Li Keyong (李克用) | 24 Histories

Overview

Li Keyong was a ruler and Warlord.

PeriodFive Dynasties

IdentityHistorical · Male

Roles

Found in

Life and dates

Death

AD 908 晉王李克用卒
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 22, passage 18

Attested activity

AD 908 已而晉王李克用卒
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 22, passage 18

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Parent of Zhuangzong (莊宗)
father 先王 · paternal line
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 22, passage 20

Career and standing

Prince of Jin 晉王
Held
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 22, passage 18

Places and affiliations

Polity Jin 晉 · Relation Ruled
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 22, passage 18

Assessments and attributes

Assessment the one Liang feared and the reason Jin could match Liang · Mode quotation Speaker Zhuangzong (莊宗)
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 22, passage 20

References in the histories

New History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 22Volume 22 Later Liang Biographies 2: Kang Huaiying, Liu Xun, Niu Cunjie, Zhang Guiba, Wang Zhongshi, Xu Huaiyu · 3 passages

Open chapter

已而晉王李克用卒，莊宗召周德威還。 Then Li Keyong died and Zhuangzong called Zhou Dewei home.

莊宗謂德威曰：「晉之所以能敵梁，而彼所憚者，先王也。 Zhuangzong told Dewei: “Jin can stand against Liang only because they fear my father.

今聞吾王之喪，謂我新立，未能出兵，其意必怠，宜出其不意以擊之，非徒解圍，亦足以定霸也。」 Now they hear he is dead and think me too new to march. They will grow careless. Strike before they expect it—not only to break the siege but to settle the balance of power.”