Sui and Tang · General and Warlord

Li Keyong 李克用

Lǐ Kèyòng

Attested AD 884 - AD 885

Passages: 16
Chapters: 1
Histories: 1

Overview

Li Keyong was a general and Warlord.

Life and dates

Attested activity

AD 884 七月
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 4, passage 49
AD 885 光启元年
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 4, passage 51
AD 884 四年
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 4, passage 41

Family

Sibling of Li Kexiu (李克修)
younger brother 弟 · Full siblings · paternal line
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 4, passage 49

Career and standing

Prince of Longxi 陇西郡王
AD 884 用破巢功 · Enfeoffed
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 4, passage 50

Places and affiliations

Polity Tang 唐 · Relation Served
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 4, passage 50
At Hezhong 河中 · Relation Withdrew to
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 4, passage 57

Events and relationships

Aided Chongrong defeated Mei sacked capital
AD 885 光启元年 · Military · Commander · With Wang Chongrong (王重荣)
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 4, passage 56
Believed forged edict and petitioned to attack Quanzhong
AD 885 光启元年 · Political · Deceived · With Wang Chongrong (王重荣)
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 4, passages 52-54
Defeated Shang Rang and Huang Ye
AD 884 四月 · Military · Commander · With Shang Rang (尚让)
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 4, passage 42
Denounced ambush and posted Kexiu at Hezhong
AD 884 七月 · Political · Petitioner · With Li Kexiu (李克修)
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 4, passage 49
Escaped Weishi Gate to his army
Military · Survivor · With Guo Jingzhu (郭景铢)
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 4, passage 48
Feasted then ambushed at Shangyuan
AD 884 四年 · Diplomatic · Guest · With Zhu Quanzhong (朱全忠) · At Shangyuan Posthouse 上源驿
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 4, passages 46-47

Show 5 more source-backed claims

Led 50000 to relieve Chenzhou
AD 884 四年 · Military · Commander · At Chenzhou 陈州
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 4, passage 41
Ordered to escort Wang Chucun
AD 885 光启元年 · Military · Commander · With Wang Chucun (王处存)
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 4, passage 51
Overtook and defeated Huang Chao
AD 884 四年 · Military · Pursuer · With Huang Chao (黄巢)
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 4, passages 43-44
Promised but did not march against Zhu Mei
Political · Appointee · With Zhu Mei (朱玫)
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 4, passage 60
Relation Friend of · Person Yang Fugong (杨复恭)
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 4, passage 59

Source notes

did not usurp a princely title and so was not styled prince
Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 4, passage 173

References in the histories

Search passages

History

16 passages

New History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 4Volume 4 Later Tang Annals 1: Zhuangzong 1 · 16 passages

四年，克用以兵五万救陈州，出天井关，假道河阳，诸葛爽不许，乃自河中渡河。 In the fourth year Keyong led fifty thousand men to save Chenzhou, marched out by Tianjing Pass, and sought a road through Heyang. Zhuge Shuang barred the way, so he forded the Yellow River from Hezhong.

巢且走且战，至中牟，临河未渡，而克用追及之，贼众惊溃。 Chao fought as he fled. At Zhongmou he reached the river before he could cross; Keyong overtook him and the rebel ranks collapsed in terror.

比至封丘，又败之，巢脱身走，克用追之，一日夜驰二百里，至于冤朐，不及而还。 Keyong struck him again at Fengqiu. Chao escaped on foot while Keyong chased two hundred li in a single day and night to Yuanqu, then gave up and returned.

过汴州，休军封禅寺，朱全忠飨克用于上源驿。 On the march he halted at Bianzhou and rested at Fengchan Temple. Zhu Quanzhong entertained him at Shangyuan Posthouse.

夜，酒罢，克用醉卧，伏兵发，火起，侍者郭景铢灭烛，匿克用床下，以水醒面而告以难。 That night, after the drinking ended, Keyong fell asleep in his cups. Quanzhong’s men attacked and set the lodge ablaze. Attendant Guo Jingzhu snuffed the lamps, pulled Keyong under the bed, dashed water on his face, and warned him of the ambush.

会天大雨灭火，克用得从者薛铁山、贺回鹘等，随电光，缒尉氏门出，还军中。 A thunderstorm doused the flames. With Xue Tieshan, He Huihu, and a handful of guards Keyong slipped out by rope through the Weishi Gate in the lightning and rejoined his troops.

僖宗和解之，用破巢功，封克用陇西郡王。 Xizong imposed a truce. For crushing Huang Chao, Keyong was made Prince of Longxi.

光启元年，河中王重荣与宦者田令孜有隙，徙重荣兖州，以定州王处存为河中节度使，诏克用以兵护处存之镇。 In Guangqi 1 (885) Wang Chongrong of Hezhong clashed with the eunuch Tian Lingzi. Chongrong was ordered to Yanzhou and Wang Chucun of Dingzhou was named military governor of Hezhong; Keyong was told to march troops escorting Chucun into the circuit.

重荣使人绐克用曰：「天子诏重荣，俟克用至，与处存共诛之。」 Chongrong sent an agent to trick Keyong: “The emperor has instructed me that once you arrive, Chucun and I are to kill you together.”

克用不僭号，故不称王。 Keyong had not taken a princely title, so he was not styled “prince.”

因伪为诏书示克用曰：「此朱全忠之谋也。」 He produced a forged edict and told Keyong, “Quanzhong is behind this.”

克用信之，八上表请讨全忠，僖宗不许，克用大怒。 Keyong believed him, petitioned eight times to attack Quanzhong, and raged when Xizong refused.

克用反以兵助重荣，败玫于沙苑，遂犯京师，纵火大掠。 Keyong turned his arms to Chongrong’s side, routed Mei at Shayuan, then stormed the capital, burning and looting the city.

天子出居于兴元，克用退屯河中。 The emperor fled to Xingyuan; Keyong pulled back to Hezhong.

僖宗念独克用可以破玫而不能使也，当破黄巢长安时，天下兵马都监杨复恭与克用善，乃遣谏议大夫刘崇望以诏书召克用，且道复恭意，使进兵讨玫等。 Xizong knew only Keyong could crush Mei—and also knew he would not move without persuasion. During the campaign against Huang Chao, Chief Overseer Yang Fugong had befriended him. The court now sent Liu Chongwang with an edict recalling Keyong, repeating Fugong’s appeal, and commanding him to march against Mei.

克用阳诺而不行。 Keyong promised and did nothing.