Early Life
Li Tai was the fourth son of Li Shimin, then the Prince of Qin under his father Emperor Gaozu of Tang. His mother was Li Shimin's wife Princess Zhangsun, who had given birth to his older brother Li Chengqian previously and would have one other son later (Li Zhi) and three daughters (the future Princess Changle, Jinyang, and Xincheng). In 620, he was created the Prince of Yidu, at the same time that Li Chengqian and another older brother, Li Ke (by Li Shimin's concubine Consort Yang (a daughter of Emperor Yang of Sui)) were also created princes. In 621, he was created the Prince of Wei (衛, different than his later title of 魏) and posthumously adopted into the line of his uncle Li Xuanba (李玄霸), who had died early without issue.
In 626, Li Shimin, in an intense rivalry with his older brother Li Jiancheng the Crown Prince, ambushed Li Jiancheng and another brother who supported Li Jiancheng, Li Yuanji the Prince of Qi, at Xuanwu Gate and killed them. He then effectively forced Emperor Gaozu to first create him crown prince and then yield the throne to him (as Emperor Taizong). He created Li Tai's mother Princess Zhangsun empress and Li Tai's older brother Li Chengqian crown prince. In 628, Li Tai's title was changed to Prince of Yue (Taizong made another royal member Li Baoding (李保定) heir to Li Xuanba instead of him), and he was made the commandant at Yang Prefecture (揚州, roughly modern Yangzhou, Jiangsu), but was not sent to Yang Prefecture, remaining at the capital Chang'an instead. In 633, he was made the commandant at Fu Prefecture (鄜州, roughly modern Yan'an, Shaanxi), but also appeared to not have been sent there, and in 634 he became the prefect of the capital prefecture Yong Prefecture (雍州).
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