Li Duozuo
Li Duozuo (
Background
It is not known when Li Duozuo was born. His ancestors were said to be Mohe chieftains with the title "Yellow-headed Commandant" (黃頭都督, Huangtou Dudu), but had, long before Li Duozuo's time, submitted to Chinese rule, and the family history was not well preserved. He was said to be brave and strong, capable at archery, and for his military achievements[2] was made You Yingyang Da Jiangjun (右鷹揚大將軍), one of the generals commanding the imperial guards, at the recommendation of the general Pei Xingjian (裴行儉). In one of the campaigns against the Heishui Mohe, he induced the chieftains of the Heishui Mohe to feast with him and got them drunk, and then slaughtered them.
During Wu Zetian's regency and reign
In 687, when
In 694—by which time Empress Dowager Wu had seized the throne from Emperor Ruizong, establishing a new Zhou Dynasty as its "emperor" and interrupting Tang—the Shiwei rose against Chinese rule, and Li Duozuo was commissioned against them. He was able to defeat the Shiwei.
In 696, the Khitan chieftains Li Jinzhong and Sun Wanrong launched a major rebellion against Zhou rule, invading Zhou territory. Li Duozuo was one of the 28 generals sent against the Khitan, and after the Khitan rebellion ended in 697, Li Duozuo was given the slightly greater office of You Yulin Da Jiangjun (右羽林大將軍) and became the commander of the imperial guards at the north gate of the palace.
In 702, when Wu Zetian was apparently contemplating further military action in the northeast and put the
Coup of 705
As of spring 705, Wu Zetian was ill, and her lovers
Coup of 707
Soon, however, power slipped into the hands of Emperor Zhongzong's wife Empress Wei and her lover Wu Sansi the Prince of Dejing (Emperor Zhongzong's cousin and Wu Zetian's nephew). Zhang Jianzhi and most of the other coup leaders were falsely accused of crimes and exiled or executed. Li Duozuo, in fear, pretended to serve the interests of Empress Wei and avoided being killed himself.
Meanwhile, however, resentment against Empress Wei and Wu Sansi was brewing, centering on Emperor Zhongzong's son
After Emperor Zhongzong died in 710—a death that traditional historians believed to be a poisoning carried out by Empress Wei and LI Guo'er—another coup overthrew Empress Wei, and Li Dan was returned to the throne. He posthumously honored Li Chongjun and the generals participating in his coup. Li Duozuo was posthumously restored to the title of Prince of Liaoyang, and his family members were released. Emperor Ruizong was also set to bestow further honors on the coup leaders. However, the official Wei Cou (韋湊) submitted an objection, pointing out that while Empress Wei was guilty of crimes, it was still improper for Li Chongjun to start a coup. Emperor Ruizong agreed, and therefore halted further posthumous honors.
Notes and references
- ^ 兩千年中西曆轉換
- ^ Li Duozuo's biographies in the Old Book of Tang and the New Book of Tang did not give details on LI Duozuo's early military achievements, but the conversation between Li Duozuo and Zhang Jianzhi implied that they occurred during the reign of Emperor Gaozong.
- Old Book of Tang, vol. 109.[1]
- New Book of Tang, vol. 110.[2]
- Zizhi Tongjian, vols. 203, 204, 205, 207, 208.