Xuanwu Gate Incident

Xuanwu Gate Incident
A painting of Li Shimin as Emperor Taizong
Date 2 July 626 Location Palace City, East Palace, and Forbidden Park in and around Chang'an, China Result Successful coup d'état by Prince Li Shimin Prince Li Shimin and his close followers gain complete control of the Tang government. Prince Li Shimin becomes heir to the imperial throne. Emperor Gaozu eventually abdicates in favor of Prince Li Shimin.
Commanders and leaders
Li Shimin Yuchi Jingde Chang He ...and others	Li Jiancheng † Li Yuanji † ...and others
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese	玄武門之變
Simplified Chinese	玄武门之变
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin xuánwǔ mén zhī biàn Wade–Giles hsüan-wu men chih pien IPA [ɕwǎnù mə̌n ʈʂí pjɛ̂n]

The Xuanwu Gate Incident was a palace coup for the throne of the Tang dynasty on 2 July 626,^[a] when Prince Li Shimin (Prince of Qin) and his followers assassinated his brothers Crown Prince Li Jiancheng and Prince Li Yuanji (Prince of Qi). Li Shimin, the second son of Emperor Gaozu, was in an intense rivalry with his brothers. He took control and set up an ambush at Xuanwu Gate, the northern gate leading to the Palace City^[b] within the imperial capital Chang'an. There, Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji were murdered by Li Shimin and his men. Within three days after the coup, Li Shimin was installed as the crown prince. About two months later, Emperor Gaozu abdicated and passed the throne to Li Shimin, who would become known as Emperor Taizong.
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