Emperor Dezong of Tang

Emperor Dezong of Tang, personal name Li Kuo, was an emperor of the Chinese Tang dynasty and the oldest son of Emperor Daizong. His reign of 26 years was the third longest in the Tang dynasty. Emperor Dezong started out as a diligent and frugal emperor and tried to reform governmental finances by introducing new tax laws. His attempts to destroy the powerful regional warlords, and the subsequent mismanagement of those campaigns, resulted in a number of rebellions that nearly destroyed him and the Tang dynasty. After those events, he dealt cautiously with the regional governors, causing warlordism to become unchecked, and his trust of eunuchs caused their power to rise greatly.