The sons of Emperor Wu of Han are not all very good, and the reason why he chose Liu Fuling to succeed to the throne, I think in addition to the reason that he said that Liu Fuling was very similar to himself when he was a child, so he loved him very much, the biggest reason is that the rest of the sons are too unsuccessful, so it is also a helpless move to choose Liu Fuling.
The eldest son, Liu Zhao, was born to Empress Wei Zifu, who was made crown prince in the first year of the Yuan Dynasty (122 BC), Liu Zhao's personality was benevolent and generous, gentle and cautious, although Emperor Wu of Han often entrusted political affairs to Liu Zhao when he went out on a parade in his later years, but Liu Zhao's style of behavior often caused dissatisfaction with Emperor Wu of Han, because the prince was lenient, and Emperor Wu of Han often appointed cool officials to torture, and the father and son practiced almost exactly the opposite, so in the imperial court, those ministers who used harsh methods often surrounded Emperor Wu of Han and denigrated Liu Zhao, in 91 BC, Liu Zhao was charged by Jiang Chong, Han said that the others framed the practice of witchcraft in order to murder Emperor Wu of Han. Liu Zhao's army wanted to kill Jiang Chong and others, but Emperor Wu of Han mistakenly believed what the traitors said, thinking that Liu Was plotting rebellion, so he sent troops to suppress it, and Liu Zhaobing was defeated and arrested, and finally committed suicide.
The second son, Liu Hong (劉闳), the Prince of Qihuai, was born to Lady Wang, and died in the first year of the Yuan Dynasty (110 BC), at the age of 18, so emperor Wu of Han died before his death.
The third son, Liu Dan the Prince of Yan, born to Li Ji, and Liu Xu were half-brothers, originally after Liu Zhao, Liu Hong's death, he was the most likely to succeed to the throne as the eldest son, and he also thought so, so after the disaster of the Witch Deception, this brother Tai sent emissaries to Chang'an after Emperor Wu of Han was seriously ill in old age, asking for permission to send troops to guard Chang'an, Liu Dan's thoughts, how could Emperor Wu of Han, who had been wise for most of his life, not know? Liu Dan ostensibly wanted to guard the palace, but in fact he was proposing himself to be the crown prince. After seeing the letter between the emissary and Liu Dan, Emperor Wu of Han was furious, immediately beheaded, and ordered the three counties of his fiefdom to be cut off, from then on Emperor Wu of Han thought that Liu Dan was cunning and unsuitable for inheriting the unification, and directly excluded him, and later Liu Fuling succeeded to the throne, Liu Dan had two premeditated usurpations, the first time Liu Fuling remembered his brotherhood and pardoned him, but the second time Liu Dan tried to unite with the auxiliary chancellor Shangguan Jie, Sang Hongyang rebelled, and finally Shangguan Jie, Sang Hongyang was killed, liu Dan committed suicide.
The fourth son, Liu Xu, the King of Guangling, Liu Dan's half-brother, this brother Tai and his brother Liu Dan are also more than enough, the history books record that Liu Xu is tall, physically strong, likes to play, can carry the ding, can fight with bears, wild boars and other beasts with his bare hands, he has no law, so Emperor Wu of Han directly excluded him, but he and his brother, after Liu Fuling ascended the throne, he also had a covetous heart for the throne, and once asked the witches of Chudi to curse Liu Fuling (writing that this had to pity Liu Fuling, He then cursed, after Liu He abdicated, he then cursed the Han Xuan Emperor Liu Qing (this benevolent brother was very persistent on the road of cursing), and then he was accused of being accused, and finally hanged himself, it can be said that Liu Xu is a typical simple mind and has developed his limbs, how can such a person be made a prince.
The fifth son, Liu Qi (劉髆), the son of Lady Li, could have been made crown prince, but unfortunately his uncle Li Guangli (李廣利) the general Li Guangli (李廣利) and Liu Quyi (劉屈氂) wanted to make Liu Kui emperor, and finally Liu Quyi was beheaded, his wife and children were beheaded, and Li Guangli was sent out on expeditions and finally surrendered to the Xiongnu, so Liu Qi was also excluded from Emperor Wu of Han, although Liu Qi failed to become emperor, but his son Liu He was addicted to emperor, although he only did it for a month, but it can also be regarded as the realization of Liu Quyi, Li Guangli's wish that year.
Therefore, in summary, although Emperor Wu of Han had six sons, in the end, only Liu Fuling was the most suitable. During Liu Fuling's reign, he achieved quite good political achievements, but in addition to independently exercising the emperor's rights in the rebellion of Shangguan Jie, Sang Hongyang, and Liu Dan, from the thirteen years from his ascension to the throne to his death, he had never personally governed, and the power of the state had always been in the hands of Huo Guang, which was also the biggest regret for Liu Fuling!