Formation

From the fall of the Tang Dynasty in 907, a rivalry had developed between the successor Later Liang, formed by Zhu Wen, and the State of Jin, formed by Li Keyong, in present-day Shanxi. The rivalry survived the death of Li Keyong, whose son Li Cunxu continued to expand Jin territories at the expense of the Later Liang.

Li Keyong forged an alliance with the powerful Khitan, like the Shatuo a people of the northern steppe, a relationship that figured significantly in the expansion and ultimate triumph of the Shatuo. Li Cunxu was successful in overthrowing the Later Liang in 923 and proclaimed himself emperor of the Later Tang, which he referred to as the "Restored Tang". As a part of "restoring the Tang", the capital was moved back to the old Tang eastern seat of Luoyang.

Course

The Later Tang was a short-lived regime, lasting only thirteen years. Li Cunxu himself lived only three years after the founding of the dynasty, having been killed during an officer's rebellion in 926. Li Siyuan, the adopted son of Li Keyong, took over the dynasty, but relations with the Khitan had fallen sour. Internal struggles typified the remaining ten years of the dynasty, ending with its toppling in 936 when Shi Jingtang, son-in-law of Li Siyuan and a fellow Shatuo, rebelled, stormed the capital with the help of Khitan troops, and founded the Later Jin.

Extent of Later Tang territories

The Later Tang controlled considerably more territory at its height than did the Later Liang. It extended to all the northern territories controlled by the Later Liang as well as its own base in Shanxi. It also had control over the areas around Beijing and Shaanxi, which were not entirely under the control of the Later Liang. The largest expansion of the Later Tang occurred in 925 when they conquered the Former Shu State, centered in present-day Sichuan. However, as Later Tang power was waning, a Later Shu state formed in 934, a year before the fall of the Later Tang.

Rulers

Later Tang rulers family tree

历史

立国

后唐之建立可追溯到唐朝末年庞勋之乱。庞勋之乱发生在唐懿宗咸通年间，唐政府命沙陀族的朱邪赤心领兵平乱，并赐名李国昌，编入唐朝宗籍，成为唐朝宗室。后来李国昌病故，其子李克用又协助唐室平定黄巢之乱和王行瑜之乱。李克用平乱有功，被封河东节度使，驻守太原，受封晋王。

李克用追击黄巢时，曾被当时的宣武节度使朱温邀请入汴梁作客，因为某些不明原因（据朱温党羽的说法，李克用酒后侮辱朱温），朱温决意趁李克用酒醉杀害他，李克用突围而出才脱身，自此他与朱温誓不两立。朱温后来篡唐建立后梁，李克用作为唐朝宗室，仍用唐天佑年号，以唐朝北都（今天的山西太原）为基地，发誓兴复唐朝，事实上成为中国南北各地反梁势力的盟主。故晋王集团成为后梁北方最大的威胁。

李克用死后，儿子李存勖继承晋王爵位，屡败梁军。915年（唐天佑十二年，后梁贞明元年），梁在河北镇守的邺王杨师厚死，河北发生反梁兵变，李存勖乘机占据河北，晋与后梁在黄河争峙。李存勖在923年于魏州（今河北大名县）称帝，宣布继承唐朝皇统，史称后唐，改元同光。同年唐军直迫汴京消灭了后梁，定都洛阳，李存勖即位，成为后唐庄宗。后唐不承认后梁为正统，在其五行德运的选取上选择恢复唐朝的「土德」。

前期

后唐庄宗定都洛阳后，力图恢复大唐的荣光。他见前蜀王氏无道，925年派郭崇韬攻入成都，不出七十日就灭了前蜀。至此，汉地诸藩国臣服，后唐庄宗成为长城以南整个汉地公认的唯一皇帝。当时南方诸藩国深感恐慌，认为中原很快就会派大军来削平南方的割据。

但另一方面，后唐庄宗渐自大贪逸，宠信宦官、伶人，疏远旧将，内部矛盾激化。皇后刘氏和宦官与郭崇韬不和，向庄宗进谗言，结果郭崇韬被误杀，引来政局动荡和军人反叛。一个半月内，各地起兵反叛，后唐大乱。

庄宗不得已，派李克用的养子李嗣源，往河北讨伐反叛，在嗣源的女婿石敬瑭的策动下，河北军立嗣源为帝，反攻洛阳。庄宗被伶人郭从谦所杀，史称兴教门之变，以后，李嗣源即皇帝位，是为后唐明宗。

后期

后唐明宗李嗣源即位后，也有相当治绩，朝政渐为安定。但军人安重诲专权，未能处理好与孟知祥、董璋的关系，两人发生内斗，孟知祥取胜，结果为后来后蜀脱离后唐独立埋下了祸根。

明宗晚年病倒在床时，秦王李从荣以为明宗已死，起兵企图攻入皇宫，结果事败被杀。明宗得知秦王被杀，震惊之下驾崩，大臣妃子拥立宋王李从厚，是为后唐闵帝。

闵帝即位后，采用削藩政策，引起潞王李从珂的叛乱，叛军攻入京师，而闵帝夫妇逃往河北，被姐夫石敬瑭设计除去其手下将士，为李从珂军士擒杀，从珂即帝位，是为后唐末帝。

末帝与镇守太原的河东节度使石敬瑭不和，936年末帝下诏把石敬瑭调任，引来石敬瑭的叛乱。末帝发兵攻太原，石敬瑭向契丹借兵，辽太宗耶律德光亲率大军南下，唐军大败，937年，契丹与石敬瑭的大军攻入洛阳，1月11日末帝自焚而死，后唐灭亡。历四帝共十四年。

后唐据有今河南、山东、山西、河北、陕西关中、甘肃东部、湖北北部、安徽北部。

君主

君主列表

君主世系图