The Chinese Li Gao 李暠 - said to be an ancestor of the founders of the great Tang Dynasty 唐 - served the Later Liang Dynasty (Houliang 後涼) as local governor, before he declared himself Duke of Liang 涼公 and area commander-in-chief (da dudu 大都督) in 400 and established his own kingdom. After some initial battles with his neighbors, the Western Liang rulers employed relatively peaceful politics. Li Gao saw himself as subject to the Jin Dynasty 晉 and tried to built up a civil administration although he had to rely on the northwestern aristocracy and large land estate owners. The large size resettlement of population was a common measure during the time of the Sixteen Kingdoms. The name of the empire Liang 涼 is derived from the prefecture Liangzhou 涼州. See also titles of rulers. Note: The rulers of the sideline dynasties are usually not called with their posthumous dynastic titles but with their personal names as they are not accepted as righteous rulers by official historiographies. Rulers of Western Liang (Xiliang) 西涼 (400-421) Capitals: Dunhuang 敦煌/Gansu, Jiuquan 酒泉/Gansu dynastic title {temple name} -----reign mottos (begin) personal name Xiliang Zhaowuwang 西涼昭武王 (Wuzhaowang 武昭王) {Taizu 太祖} 400-416 -----Jianchu 建初 405-416 Li Gao 李暠 The Last Ruler (Houzhu) 西涼後主, Duke of Liang 涼公 417-419 -----Jiaxing 嘉興 417-419 Li Xin 李歆 The Marquis of Guanjun 冠軍侯 420-421 -----Yongjian 永建 420421 Conquered by Northern Liang Li Xun 李恂

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