Yelü Abaoji (耶律阿保機)

Overview

Yelü Abaoji was a ruler.

Other names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Alternate name	Anbajian	安巴堅	Anbajian

Life and dates

Attested activity

AD 916 十三年八月
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 137, passage 24
AD 901 to AD 907 及欽德政衰
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 137, passage 10
AD 907 天祐四年
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 137, passage 13
AD 907 梁祖建號
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 137, passage 17
AD 908 莊宗初嗣世
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 137, passage 19

Origins and identity

Value Khitan 契丹
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 137, passage 10
Yelü 耶律
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 137, passage 10

Career and standing

chief of another division 別部長
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 137, passage 10
Acceded
Khitan lord · Summary Replaced Qinde as lord when Qinde's power waned.
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 137, passage 10
lord of the state 國主
Lord of the state · Proclaimed
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 137, passage 12
AD 901 to AD 907 及欽德政衰
Summary Supplanted Qinde as chief.
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 137, passage 10

Places and affiliations

Khitan 契丹
Relation Ruled
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 137, passages 10, 12
Polity Id liao · Relation Founded
Strongly inferred · Old History of the Five Dynasties 137, passage 12

Works and attributed material

Speech · Speaker · Direct quotation · Addressee envoy of Zhuangzong · Mode quotation Speaker Yelü Abaoji (耶律阿保機)
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 137, passage 19

Events and relationships

Invaded
AD 916 十三年八月 · Military · Commander · At Zhenwu, Yun, and Shuo 振武、雲、朔 · Summary In the eighth month of year thirteen led tribes claiming a million men, took Zhenwu from Lin and Sheng, and drove through Yun and Shuo.
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 137, passage 24
Invaded
AD 907 天祐四年 · Military · Commander · At Yunzhong 雲中 · Summary Invaded Yunzhong in force in Tianyou 4.
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 137, passage 13
Promised troops
AD 908 莊宗初嗣世 · Military · Promised commander · With Emperor Zhuangzong (莊宗) · At Luzhou 潞州 · Summary Promised to send cavalry to relieve Luzhou, then stopped when Luzhou was already pacified.
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 137, passages 19-20
Received gifts
AD 907 天祐四年 · Diplomatic · Recipient · With Martial Emperor of Later Tang (後唐武皇) · Summary Agreed to winter campaign plans and left three thousand horses in return for lavish gifts.
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 137, passage 14
Refused rotation
Political · Ruler · Summary Relied on strength, refused the three-year tribal rotation, and styled himself lord of the state.
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 137, passage 12
Sought investiture
AD 907 梁祖建號 · Diplomatic · Sender · With Founder of Liang (梁祖) · Summary Sent envoys with famous horses, female musicians, and sable pelts seeking investiture from the Liang founder.
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 137, passage 17

Show 4 more source-backed claims

Swore brotherhood
AD 907 天祐四年 · Diplomatic · Participant · With Martial Emperor of Later Tang (後唐武皇) · At eastern city of Yunzhong 雲中東城 · Summary Met the Martial Emperor at Yunzhong, feasted in the tent, and pledged brotherhood.
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 137, passage 13
Relation Sworn father of · Person Emperor Zhuangzong (莊宗)
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 137, passage 19
Relation Sworn brother of · Person Martial Emperor of Later Tang (後唐武皇)
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 137, passage 13
Relation Successor of · Person Qinde (欽德)
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 137, passage 10

Assessments and attributes

Item famous horses, female musicians, and sable pelts 名馬、女樂、貂皮 · Relation Presented
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 137, passage 17
Item three thousand horses 馬三千匹 · Relation Presented
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 137, passage 14

References in the histories

Search passages

History

9 passages

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 137Volume 137: Foreign States Biographies 1: Khitan · 9 passages

Open chapter

及欽德政衰，有別部長耶律阿保機，最推雄勁，族帳漸盛，遂代欽德為主。 As Qinde's power waned, a leader of another branch, Yelü Abaoji, rose as the strongest man among them. His following grew until he supplanted Qinde as chief.

及安巴堅為主，乃怙強恃勇，不受諸族之代，遂自稱國主。 Once Abaoji took power, he trusted in his own strength and refused the customary rotation. He proclaimed himself lord of a state in his own right.

天祐四年，大寇雲中，後唐武皇遣使連和，因與之面會於雲中東城，大具享禮，延入帳中，約為兄弟，謂之曰：「唐室為賊所篡，吾欲今冬大舉，弟可以精騎二萬，同收汴、洛。」 In Tianyou 4 Abaoji invaded Yunzhong in force. The Martial Emperor of Later Tang sent envoys to treat with him and met him at the eastern quarter of Yunzhong city. He laid on a grand feast, brought Abaoji into his tent, and swore brotherhood. "The Tang throne has been seized by traitors," he said. "I mean to strike in force this winter. Brother, bring twenty thousand elite horsemen and we will retake Bian and Luoyang together."

安巴堅許之，賜與甚厚，留馬三千匹以答貺。 Abaoji agreed. The Martial Emperor lavished gifts upon him, and Abaoji left three thousand horses in return.

左右咸勸武皇可乘間擄之，武皇曰：「逆賊未殄，不可失信於部落，自亡之道也。」 His attendants all urged him to seize Abaoji while he could. The Martial Emperor replied, "The rebels are not yet destroyed. I cannot break faith with our tribal allies — that would be the path to ruin."

乃盡禮遣之。 He therefore sent Abaoji away with full honors.

及梁祖建號，安巴堅亦遣使送名馬、女樂、貂皮等求封冊。 When the Liang founder took the throne, Abaoji too sent envoys with fine horses, female musicians, and sable furs, seeking formal recognition from the new dynasty.

莊宗初嗣世，亦遣使告哀，賂以金繒，求騎軍以救潞州，答其使曰：「我與先王為兄弟，兒即吾兒也，寧有父不助子耶！」 When Emperor Zhuangzong first succeeded to the throne, he too sent envoys to announce his father's death, offered gold and silks, and asked for cavalry to relieve Luzhou. Abaoji told the envoy, "Your late sovereign and I were brothers. His son is my son. Would a father refuse to help his own child?"

十三年八月，阿保機率諸部號稱百萬，自麟、勝陷振武，長驅雲、朔，北邊大擾。 In the eighth month of year thirteen Abaoji led the tribes in a host said to number a million. He struck from Lin and Sheng, took Zhenwu, and swept through Yun and Shuo, throwing the entire northern frontier into turmoil.