Helian Chang

During Helian Bobo's reign

Helian Chang's birth year and mother are not recorded. He first appears in 414, when his father Helian Bobo, then titled Heavenly King, made him Duke of Taiyuan; the order of the brothers' creations suggests Helian Chang was the third son. In 416, after Helian Bobo captured the Later Qin city Yinmi, Helian Chang was appointed governor of Yong Province to defend it. In 417, Helian Bobo sought to take Chang'an from Jin forces; Helian Chang, along with his brother Helian Gui and advisor Wang Maide, commanded the troops, with Helian Chang tasked to block Tong Gate.

In 418, Xia forces crushed the retreating Jin army, and Helian Chang besieged and killed the Jin generals Zhu Lingshi and Zhu Chaoshi at Caogong Castle by cutting off their water supply. In 424, Helian Bobo deposed Crown Prince Gui in favor of another son, Helian Lun.

Helian Gui attacked and killed Helian Lun at Gaoping, but Helian Chang then surprised and killed Helian Gui, seizing his troops and returning to Tongwan. Pleased, Helian Bobo made Helian Chang crown prince. Helian Bobo died in 425, and Helian Chang succeeded him as emperor.

Reign

Helian Chang was a fierce soldier, though his governing abilities are not recorded, and he sought to expand his borders. In 426, responding to a request from Northern Liang's prince Juqu Mengxun, he sent generals Hulu Gu and Wei Fa to attack Western Qin. They captured Nan'an and later forced Western Qin's prince Qifu Gangui to move his capital from Fuhan to Dinglian, also taking Xiping before withdrawing. Later in 426, Emperor Taiwu of Northern Wei crossed the frozen Yellow River and surprised Tongwan.

On the December solstice, Helian Chang was feasting when Northern Wei forces appeared; he engaged them but was defeated, and as he retreated into the city, a Northern Wei officer entered and set the palace on fire before withdrawing. Meanwhile, other Northern Wei forces attacked Puban and Shancheng. The Xia general Helian Yidou, misled by a messenger who thought Tongwan had fallen, abandoned Puban and fled to Chang'an, then abandoned it with Helian Zhuxing for Anding, giving Northern Wei control of the southern half of Xia.

After capture by Northern Wei

Helian Chang was taken to the Northern Wei capital Pingcheng. Emperor Taiwu spared him, gave him the western palace as his residence with imperial supplies, made him Duke of Kuaiji, and married him to his sister Princess Shiping. The emperor often took Helian Chang on hunts; Northern Wei officials feared Helian Chang might assassinate the emperor, but the emperor trusted him. In 429, Helian Chang was used as a witness at an imperial council where prime minister Cui Hao confronted former Xia astrologers Zhang Yuan and Xu Bian, who opposed a campaign against Rouran.

Cui argued that if the astrologers could predict the future, they should have warned Helian Chang before Tongwan fell; with Helian Chang present, the astrologers withdrew their opposition. In 430, Emperor Taiwu promoted Helian Chang to Prince of Qin, possibly to use him against his brother Helian Ding. In late 430, Helian Chang tried to persuade Helian Shegan to surrender Pingliang, which he did after less than two months. In 434, Helian Chang turned against Wei and fled west from Pingcheng but was intercepted and killed by Wei generals west of the Yellow River; Northern Wei then executed his surviving brothers.