生平

早年

高扬死。景明初年，宣武帝追思舅氏，徵召高肇兄弟等人。录尚书事、北海王元详等人上奏称：「高扬应追赠左光禄大夫，赐爵渤海公，諡号曰敬。其妻盖氏，应追封为清河郡君。」朝廷下诏命令准许。又下诏令高扬的长孙高猛袭封渤海公爵位，封高肇为平原郡公，高肇的弟弟高显为澄城郡公。三人同一天接受封赠。开始时，宣武帝没有和舅家人相互通气，就赐给他们衣服巾帻，在华林都亭接见高肇、高显兄弟。兄弟二人都非常惊慌恐惧，举动有失礼仪。几天之间，就富贵显赫起来​​。这一年，咸阳王元禧被诛杀，其所拥有的财物珍宝、奴婢、田宅等大都归入高氏。不久，高肇任尚书右仆射、冀州大中正，娶宣武帝的姑姑高平公主，升任尚书令。

得势

高肇出生在异地，当时的舆论都对他轻视，待他官居要职，留心朝中各种政务，孜孜不倦，世人才都称他有才干。宣武帝初年，六辅独揽政权，后来因咸阳王元禧无缘无故地造反作乱，因此把政权交给高肇。高肇既然没有亲族，就大结党羽，依附高肇的人，很快就被越级提升，违背他的人就用大罪陷害。因为北海王元详官位在他上面，就罗织罪名将其杀害。又劝说宣武帝防备诸王，宣武帝几乎等同于被囚禁。当时，顺皇后突然死亡，世人的议论说是高肇侄女高贵人干的。皇子元昌死，都说是王显医疗失误，是秉承高肇的旨意。京兆王元愉出外任冀州刺史，畏惧高肇恣意擅权，以至于图谋不轨。高肇又上谗言杀害彭城王元勰。因此，朝廷内外都对高肇侧目而视，都畏惧和憎恨他。高肇因此而独揽大权，生杀予夺全由自己。又曾经和清河王元怿，在云龙门外堂下突然间争执起来，闹得乱哄哄的。太尉、高阳王元雍调和劝止了他们。高昭容既被立为皇后，高肇更加受到宠信。高肇既已主持朝政，每一件事都由自己裁决，本来就没有什么学问见识，动不动就违背礼仪法度。喜欢改前朝原有的制度，削减封赠的俸禄，压抑罢免有功之人，因此而怨声载道。

宣武帝延昌初年，高肇改任司徒。高肇虽然身居三公，还因为没能居于要职而不满意，众人都嗤笑他。父兄受到封赠虽然很久，竟然不予改葬。延昌三年(514年)，才诏令还葬，高肇自己不亲临前往，只是派遣哥哥高琨的儿子高猛改换服装到代都，迁葬于家乡。当时的人认为高肇没有见识，哂笑他而不加责备。大举征讨蜀时，任命高肇为大将军、都督诸军，诸军由高肇指挥。高肇和都督甄琛等二十多人，都一起在东堂向宣武帝辞行，亲自陈说经营谋略。这一天，高肇乘坐的骏马，停在神兽门外，无缘无故地受惊卧倒，翻滚到水渠中，马鞍散了架，众人都感到奇怪。高肇出宫后，对此亦感厌恶。

逝世

延昌四年(515年)，宣武帝驾崩，大赦天下，解散远征军。北魏孝明帝元诩致书高肇和征南将军元遥等人，称宣武帝驾崩而报告凶信。高肇遇此变故，不仅仰望思慕，也担心身遭祸患，每天从早到晚悲痛哭泣，以至于身体羸弱憔悴。快到洛阳时，停宿鏶涧驿亭，家里的人夜里去迎接看视，高肇对家人都不看一眼，一直到宫门楼下，身著丧服，大声痛哭，登上太极殿，哀痛至极。太尉高阳王元雍先居于西柏堂，独揽各种事务，和领军于忠密谋，想除掉高肇。偷偷地在舍人省下埋伏精壮武士直寝邢豹、伊盆生等十多人，高肇在宣武帝的棺材前哭祭过后，高阳王在文武百官面前将高肇的领进西廊，清河王元怿、任城王元澄和诸王等都看著高肇窃窃私语。高肇进入舍人省，埋伏的壮士就又掐又拉把高肇杀死，传下诏书，宣布高肇的罪恶，说高肇是自尽。高肇的亲​​信馀党都不加追究，削除高肇的官职爵位，用士的礼仪安葬。到了黄昏，才从厕所门将高肇的尸体运出送回家中。当初，高肇西征，行至函谷关，车轴从中折断，跟随的人都认为高肇不能平安而回。灵太后临朝执政，特意命令追赠高肇为营州刺史。永熙二年(533年)，孝武帝追赠高肇使持节、侍中、中外诸军事、太师、大丞相、太尉公、录尚书事、冀州刺史。

子嗣

高肇有子高植，历济、青、相、朔、恒五州刺史，皆以清廉及才能著称，当时号为良刺史。

参考

Background

Gao Zhao claimed that his ancestors were from Bohai Commandery (勃海, roughly Cangzhou, Hebei), and that his fifth generation ancestor Gao Gu (高顾), in order to flee the wars during the times of Emperor Huai of Jin, fled to the Korean Peninsula. Gao Zhao's father Gao Yang (高扬) defected to Northern Wei during the reign of Emperor Xiaowen and was given a minor general title and created the Viscount of Hejian. Emperor Xiaowen also took Gao Yang's daughter as an imperial consort, and she gave birth to his second son, Yuan Ke in 483. Yuan Ke was initially not crown prince, but became crown prince in 497 after his only older brother Yuan Xun was deposed from that position in 496, and his mother Consort Gao, whom Emperor Xiaowen initially left in the old capital Pingcheng (平城, in modern Datong, Shanxi) and did not bring to the new capital Luoyang when he moved the capital in 494, was welcomed to the new capital, but on the way, she died suddenly. (Historians largely believe that Emperor Xiaowen's wife Empress Feng Run, who wanted to raise Yuan Ke on her own, murdered Consort Gao.) Gao Zhao and his brothers never had any actual contact with Yuan Ke during his youth. Despite the fact that Gao Yang did have a minor noble title, it appeared that his family was essentially treated as commoners and regarded as uncultured.

Rise to power

In 499, Emperor Xiaowen died, and Yuan Ke succeeded him (as Emperor Xuanwu). Emperor Xuanwu posthumously honored his mother Consort Kao as Empress Wenzhao and his grandfather Gao Yang as Duke of Bohai. He summoned Gao Yang's oldest grandson Gao Meng (高猛) and his uncles Gao Zhao and Gao Xian (高显) and, at their first meeting, immediately created them dukes—in Gao Zhao's case, the Duke of Pingyuan. Emperor Xuanwu awarded the three of them large amounts of property.

Gao Zhao was not only given a noble title, but starting from 499 he became increasingly important on the political scene as well. He was initially looked down upon by the nobility because he came from the Korean Peninsula, and, despite his claims of Han ancestry, was considered to be a dishonorable barbarian, but as his power grew, he was praised for his diligence in handling the matters he was in charge of. His power began to grow greatly in 501, when Emperor Xuanwu, aged 15, relieved his princely uncles Yuan Xi (元禧) the Prince of Xianyang and Yuan Xie the Prince of Pengcheng of their high level posts, and ostensibly took over power himself—but being unable to actually handle all important matters of state due to his age, and thus entrusting much of those affairs to Gao and other close associates. Later that year, Yuan Xi was forced to commit suicide when his plot to secede with the southern half of the empire was discovered, and his property was seized and awarded to Gao and the trusted associate Zhao Xiu (赵修), and from this point on Emperor Xuanwu became increasingly suspicious of members of the imperial clan, making his reliance on Gao even greater.

In 502, both Gao and the official Zhang Yi (张彝) wanted to marry Emperor Xuanwu's aunt, the Princess Chenliu. The princess decided to marry Zhang and not Gao, and this caused Gao to be angry. He falsely accused Zhang of crimes, and Zhang was relieved from his post.

in 503, Emperor Xuanwu took the daughter of Gao Zhao's brother Gao Yan (高偃) as a concubine and favored her greatly, further cementing Gao Zhao's power. By that point, Gao was in a power struggle with Zhao, who was believed to be corrupt and extravagant in his living. He induced Zhao's associates Zhen Chen (甄琛), Li Ping (李凭), and Wang Xian (王显) to accuse Zhao of crimes and torture him, and Zhao died shortly thereafter. From this point on, Gao's hold on the emperor was unchallenged.

Increasing power

In 504, Emperor Xuanwu's uncle Yuan Xiang (元详) the Prince of Beihai, who was then prime minister, grew increasingly arrogant and corrupt. Yuan Xiang had an affair with a cousin of Gao Zhao, who was the wife of Yuan Xie (元燮, not the same person as the Prince of Pengcheng) the Prince of Anding, and through her Gao apparently became aware of Yuan Xiang's crimes, and so he used the evidence of those crimes to further accuse Yuan Xiang of plotting treason. Emperor Xuanwu stripped Yuan Xiang of his title and posts, and Yuan Xiang soon thereafter died, and his associates were executed. Gao further suggested Emperor Xuanwu to put the imperial princes under heavy guard, and, despite opposition from Yuan Xie the Prince of Pengcheng, Emperor Xuanwu agreed, effectively putting those princes under house arrest.

In 507, Gao's power was so well known that after the famed music director Gongsun Chong (公孙崇) spent three years trying to get his revisions to imperial musical numbers adopted officially but was unable to, he had a solution—asking Gao to be in charge of the project, despite Gao's lack of musical knowledge. Emperor Xuanwu approved of the appointment, allowing Gongsun's project to proceed.

Later that year, Emperor Xuanwu's wife Empress Yu died, and in early 508 her son (and Emperor Xuanwu's only son by that point) Yuan Chang (元昌) died as well. It was believed, although unproven, that both Empress Yu and Yuan Chang were murdered by Gao Zhao and Consort Gao.

In 508, Emperor Xuanwu created Consort Gao empress, despite opposition by Yuan Xie the Prince of Pengcheng. Gao Zhao thereafter became resentful of Yuan Xie. When Emperor Xuanwu's brother Yuan Yu (元愉) the Prince of Jingzhao rebelled that year after believing that Gao was falsely accusing him, Gao in turn falsely accused Yuan Xie of working both in concert with Yuan Yu and rival Liang Dynasty. Emperor Xuanwu believed this, and secretly forced Yuan Xie to commit suicide during an imperial gathering. The populace quickly came to believe that Gao was involved in the death of the highly popular Yuan Xie, and from that point on Gao became even more despised by the people and nobles alike. Apparently apprehensive about this resentment, when Gao Zhao's son Gao Zhi (高植) made contributions in subsequently defeating Yuan Yu, Gao Zhi declined all awards offered him.

In 512, Gao Zhao was made prime minister, but was displeased because at the same time he was relieved of a lower post that allowed him to meet with the emperor daily. This display of displeasure became the topic of ridicule among officials. That year, because of a drought, Gao advocated the review of all criminal cases to see if unfair treatment had displeased the gods, and Emperor Xuanwu's brother Yuan Yi (元怿) the Prince of Qinghe accused Gao of overstepping his authorities. Emperor Xuanwu, while not punishing Yuan Yi for the accusation, also took no actions against Gao.

Death

In the winter of 515, Emperor Xuanwu wanted to try to capture rival Liang's Yi Province (modern Sichuan and Chongqing), and he commissioned Gao Zhao as the commander of the expedition force. Soon after Gao Zhao left the capital Luoyang, however, Emperor Xuanwu died of a sudden illness in spring 515. Emperor Xuanwu's crown prince Yuan Xu (元诩), then age five, succeeded him (as Emperor Xiaoming). In the confusion of the events, Empress Gao tried to have Emperor Xiaoming's mother Consort Hu killed, but could not. Meanwhile, the official Yu Zhong and the imperial princes (Emperor Xuanwu's uncles) Yuan Cheng (元澄) the Prince of Rencheng and Yuan Yong the Prince of Gaoyang seized power, forcing Empress Gao, who was honored as empress dowager, to appoint Yuan Cheng and Yuan Yong as regents.

The princely regents then wrote Gao Zhao a humble letter, in Emperor Xiaoming's name, summoning Gao back to the capital. When Gao heard of Emperor Xuanwu's death and realized that the princes were in power, he became fearful and mournful, and his body became weak. When he arrived in Luoyang's vicinity, his family members arrived to greet him, but he refused to see them. When he then entered the palace to mourn Emperor Xuanwu, the princes and Yu seized him and had him strangled. Emperor Xiaoming then issued an edict in which it was claimed that Gao had committed suicide, and the edict stripped him of his posts and title, but was buried with honors due a scholar. Subsequently, Empress Dowager Gao was deposed and replaced with Consort Hu, and the Gao clan lost its power.