Early life

Hela was the eldest son of Shengguo (繩果; also known as Wanyan Zongjun 完顏宗峻), the eldest son of Aguda (Emperor Taizu), the founder and first emperor of the Jin dynasty. His mother was Lady Pucha (蒲察氏), whom he posthumously honoured as "Empress Huizhao" (惠昭皇后). When Emperor Taizu died in 1123, the throne was passed on to his younger brother, Wuqimai (Emperor Taizong). Wanyan Zonghan and Wanyan Xiyin, who used to be Emperor Taizu's chief advisers, convinced Emperor Taizong to designate Hela as his heir apparent (anban bojilie; 諳班勃極烈) in 1132, so Hela became the new emperor in 1135 when Emperor Taizong died.

Wars against the Southern Song dynasty

In 1137, Emperor Xizong abolished the Qi kingdom, a vassal state of the Jin dynasty ruled by Liu Yu (劉豫), a former Song dynasty official. The Jin dynasty started peace negotiations with the Southern Song dynasty. In 1139, the Jin and Song dynasties arrived at a treaty, with the latter agreeing to be a tributary vassal state under the former. In return, the Jin dynasty returned control of Henan and Shaanxi provinces to the Song dynasty. However, in 1140, Emperor Xizong decided to wage war against the Song dynasty so he ordered the general Wanyan Zongbi to lead Jin forces to attack and seize back Henan and Shaanxi. In 1141, Wanyan Zongbi and his army were defeated by Song forces led by Yue Fei and Han Shizhong; the Jin dynasty agreed to negotiate for peace again with the Song dynasty.

Internal politics

Emperor Xizong was very fond of Han Chinese culture because of the influence of his adoptive father, Wanyan Zonggan (完顏宗幹), so he reformed the political institutions and modelled them after Han Chinese ones, while at the same time encouraging talented Han Chinese to serve in his government. In 1136, Emperor Xizong ordered Wanyan Zonggan, Wanyan Zongpan (完顏宗磐) and Wanyan Zonghan to take charge of reforming the government and creating the Three Departments system.

Emperor Xizong abolished the traditional bojilie (勃極烈) system that he inherited from his predecessors. The bojilie system allowed the Jurchen ruler to choose an heir apparent from among male relatives in the same generation as him, usually his brothers. However, Emperor Taizong, who succeeded his brother Emperor Taizu, made an exception when he chose Emperor Xizong (Emperor Taizu's grandson) as his heir apparent instead of choosing from among his sons. Wanyan Zongpan, the eldest son of Emperor Taizong, was very unhappy when the bojilie system was abolished because this meant that he would have no chance to become emperor.

Between 1138 and 1139, Wanyan Zongpan tried to seize power and start a rebellion but was defeated and executed. Since then, the political arena was dominated by Wanyan Zonghan, Wanyan Zonggan and Wanyan Zongbi; Emperor Xizong had little or no say in politics. After Wanyan Zongbi died in 1148, Emperor Xizong gained an opportunity to participate in politics, but his wife, Empress Daoping, started to interfere in politics and she wielded significant influence. Emperor Xizong's two sons, Wanyan Ji'an (完顏濟安) and Wanyan Daoji (完顏道濟), died in 1143 and 1144 respectively. Emperor Xizong felt depressed by the loss of his sons that he developed an addiction to alcohol and started neglecting state affairs. He also became more violent and ruthless, and started killing people indiscriminately. One of his victims was Ambaghai, a Mongol chieftain and great-granduncle of Genghis Khan.

Emperor Xizong was overthrown and murdered by his chancellor, Digunai, and other court officials in a coup d'état on 9 January 1150.

Family

• Father: Shengguo (繩果), sinicised name Wanyan Zongjun (完顏宗峻), posthumously honoured as Emperor Huizong (金徽宗)

• Mother: Lady Pucha (蒲察氏), posthumously honoured as Empress Huizhao 惠昭皇后)

• Spouse: Lady Peiman (裴滿氏), posthumously honoured as Empress Daoping (悼平皇后), bore Wanyan Ji'an

• Concubines:

　• Samao (撒卯), widow of Emperor Xizong's younger brother Wanyan Yuan (完顏元)

　• Consort Xian (賢妃), bore Wanyan Daoji

　• Consort De (德妃), also known as Lady Wugulun (烏古論氏)

　• Lady Jiagu (夾谷氏)

　• Lady Zhang (張氏)

　• Lady Peiman (裴滿氏)

　• Zhao Jingu (趙金姑), Lady Qingfu (慶福帝姬), 12th daughter of Zhao Ji

　• Zhao Saiyue (趙賽月), Lady Huafu (華福帝姬), 19th daughter of Zhao Ji

　• Zhao Feiyan (趙飛燕), daughter of Zhao Yu (趙俁)

　• Zhao Yuqiang (趙玉嬙), daughter of Zhao Shu (趙樞)

　• Zhao Yupan (趙玉盤), Lady Jiade (嘉德帝姬), eldest daughter of Zhao Ji

　• Zhao Jinnu (趙金奴), Lady Rongde (榮德帝姬), second daughter of Zhao Ji

　• Zhao Chuanzhu (趙串珠), Lady Ningfu (寧福帝姬), 16th daughter of Zhao Ji

　• Zhao Jinyin (趙金印), Lady Lingfu (令福帝姬), 18th daughter of Zhao Ji

　• Zhao Tanxiang (趙檀香), third daughter of Zhao Cai (趙偲)

• Sons:

　• Wanyan Ji'an (完顏濟安), posthumously honoured as Crown Prince Yingdao (英悼太子)

　• Wanyan Daoji (完顏道濟), Prince of Wei (魏王)

• Daughters:

　• Princess of Zheng (鄭國公主), married Pucha Dingshou (蒲察鼎壽), mother of Empress Qinhuai (欽懷皇后; Emperor Zhangzong's empress consort)

　• Princess of Ji (冀國公主), adoptive mother of Empress Qinhuai

　• Princess of Dai (代國公主), married Tangkuo Bian (唐括辯)

　• Daughter, name unknown, mother of Tushan Gongbi (徒單公弼)

　• Princess Supreme of Liang (梁國大長公主)

　• Princess of Shen (沈國公主), married Tushan Yi (徒單繹)

生平

早年

天輔三年（己亥年）出生，本名合剌，母親是蒲察氏，父親是完顏阿骨打的嫡長子。

天會八年，諳班勃極烈完顏杲薨逝，金太宗意久未決。天會十年，左副元帥完顏宗翰、右副元帥完顏宗輔、左監軍完顏希尹等大臣進入朝廷與完顏宗幹討論國事，稱：「諳班勃極烈虛位已久，今不早定，恐授非其人。合剌，先帝嫡孫，當立。」相與請於太宗者再三，乃從之。

天會十三年正月己巳，金太宗駕崩。

登基即位

1135年2月10日，即皇帝位。不久，對外公佈、並下令公私部門皆禁止飲酒與相關娛樂，並向偽齊、高麗、夏等國派遣使節稱金朝皇帝已經即位；並詔令劉齊今後稱自己為臣，不能稱子。

金宋和戰

天會十五年十一月丙午（1138年1月1日），為鞏固政權，金熙宗下詔廢除偽齊，降封劉豫為蜀王，並與南宋議和。十二月戊辰，劉豫上表感謝封爵。不久，發佈詔令改明年為天眷元年，並大赦，命韓昉、耶律紹文等人編修國史。之後命令蜀王劉豫遷徙至臨潢府。

天眷二年（1139年）正月，金、宋議和成立，南宋代替偽齊政權成為金的屬國，宋對金稱臣，金朝歸還河南、陝西。但是主戰派很快占了上風。天眷三年（1140年）五月，金熙宗詔令兀朮收復河南、陝西等地。

皇統元年（1141年），完顏宗弼再次帶兵南侵，被岳飛、韓世忠等擊退，但宋高宗急於求和，再次達成紹興和議，金朝至此控制淮河以北。

皇統五年（1145年），取消遼東漢人、渤海猛安謀克世襲的制度，逐漸將兵權轉移到女真人手中，分猛安謀克為上中下三等，宗室為上等，其餘次之。

漢化鞏固政權

熙宗廢除了太祖、太宗傳下來的勃極烈制度。完顏阿骨打庶長子完顏宗幹（同時也是熙宗的養父）崇尚漢化，在開國之初太宗任命宗幹輔助朝政制定各種制度，為女真漢化及鞏固金在華北統治打下基礎。

熙宗自幼接受漢化教育，加上養父的影響，登基後開始了漢制改革、重用漢人。太祖四子完顏宗弼（又名金兀朮）是推動漢制的重臣，熙宗授以軍政大權。天會十四年（1136年），宗磐、宗幹和宗翰三人共同總管政府機構，「並領三省事」。金朝官制此時基本漢化，建立了以尚書省為中心的三省制，以三師（太師、太傅、太保）以及三公（太尉、司徒、司空）領三省事。

勃極烈制度廢除前，女真的傳統一般是同代相傳，比如景祖烏古迺將權力傳給世祖劾里缽，然後是劾里缽的四弟肅宗頗剌淑和五弟穆宗盈歌（長子劾者和三子劾孫因為柔善而被景祖跳過），這一輪過後才是最有勢力家族的下一代，世祖劾里缽之子康宗烏雅束、太祖阿骨打、太宗吳乞買和遼王斜也。斜也一死，太宗把皇儲諳班勃極烈的位置空閒了兩年，在大家的催促下才選了一個太祖阿骨打家族的嫡長孫作皇儲。

等到熙宗繼位後，漢化的結果就是廢除了諳班勃極烈這種舊的皇儲制度，皇帝立自己的兒子作太子。這引起了本來能在太宗朝成為太子的太宗長子完顏宗磐的不滿。為免出現宋朝太祖太宗朝紛爭局面，熙宗因此對太宗子孫比較忍讓。後來宗磐還是發動了叛亂，但被平息。

宋金議和以後，宗翰、宗幹、宗弼等太祖太宗朝的老功臣相繼秉政，熙宗臨朝一般不說話。等到皇統（1148年）十月，宗弼去世，熙宗才有機會親政。但悼平皇后裴滿氏又很潑辣，幹預政事，無所忌憚。加上熙宗的兩個年幼兒子，太子濟安、魏王道濟相繼在皇統三、四年去世，帝位失嗣。熙宗便徹底崩潰，開始嗜酒如命，不理朝政，濫殺無辜，更殺死了蒙古族的俺巴孩汗，朝野人心惶惶。皇統九年（1149）十月，熙宗弟族完顏元、完顏阿愣等人因受海陵王完顏亮誣告而被熙宗全數殺害，熙宗因此被孤立，也給完顏亮日後的篡位埋下了禍根。

遇弒

皇統九年十二月初九丁巳日（儒略曆1150年1月9日），被右丞相海陵王完顏亮所殺，終年31歲。

封號

天德二年（1150年）二月庚戌，被海陵王降為東昏王，葬於皇后裴滿氏墓中。貞元三年（1155年），改葬於大房山蓼香甸諸王墓群。海陵王死後，金世宗於大定元年（1161年）十一月恢復完顏亶帝號，追諡武靈皇帝，廟號閔宗，墓稱思陵。大定十九年（1179年）四月，升祔於太廟，增諡弘基纘武莊靖孝成皇帝。大定二十七年（1187年）二月，改廟號熙宗。大定二十八年（1188年），以思陵狹小，改葬於峨眉谷，仍號思陵。

家庭

• 悼平皇后裴滿氏

　• 英悼太子完顏濟安

　• 代國公主

• 胙王完顏元之妃撒卯

• 賢妃

　• 魏王完顏道濟

• 德妃烏古論氏，皇統九年（1149年）十一月癸巳，金熙宗在忽剌渾土溫打獵，遣使殺害德妃烏古論氏及夾谷氏、張氏。

• 妃夾谷氏，金熙宗在殺害德妃烏古論氏同日殺死夾谷氏。

• 妃張氏，金熙宗在殺害德妃烏古論氏同日殺死張氏。

• 妃裴滿氏，皇統九年十二月初八丙辰（1150年1月8日），金熙宗在寢殿殺害裴滿氏，次日熙宗就被完顏秉德、唐括辯、僕散師恭等人殺害。

• 次妃趙金姑（宋慶福帝姬）

• 次妃趙賽月（宋華福帝姬）

• 次妃趙飛燕（宋宗姬、燕王趙俁女）

• 次妃趙玉嬙（宋宗姬、肅王趙樞次女）

• 夫人趙玉盤（宋嘉德帝姬）

• 夫人趙金奴（宋榮德帝姬）

• 夫人趙串珠（宋寧福帝姬）

• 夫人趙金印（宋令福帝姬）

• 夫人趙檀香（宋宗姬、越王趙偲三女）

;女

• 鄭國公主，嫁蒲察鼎壽，女蒲察氏為金章宗欽懷皇后

• 冀國公主，金章宗欽懷皇后養母

• 代國公主，母悼平皇后，嫁唐括辯

• 徒單府君奴之妻，生徒單公弼（金世宗息國公主駙馬）

• 梁國大長公主

• 沈國公主，第七女，嫁徒單繹（母鄂國公主）

評價

• 元朝官修正史《金史》脫脫等的評價是：「熙宗之時，四方無事，敬禮宗室大臣，委以國政，其繼體守文之治，有足觀者。末年酗酒妄殺，人懷危懼。所謂前有讒而不見，後有賊而不知。馴致其禍，非一朝一夕故也。」