Yuan Ke was initially not crown prince, but became crown prince in 497 after his only older brother Yuan Xun was deposed from that position in 496, and his mother Consort Gao, whom Emperor Xiaowen initially left in the old capital Pingcheng (平城, in modern Datong, Shanxi) and did not bring to the new capital Luoyang when he moved the capital in 494, was welcomed to the new capital, but on the way, she died suddenly.
The officials Yu Zhong and Cui Guang (崔光) quickly proclaimed Emperor Xuanwu's young crown prince Yuan Xu emperor (as Emperor Xiaoming) and seized power away from Emperor Xuanwu's wife Empress Gao, whose uncle Gao Zhao, who was also Emperor Xuanwu's uncle, was extremely powerful.
Gao | Erzhu Zhao | Zhao Ziyang | Vincent Zhao | Gao Hucheng | Zhao Yun | Zhao | Yuan Zhao | Gao Xingjian | Gao Lin | Zhao Yi | Zhao Wei | Zhao (state) | Zhao Lianhai | Zhao Lei | Zhao Dayu | Zhao Benshan | Han Zhao | Gao Yuanyuan | Gao Yan (politician) | Gao Wei | Gao Region | Zhao Yanming | Zhao Xuri | Zhao Tao | Zhao Nanqi | Zhao Kuo | Zhao Kezhi | Zhao Jin | Zhao Ji (Emperor Huizong) |
When Emperor Xuanwu's brother Yuan Yu (元愉) the Prince of Jingzhao rebelled in fall 508, Yuan Yu seized Yuan Xie's maternal uncle Pan Senggu (潘僧固) and forced Pan to join his rebellion, and Gao Zhao used this incident to falsely accuse Yuan Xie of conspiring with Yuan Yu and rival Liang Dynasty (which had replaced Southern Qi).