has nothing to do all day, nothing to do all day, and he likes riding horses, shooting arrows and hunting when he has nothing to do. Don't care about state affairs all day, just disappear all day, which makes the court a little something. These ministers can't find a leader and don't know who to look for. When the country finally fell, I didn't forget to escape to the grassland to hunt!

In sharp contrast with Liao, it was the Emperor of the Northern Song Dynasty. Song Huizong, the Emperor of the Northern Song Dynasty, was an out-and-out great artist and poet. He is naive and sentimental, and he only cares about dying, regardless of the consequences. If the former was born in the wrong place and became the emperor's martial arts master, then Song Huizong was born in the wrong place and became the emperor's artistic master.

The demise of the Northern Song Dynasty was actually due to Song Huizong's own death. If he didn't die but did nothing, he wouldn't have ended up in national subjugation and died so miserably. When you say you like calligraphy and painting, you like it. If you like stones, you like stones. You must make great efforts. Said something about regaining sixteen counties. What your ancestor Zhao Kuangyin couldn't do, his skill was not great, but his courage was quite great. Finally, he wants to win. It's really no wonder that others have only themselves to blame. The demise of the Northern Song Dynasty was entirely the result of the madness and forced death of political groups.

Although the victory of Jurchen had a lot to do with the times at that time and the corruption in Song and Liao countries. But this does not mean that Jurchen's victory is all due to luck. Luck is only one aspect. Jurchen is really powerful.

The fighting methods of ethnic minorities are generally looting, burning, looting and killing. Because people are fighting almost all the year round, they have to fight to support the war. Minority areas are barren and have no population, and there is basically no opportunity to recuperate. The accumulation of wealth basically depends on fighting year after year and winning many trophies. These trophies were eventually distributed from the distribution class to all classes, which greatly stimulated the fighting desire of the Jurchen soldiers. Because war represents victory and victory represents wealth, war has become the fastest and most convenient way for jurchen to get rich, and there is no one.

During the constant war, Jurchen also accumulated a lot of experience and skills. For example, when the State of Jin besieged Bianjing for the second time, it began to use trebuchets extensively. Not only that, every time Jurchen attacks a place, she will recruit troops in the occupied area, which is one of the reasons why Jurchen is enduring on the battlefield.

The army of the Jurchen nationality is not only very experienced, but also has a very long-term strategic vision. They began to learn the advantages of Song and Liao culture, actively improve their cultural literacy and their own nation, and began to carry out political reforms in order to quickly integrate the established political power in a short time and change all political power into imperial system.

Therefore, in fact, the victory of Jurchen is not accidental, nor can it all be explained as luck and strength. It can't be regarded as the luck of a savage stepping on a dog and accidentally jumping off a building and killing two rich fat people. The bravery and fearlessness of ethnic minorities and their fierce folk customs should not be underestimated. With so few people, people can attack two countries that have developed for a hundred years, and they must have the strength to follow.