During Emperor Xizong's reign Li Keyong

1 during emperor xizong s reign

1.1 initial rebellion against tang dynasty
1.2 contributions in defeating huang chao , establishment @ hedong
1.3 henan campaigns , forming of enmity zhu quanzhong
1.4 li yun incident

during emperor xizong s reign
initial rebellion against tang dynasty

as of 878, li keyong serving deputy commander of shatuo troops @ datong circuit (大同, headquartered in modern datong, shanxi) , stationed @ yu prefecture (蔚州, in modern zhangjiakou, hebei). @ time, commander of shatuo troops @ datong li jinzhong (李盡忠), who, along officers kang junli, xue zhicheng (薛志誠), cheng huaixin (程懷信), , li cunzhang considered tang realm in such disarray due agrarian rebellions (the chief of huang chao s rebellion), , li jinzhong wrote li keyong, encouraging him overthrow defender of datong, duan wenchu (段文楚), had drawn ire of soldiers deducting clothing , food stipends , being harsh in enforcement of laws. li jinzhong started mutiny @ datong s capital yun prefecture (雲州), arresting duan , assistant liu hanzhang (柳漢璋). li keyong arrived, executed duan , 4 of subordinates, , claimed title of defender of datong. sought imperial commission, then-ruling emperor xizong refused.

upon hearing of li keyong s mutiny, li guochang, still military governor of zhenwu, submitted petition emperor xizong proclaiming loyalty , asking emperor xizong commission defender of datong—going far stating if li keyong refused, willing attack li keyong himself. instead, imperial government requested li guochang write letter li keyong promptly receive newly imperially commissioned defender, lu jianfang (盧簡方). believing li keyong nevertheless reject lu, however, imperial government changed tactics , named li guochang new military governor of datong, believing li keyong not resist father.

however, li guochang hoping , li keyong allowed retain 2 circuits, , therefore, when received transfer order, tore edict , rose in rebellion well, joining forces li keyong. initially, joint forces successful, capturing zhelu base (遮虜軍, in modern xinzhou, shanxi), , defeating joint forces of cui jikang (崔季康) military governor of hedong circuit (河東, headquartered in modern taiyuan, shanxi) , li jun (李均) military governor of zhaoyi circuit (昭義, headquartered in modern changzhi, shanxi) @ hong valley (洪谷, in modern xinzhou), killing li jun in battle. (the defeat of hedong forces appeared lead chain reaction of several mutinies @ hedong, in cui killed, , successor li kan (李侃) resigned; after li kan s resignation , natural death of successor li wei, subsequent successor li shao (李邵) deposed, , li shao s successor kang chuangui (康傳圭) killed.)

by summer 880, however, tide began change against li keyong , shatuo forces. newly tang-commissioned military governor of datong, li zhuo (李涿), joining forces li keju military governor of lulong circuit (盧龍, headquartered in modern beijing) , tuyuhun chieftain helian duo against li keyong, li keyong left officer gao wenji (高文集) in charge of base @ shuo prefecture (朔州, in modern shuozhou, shanxi) , stationed himself @ xiongwu base (雄武軍, in modern chengde, hebei) defend against li keju. li zhuo used opportunity entice gao surrender. li keyong tried return shuo recapture it, intercepted li keju s officer han xuanshao (韓玄紹) , defeated, li jinzhong , cheng killed in battle. meanwhile, li zhuo , helian attacked li guochang @ yu prefecture, defeating him. both li guochang , li keyong forced abandon region , flee dada (達靼, in yin mountains region).

helian made new defender of datong, , subsequently bribed dada chief, asking dada chief put li guochang , li keyong death. li keyong heard of this, but, pretending not know it, feasted dada nobles. during feast, showed off archery skills, such able hit leaf , needle. stated dada nobles:

i offended son of heaven. had long wanted serve empire, cannot so. have heard, however, huang chao had advanced north, , surely create disaster central plain. if son of heaven willing pardon me, surely advance south gentlemen accomplish great things, satisfy our desires. there not many years in life, , not want die old here in desert.

after dada nobles heard of declaration did not wish remain long, gave on plan kill him.

contributions in defeating huang chao , establishment @ hedong

by 881, huang chao had captured imperial capital chang an, forcing emperor xizong flee chengdu. huang established new state of qi emperor. part of tang operations against huang s qi state, shatuo generals qu zhen (瞿稹) , li youjin (李友金, cousin of li guochang s) had gone datong region recruit soldiers tang, , while able recruit 30,000 soldiers, qu , li youjin having difficulty controlling them. li youjin persuaded eunuch monitor of army in region, chen jingsi (陳景思), request emperor xizong officially pardon li guochang , li keyong, ask them join in operation. emperor xizong did so, , li youjin subsequently went dada himself , brought li keyong tang territory dada, along 10,000 dada soldiers.

in summer, li keyong advanced south through hedong circuit, , wrote then-military governor of hedong, zheng congdang, requesting zheng supply troops. zheng, while not openly hostile li keyong, suspicious of him, , therefore closed gates of hedong s capital taiyuan municipality , refused provide li keyong more limited supplies. li keyong responded pillaging taiyuan region. zheng sought , received aid qibi zhang (契苾璋) military governor of zhenwu, launched tuyuhun , tujue soldiers repel shatuo. li keyong forced withdraw north. captured xin (忻州, in modern xinzhou) , dai (代州, in modern xinzhou well) prefectures , made dai headquarters.

in spring 882, li keyong attacked yu prefecture. qibi requested imperial sanction , cooperations of datong , tiande (天德, headquartered in modern bayan nur, inner mongolia) circuits in operations against him. emperor xizong ordered zheng coordinate qibi. meanwhile, helian duo , li keju engaged li keyong, not defeat him. li keyong continued pillage hedong. emperor xizong had wang chucun military governor of yiwu circuit (義武, headquartered in modern baoding, hebei), friendly li keyong, write li keyong, informing him of imperial displeasure , suggesting cease pillages , return shuo prefecture.

meanwhile, though, tang forces still not able expel huang chang region. yang fuguang, eunuch monitor of army in hezhong (河中, headquartered in modern yuncheng, shanxi) region, suggested wang chongrong military governor of hezhong attempt made invite li keyong join operations against huang. @ yang s suggestion, overall commander of operations, former chancellor wang duo wrote both li keyong , zheng, summoning li keyong while requesting zheng allow li keyong s shatuo troops passage through hedong. in winter 882, li keyong passed through hedong without further hostilities. given title of military governor of yanmen circuit (雁門, i.e., datong region).

as li keyong arrived @ hezhong , prepared cross yellow river enter huang s territory, huang made effort befriend li keyong. knew li keyong s brother li kerang had been killed monks @ temple in qinling mountains, had li kerang s servant hun jintong (渾進通), had submitted qi after li kerang s death, take edict , many treasures huang li keyong, , further delivered monks responsible li kerang s death li keyong. li keyong executed monks, burned huang s edict , distributed treasure officers. continued advance huang s territory, stationing himself @ tong prefecture (同州, in modern weinan, shaanxi) around new year 883.

li keyong continued advance toward chang an, defeating huang s brother huang kui (黃揆) on way. joined forces hezhong, yiwu, , zhongwu (忠武, headquartered in modern xuchang, henan) circuits, , defeated major qi general shang rang. in summer 883, after defeated huang chao near chang an, huang chao abandoned chang , fled east. contributions, emperor xizong bestowed on him honorary chancellor designation of tong zhongshu menxia pingzhangshi (同中書門下平章事). said while youngest of tang generals fought huang (26 @ time), had greatest accomplishments. 1 of eyes smaller other (and might have been blind), referred one-eyed dragon (獨眼龍).

after victory @ chang an, li keyong returned yanmen, commissioned military governor of hedong, replacing zheng. knowing people of hedong still fearful of him after past hostilities, posted many declarations throughout hedong, stating, not worry past. comfortable in do. father li guochang made military governor of daibei circuit (i.e., yanmen region), replacing him.

after started serving @ hedong, li keyong began expand territory directly under control. in late 883, meng fangli military governor of zhaoyi, power base not @ zhaoyi s capital lu prefecture (潞州) , found difficult control it, moved capital xing prefecture (邢州, in modern xingtai, hebei). people of lu displeased. eunuch monitor of zhaoyi, qi shenhui (祁審誨) , officer jushou (安居受) secretly sought aid li keyong. li keyong sent cousin li kexiu (李克脩), captured lu , took over. said next several years, li keyong fought continuously control of zhaoyi s other prefectures, such circuit laid waste.

henan campaigns , forming of enmity zhu quanzhong

meanwhile, although huang chao had withdrawn chang region , fled east, still had powerful army. threatened huang, 3 tang military governors south of yellow river—zhou ji military governor of zhongwu, shi pu military governor of ganhua circuit (感化, headquartered in modern xuzhou), , zhu quanzhong military governor of xuanwu circuit (宣武, headquartered in modern kaifeng, henan)—jointly sought aid li keyong. li keyong took 50,000 soldiers , advanced south cross yellow river, had take roundabout route through hezhong when zhuge shuang military governor of heyang circuit (河陽, headquartered in modern jiaozuo, henan) refused grant him passage. rendezvoused armies of zhongwu, ganhua, xuanwu, , taining (泰寧, headquartered in modern jining, shandong) circuits , headed toward chen prefecture (陳州, in modern zhoukou, henan), prefect zhao chou had been under siege huang 300 days. in summer 884, li keyong defeated shang , huang chao s brother huang siye (黃思鄴), , huang chao abandoned siege on chen.

huang headed toward xuanwu s capital bian prefecture (汴州) , put under siege. zhu sought emergency aid li keyong, , li keyong headed toward bian, catching huang cross yellow river @ wangman crossing (王滿渡, in modern zhengzhou, henan) , crushing army. shang surrendered shi, while large number of huang s other generals surrendered zhu. li keyong gave chase, , huang fled east. during chase, huang s youngest son captured li keyong. li keyong s army became worn out during chase, however, , broke chase , returned bian prefecture.

after li keyong arrived @ bian, offered camp outside city, zhu invited him stay @ guest pavilion in city , held grand feast him. @ feast, however, after li keyong became drunk, used arrogant language offended zhu. zhu , officer yang yanhong (楊彥洪) planned ambush against li keyong. after feast, zhu had mansion surrounded , attacked it. li keyong did not wake up, , guards had wake him fight out of siege. however, 300 of attendants, including officer shi jingsi , eunuch monitor chen jingsi, killed.

before li keyong arrived @ camp outside city, news of ambush reached li keyong s wife lady liu when 1 of li keyong s guards fled camp. lady liu, in order not let news prematurely leak, executed guard , began prepare orderly withdraw. after li keyong reached camp, planned attack on bian prefecture. lady liu persuaded him not to, pointing out if did, imperial government not able tell in right. li keyong agreed , withdrew. sent letter zhu condemning attack. zhu wrote back, apologizing, , blaming yang (who killed during battle well) attack. however, enmity formed between li keyong , zhu last rest of lives.

subsequently, li keyong sought food supplies zhou, zhou refused, claiming lack food himself. li keyong crossed yellow river north , returned hedong. subsequently reorganized army , submitted harshly worded accusation against zhu imperial government, seeking imperial sanction campaign against zhu—offering accept no imperial stipends if imperial government declare such campaign. (at time, tang regulations campaign waged @ imperial behest supplied imperial funds.) imperial government, had been severely weakened huang s rebellion, did not want see 2 of major warlords fighting against each other, , sent major eunuch yang fuguang (yang fugong s brother) try calm li keyong, , li keyong abandoned idea, continued resentment toward zhu. imperial government, apparently soothe li keyong, subsequently allowed him add lin prefecture (麟州, in modern yulin, shaanxi) hedong, , made li kexiu military governor of zhaoyi—although, because li kexiu controlled lu prefecture, zhaoyi divided 2 circuits, meng fangli continuing control parts east of taihang mountains. emperor xizong created li keyong prince of longxi, , merged datong circuit hedong.

meanwhile, li keju , wang rong military governor of chengde circuit (成德, headquartered in modern shijiazhuang, hebei) both feared li keyong s power , alliance wang chucun, had married nephew wang ye (王鄴) li keyong s daughter. in spring 885, li keju , wang rong decided attack wang chucun s yiwu circuit , divide among themselves, while persuading helian duo attack li keyong not come wang chucun s aid. li keyong nevertheless sent kang junli aid wang chucun, , subsequently went wang chucun s aid himself. defeated chengde forces @ wuji (無極, in modern shijiazhuang), forcing them withdraw. meanwhile, while lulong forces captured yiwu s yi prefecture (易州, in modern baoding), counterattack wang chucun recaptured , forced li keju s officer li quanzhong, commanded lulong forces, retreat. (li quanzhong, fearing punishment li keju, subsequently turned against him, attacked lulong s capital prefecture (幽州), , forced li keju commit suicide.)

the li yun incident

just li keyong , wang chucun beat chengde/lulong attack, however, crisis developing. @ time, emperor xizong s court dominated eunuch tian lingzi, commanded imperial shence armies. after emperor xizong s return chang in 885, tian , wang chongrong came dispute on control of salt ponds @ anyi (安邑) , jie county (解縣, both in modern yuncheng), had been under control of imperial director of salt , iron monopolies, wang chongrong had taken on during huang chao occupation of chang region. tian wanted control of salt ponds given shence armies shence armies paid using funds selling salt, while wang chongrong objected. tension further escalated when tian sent adoptive son tian kuangyou (田匡祐) emissary wang chongrong s hezhong circuit, tian kuangyou overly arrogant , offended soldiers. wang chongrong condemned tian kuangyou , tian lingzi publicly, , after tian kuangyou returned chang an, encouraged tian lingzi act against wang chongrong.

tian lingzi reacted having emperor xizong issue series of transfer orders, transferring wang chongrong taining circuit, wang chucun hezhong, , qi kerang military governor of taining yiwu. emperor xizong s orders included order li keyong escort wang chucun hezhong, despite wang chucun s objections wang chongrong had great accomplishments in huang s defeat , should not transferred, , himself needed calm yiwu after recent chengde/lulong incursion. meanwhile, tian prepared campaign against wang chongrong aligning zhu mei military governor of jingnan circuit (靜難, headquartered in modern xianyang, shaanxi) , li changfu military governor of fengxiang circuit (鳳翔, headquartered in modern baoji, shaanxi).

wang chongrong sought aid li keyong. li keyong indicated preparing campaign against zhu quanzhong, , come wang chongrong s aid after defeating zhu quanzhong. wang chongrong pointed out time, wang chongrong might have been defeated, , instead advocated li keyong , destroy tian first, , zhu quanzhong. li keyong submitted petition emperor xizong condemning zhu mei , li changfu. tian reacted joining zhu mei , li changfu @ shayuan (沙苑, in modern weinan), preparing attack. li keyong took troops south , joined wang chongrong. around new year 886, li keyong , wang chongrong engaged joint shence/jingnan/fengxiang forces, crushing them. li keyong approached chang an, tian took emperor xizong , fled fengxiang, , xingyuan (興元, in modern hanzhong, shaanxi). zhu mei , li changfu, ashamed of continued alliance tian, subsequently turned against him , sought peace li keyong , wang chongrong, , tian forced resign , flee chengdu join brother chen jingxuan military governor of xichuan circuit (西川, headquartered in modern chengdu). zhu mei, however, went step further , declared emperor xizong s distant relative li yun prince of xiang new emperor. meanwhile, li keyong returned hedong.

li yun s regime drew pledges of allegiance such warlords gao pian military governor of huainan circuit (淮南, headquartered in modern yangzhou, jiangsu). zhu mei, however, wanted li keyong s cooperation well, , therefore had li yun issue edict li keyong , wrote li keyong himself, claiming emperor xizong had died , li yun proper emperor. li keyong s strategist gai yu, pointing out people of realm largely blamed li keyong emperor xizong s flight chang , li yun s usurpation, argued li keyong refuse li yun s overtures. li keyong agreed, , therefore publicly announced continued loyalty emperor xizong. when li keyong s declaration reached xingyuan, calmed hearts of officials @ xingyuan, fearful li keyong support li yun. subsequently, when zhu mei s officer wang xingyu made no progress in attacking emperor xizong, decided turn against zhu mei; returned chang an, killed zhu mei, , forced li yun flee wang chongrong, subsequently executed li yun, allowing emperor xizong return chang an. meanwhile, 2 generals had taken on heyang/luoyang region zhuge shuang s son , successor zhuge zhongfang (諸葛仲方), zhang quanyi , li hanzhi, sought aid li keyong, region had been laid waste sun ru. li keyong sent officer jinjun (安金俊) prefect of nearby ze prefectue (澤州, in modern jincheng, shanxi) troops aid zhang , li hanzhi, allowing himself foothold heyang region. commissioned li hanzhi military governor of heyang , zhang mayor of henan municipality (河南, i.e., luoyang region). (by spring 888, however, zhang had turned against li hanzhi, surprised him in battle, , taken on heyang. when li hanzhi sought aid li keyong, zhang sought aid zhu quanzhong, repelled li keyong s attack; point on, zhang became ally , follower of zhu s, while li hanzhi became key general under li keyong.)