6. Emperor Taizu of Later Liang was murdered by his son, Zhu Yougui, who usurped the throne before his own death just a year later
Zhu Wen (b. 852 CE), also known as Emperor Taizu of Later Liang and Zhu Huang, was a military governor during the Tang dynasty of China and who overthrew the Empire of Tang in 907 to establish Latter Liang as its founding emperor. During the period of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms, beginning with the collapse of the Tang dynasty, the kingdoms of China consistently vied for power and control; Latter Liang successfully conquered much of central China but in seeking to unify northern China encountered competition from the rival states of Qi, Jin, and Yan.
Zhu’s reign lasted just 5 years when in 912 CE he was killed by his third and first natural-born son, Zhu Yougui; born in 888 CE, Yougui was the son of a military prostitute and only joined his father in court after his ascension to emperor. Jealous of the successes and preferential treatment shown to other family members, after the incapacitation of his father in 912 Yougui learned of a plan to enthrone his younger brother Zhu Youwen. Believing he would be executed by his brother to secure his position, Yougui conspired with Han Qing, an imperial guard general, and on July 18 stormed the palace and assassinated the emperor. Blaming the assassination on Youwen, Yougui ordered his brother murdered and seized the throne. However, as the truth leaked senior generals distanced themselves from their new emperor and in spring 913 CE Yougui faced an uprising by his cousin Yuan Xiangxian; in the course of an attack on the imperial palace, Yougui committed suicide and was demoted posthumously to the status of commoner for his crimes.