Li Maozhen (李茂貞) | 24 Histories

Overview

Li Maozhen was a warlord and Military Commissioner.

Other names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Alternate name	Song Wentong	宋文通	Sòng Wéntōng

Life and dates

Attested activity

AD 886 光啟二年
Dated from the passage context · New History of the Five Dynasties 40, passages 208-209
AD 885 光啟元年
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 40, passages 206-207
AD 891 大順二年
Dated from the passage context · New History of the Five Dynasties 40, passages 2, 5-6
AD 890 大順元年
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 40, passage 212
AD 893 景福二年
Dated from the passage context · New History of the Five Dynasties 40, passages 10, 15, 20
AD 880 to AD 884 黃巢犯京師
Dated from the passage context · New History of the Five Dynasties 40, passage 205

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Parent of Li Jimi (李繼密)
son 子
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 40, passage 6

Career and standing

soldier of the Boye Army 博野軍卒
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 40, passage 204
military commissioner of Fengxiang and Longyou 鳳翔隴右節度使
Appointed
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 40, passage 211
military commissioner of Shannan West Circuit 山南西道節度使
Appointed
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 40, passage 6
military commissioner of the Wuding Army 武定軍節度使
Appointed
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 40, passage 209
commander of the imperial escort 扈蹕都頭
Held
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 40, passage 209
squad leader 隊長
Held
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 40, passage 205

Show 2 more source-backed claims

army officer 軍校
Promoted
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 40, passage 205
Prince of Longxi Commandery 隴西郡王
Enfeoffed
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 40, passage 212

Places and affiliations

Polity Tang 唐 · Relation Served
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 40, passages 205, 211
At Boye in Shen Prefecture 深州博野
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 40, passage 203
At Fengxiang 鳳翔 · Relation Posted to
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 40, passage 204

Works and attributed material

Memorial · Author
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 40, passages 3, 7-9

Events and relationships

Defeated
Military · Commander · With Wang Xingyu (王行瑜) · At Datang Peak 大唐峯
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 40, passage 207
Demanded death of Du Rangneng
Political · Demander · With Du Rangneng (杜讓能)
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 40, passages 17-18
Invaded capital and encamped at Sanqiao
Military · Commander
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 40, passage 15
Killed
Military · Commander · With Li Changfu (李昌符)
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 40, passage 211
Stormed Xingyuan and killed Yang Fugong and Yang Shouliang
Military · Commander · With Yang Fugong (楊復恭)
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 40, passage 5
Relation Rival of · Person Du Rangneng (杜讓能)
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 40, passage 17

Source notes

From Song Wentong 宋文通 · To Li Maozhen 李茂貞 · Granted surname and name by the Tang court
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 40, passages 204, 209

References in the histories

Search passages

History

20 passages

New History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 40Volume 40 Miscellaneous Biographies 20: Li Maozhen, Han Jian, Li Renfu, Han Xun, Yang Chongben, Gao Wanxing, Wen Tao · 20 passages

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李茂貞，深州博野人也。 Li Maozhen came from Boye in Shen Prefecture.

本姓宋，名文通，為博野軍卒，戍鳳翔。 Originally surnamed Song with the given name Wentong, he served as a soldier in the Boye Army and was posted to Fengxiang.

黃巢犯京師，鄭畋以博野軍擊賊，茂貞以功自隊長遷軍校。 When Huang Chao struck the capital, Zheng Tian led the Boye Army against him. Maozhen rose from squad leader to army officer for his service.

玫遣王行瑜攻大散關，茂貞與保鑾都將李鋋等敗行瑜於大唐峯。 Mei sent Wang Xingyu against Dasanguan. Maozhen and Palace Guard general Li Chan defeated him at Datang Peak.

茂貞以功自扈蹕都頭拜武定軍節度使，賜以姓名。 For his service Maozhen rose from commander of the imperial escort to military commissioner of Wuding and received the surname and name by which he was known.

僖宗遣茂貞擊殺昌符，以功拜鳳翔隴右節度使。 Xizong sent Maozhen to kill Changfu and, for that service, made him military commissioner of Fengxiang and Longyou.

大順元年，封隴西郡王。 In Dashun 1 (890) he was made Prince of Longxi.

茂貞乃上書言復恭父子罪皆當誅，因自請為山南招討使。 Maozhen memorialized that Fugong and his son deserved death, and asked to lead the campaign into the southern mountains.

茂貞擅發兵攻破興元，復恭父子見殺。 Maozhen marched without leave, broke Xingyuan, and Fugong and his son were put to death.

茂貞表其子繼密權知興元軍府事，昭宗乃徙茂貞山南西道節度使，以宰相徐彥若鎮鳳翔。 Maozhen asked that his son Jimi hold Xingyuan in his stead. Zhaozong moved Maozhen to Shannan West and sent Chancellor Xu Yanruo to Fengxiang.

茂貞不奉詔，上表自論曰：「但慮軍情忽變，戎馬難羈。 Maozhen refused the order and memorialized in his own defense: “I fear only that the troops may turn restless and the cavalry slip my grip.