Emperor Taizong's campaign against Tuyuhun
Encyclopedia
Emperor Taizong of Tang
(r. 626
-649
), the second emperor of Chinese
dynasty Tang Dynasty
, throughout most of his reign, faced challenges from Tang's western neighbor, the state of Tuyuhun, whose Busabuo Khan Murong Fuyun
constantly challenged Chinese authority in the border regions. In 634
, Emperor Taizong launched a major attack, commanded by the major general Li Jing
, against Tuyuhun, dealing Tuyuhun forces heavy defeats and causing Murong Fuyun's subordinates to assassinate him in 635
. Tuyuhun, thus weakened, no longer remained a major power in the region, and while Tang, ironically, played the role of protector for Murong Fuyun's son, the Gandou Khan Murong Shun
, and grandson, the Ledou Khan Murong Nuohebo
, Tuyuhun was never able to recover, particularly with its southwestern neighbor Tufan constantly attacking it. By 672
, during the reign of Emperor Taizong's son Emperor Gaozong of Tang
, Tang was forced to move Tuyuhun remnants into its own territory, ending Tuyuhun.
's father Emperor Gaozu
, there were repeated cycles of Tuyuhun, then ruled by the Busabo Khan Murong Fuyun
, making incursions into the modern Sichuan
and southern Gansu
regions and offers of peace by both sides, never longstanding. These incursions continued after Emperor Taizong became emperor in 626
-- although they appeared to decrease in frequency, as the only incursions recorded in the Chinese chronicle Zizhi Tongjian
were in 628
, when Tuyuhun forces attacked Min Prefecture (岷州, roughly modern Dingxi
, Gansu
), and 632
, when Tuyuhun forces attacked Lan Prefecture (蘭州, roughly modern Lanzhou
, Gansu
). It was said that, with regard to Tuyuhun's generally hostile attitude toward Tang, that Murong Fuyun had, in his old age (although it is not known what his age was at this point), taken the posture at the advice of his strategist, the Prince of Tianzhu.
Sometime before 634
, Murong Fuyun appeared to make an overture toward peace -- by sending an emissary to offer tributes to Emperor Taizong -- but even before the emissary left, Tuyuhun forces attacked and pillaged Shan Prefecture (鄯州, in modern Haidong Prefecture
, Qinghai
). When Emperor Taizong sent emissaries to rebuke Murong Fuyun and summoned Murong Fuyun to Chang'an to meet him, Murong Fuyun refused, but responded by requesting that a Tang princess be given to his son, the Prince of Zun, in marriage. Emperor Taizong agreed, but ordered that the Prince of Zun personally arrive in Chang'an to marry the princess. When the Prince of Zun failed to do so, Emperor Taizong cancelled the marriage. Meanwhile, Murong Fuyun also attacked Lan and Kuo (廓州, also in modern Haidong) Prefectures and detained the Tang emissary Zhao Dekai (趙德楷). Emperor Taizong sent a number of emissaries to Tuyuhun to discuss the matter and also summoned Tuyuhun emissaries and personally had discussions with them. Murong Fuyun still did not relent.
In fall 634, Emperor Taizong sent the generals Duan Zhixuan (段志玄) and Fan Xing (樊興) to attack Tuyuhun with Tang forces, supplemented by soldiers from the Qibi (契苾) and Dangxiang tribes. When Duan began the attack, however, after minor successes, Tuyuhun forces simply began to elude him and refuse to engage him. Apparently immediately after he withdrew, Tuyuhun forces again attacked Liang Prefecture (涼州, roughly modern Wuwei, Gansu).
In 634 the Tibetans asked the Chinese for a Chinese princess to marry their king. When they discovered that the Tuyuhun had an envoy in the capital at the same time also asking for the hand of a Chinese princess, they attacked the Tuyuhun forcing its king to flee. After further struggles between the Chinese and Tibetans, the Chinese finally agreed to send a princess to the Tibetan Emperor.
his commander, but felt that Li Jing was getting advanced in age (63 at the time), and initially decided not to do so. However, when Li Jing heard this, he requested to go, which pleased Emperor Taizong, who made him the commander of the overall operation, with Hou Junji
, Li Daozong
, Li Daliang (李大亮), Li Daoyan (李道彥), and Gao Zengsheng (高甑生) serving under him, supplemented by Tujue and Qibi troops. In the initial stage of the campaign, some Dangxiang and Qiang tribes, apparently fearing that they would be involved, rebelled against Tang and fled to join Tuyuhun.
In summer 635
, Tang forces began engaging Tuyuhun forces, and after some minor victories by Li Daozong, Murong Fuyun, apparently following the same strategies he used against Duan, burned the grasses and fled. Most of Li Jing's subordinates believed that it was dangerous to venture further without adequate grazing supplies and advised withdrawal, but Hou opposed the idea, pointing out that this was the opportunity to destroy Tuyuhun. Li Jing agreed, and divided his forces into two branches -- with Li Jing himself, Xue Wanjun (薛萬均) and Li Daliang heading northwest, and Hou and Li Daozong heading southwest. Both prongs continued to be successful, although during one battle Xue Wanjun and his brother Xue Wanche (薛萬徹) fell into a Tuyuhun trap and were nearly killed, saved only by the heroics of Qibi Heli (契苾何力). Eventually, Li Jing received news of Murong Fuyun's location and surprised Murong Fuyun, defeating his remaining forces. Murong Fuyun himself managed to flee, but the nobles, led by his son Murong Shun
the Prince of Daning -- who, as Murong Fuyun's oldest son by his wife, Sui Dynasty
's Princess Guanghua, had been resentful at not being made crown prince
-- killed the Prince of Tainzhu and surrendered. Murong Fuyun, in flight, was killed by his subordinates. Emperor Taizong created Murong Shun the dual titles of Prince of Xiping and Zhugulüwugandou Khan (or Gandou Khan in short), to succeed Murong Fuyun.
the Prince of Yan succeeded him, and there was much infighting. Emperor Taizong sent Hou Junji to Tuyuhun with an army to pacify the Tuyuhun people so that they would submit to Murong Nuohebo's rule. In 636
, Murong Nuohebo petitioned to formally submit to Tang, and Emperor Taizong created him the dual titles of Prince of Heyuan and Wudiyebaledou Khan (or Ledou Khan in short).
Tuyuhun, however, was soon under the threat of the emerging power of Tufan. Sometime before 638
, Tufan's Songtsän Gampo, who had heard that Eastern Tujue's and Tuyuhun's khans had been able to marry Chinese princesses, also wanted to marry one, sending emissaries to offer tributes of gold, silver, and jewelry as bride price
. Emperor Taizong refused, and when the emissary returned to Tufan, he blamed Murong Nuohebo for alienating Emperor Taizong from a marriage with Tufan. Songtsän Gampo, believing the emissary, attacked Tuyuhun, forcing the Tuyuhun people to flee north of the Qinghai Lake
. Songtsän Gampo next attacked Tang's Song Prefecture (松州, roughly modern Ngawa Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture
, Sichuan
), claiming that he was "welcoming" the Tang princess. In 638
, a counterattack by the Tang general Niu Jinda (牛進達), under Hou's command, defeated Tufan forces at Song Prefecture. Songtsän Gampo submitted a formal apology to Emperor Taizong, but still requested to marry a Tang princess, and this time Emperor Taizong agreed, eventually creating a daughter of a clansman as Princess Wencheng
and marrying her to Songtsän Gampo in 640
-- but, prior to that, creating another daughter of a clansman as Princess Honghua and marrying her to Murong Nuohebo in 639
, when Murong Nuohebo visited the Tang capital Chang'an
.
However, soon the control of the Tuyuhun state fell under the chancellor
the Prince of Xuan. It was rumored that the Prince of Xuan intended to seize Princess Honghua and then turn her and Murong Nuohebo to Tufan. In 641
, when Murong Nuohebo heard this, he fled to Shanshan
to his general the Prince of Weixin. Meanwhile, the Tang military commander Xi Junmai (席君買) made a surprise attack against the Prince of Xuan, killing him and his two brothers, allowing Murong Nuohebo to return, albeit with the Tuyuhun people highly alarmed. Emperor Taizong sent his official Tang Jian (唐儉) to Tuyuhun to try to pacify the people.
-- more than a decade after Emperor Taizong had died in 649
and been succeeded by his son Emperor Gaozong
-- Tufan's then-chancellor Lu Dongzan (祿東贊) sent his son Qizheng (起政) to attack Tuyuhun on account of Tuyuhun's status as Tang vassal, although the results of the attack were not mentioned in Chinese historical sources, but the attacks appeared to recurrent. Both Tuyuhun and Tufan submitted petitions to Emperor Gaozong accusing each other of crimes and requesting aid, and Emperor Gaozong declined both. In 663
, when the Tuyuhun official Suhe Gui (素和貴) surrendered to Tufan, he gave much details about Tuyuhun to Tufan, and a subsequent Tufan attack dealt devastating losses to Tuyuhun. Murong Nuohebo and Princess Honghua abandoned their territory and fled to Liang Prefecture with his remaining followers, largely ending the existence of Tuyuhun as a separate state, although the Tuyuhun people would not be formally adopted into the Tang governmental structure until 672
, when Murong Nuohebo was given a prefect title in a newly created Anle Prefecture (安樂州, in modern Wuzhong, Ningxia
).
Emperor Taizong of Tang
Emperor Taizong of Tang , personal name Lǐ Shìmín , was the second emperor of the Tang Dynasty of China, ruling from 626 to 649...
(r. 626
626
Year 626 was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 626 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Byzantine Empire :* August 7 – The Byzantines...
-649
649
Year 649 was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 649 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Asia :* Arabs conquer Cyprus* Soga no Kurayamada no...
), the second emperor of Chinese
History of China
Chinese civilization originated in various regional centers along both the Yellow River and the Yangtze River valleys in the Neolithic era, but the Yellow River is said to be the Cradle of Chinese Civilization. With thousands of years of continuous history, China is one of the world's oldest...
dynasty Tang Dynasty
Tang Dynasty
The Tang Dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire...
, throughout most of his reign, faced challenges from Tang's western neighbor, the state of Tuyuhun, whose Busabuo Khan Murong Fuyun
Murong Fuyun
Murong Fuyun , formal title Busabo Khan , was a ruler of the Xianbei/Qiang/Tibetan state Tuyuhun. He first became ruler when his brother Murong Shifu was assassinated in 597, and became one of the longest-ruling monarchs in Tuyuhun history...
constantly challenged Chinese authority in the border regions. In 634
634
Year 634 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 634 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- British Isles :* Oswald of Northumbria defeats...
, Emperor Taizong launched a major attack, commanded by the major general Li Jing
Li Jing
Li Jing , né Yaoshi , formally Duke Jingwu of Wei , was a general and one time chancellor of the Chinese Tang Dynasty...
, against Tuyuhun, dealing Tuyuhun forces heavy defeats and causing Murong Fuyun's subordinates to assassinate him in 635
635
Year 635 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 635 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Religion :* Saint Aidan founds Lindisfarne in...
. Tuyuhun, thus weakened, no longer remained a major power in the region, and while Tang, ironically, played the role of protector for Murong Fuyun's son, the Gandou Khan Murong Shun
Murong Shun
Murong Shun , regal title Zhugulüwugandou Khan or, in short, Gandou Khan , Tang Dynasty noble title Prince of Xiping , was briefly a khan of the Xianbei/Qiang/Tibetan state Tuyuhun...
, and grandson, the Ledou Khan Murong Nuohebo
Murong Nuohebo
Murong Nuohebo , regal title Wudiyebaledou Khan or, in short, Ledou Khan , Tang Dynasty noble title Prince of Qinghai , was the last khan of the Xianbei/Qiang/Tibetan state Tuyuhun...
, Tuyuhun was never able to recover, particularly with its southwestern neighbor Tufan constantly attacking it. By 672
672
Year 672 was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 672 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Europe :* Wamba succeeds Reccaswinth as king of the...
, during the reign of Emperor Taizong's son Emperor Gaozong of Tang
Emperor Gaozong of Tang
Emperor Gaozong of Tang , personal name Li Zhi , was the third emperor of the Tang Dynasty in China, ruling from 649 to 683...
, Tang was forced to move Tuyuhun remnants into its own territory, ending Tuyuhun.
During Murong Fuyun's reign
Throughout the reign of Emperor TaizongEmperor Taizong of Tang
Emperor Taizong of Tang , personal name Lǐ Shìmín , was the second emperor of the Tang Dynasty of China, ruling from 626 to 649...
's father Emperor Gaozu
Emperor Gaozu of Tang
Emperor Gāozǔ of Táng , born Lǐ Yuān , courtesy name Shūdé , was the founder of the Tang Dynasty of China, and the first emperor of this dynasty from 618 to 626. Under the Sui dynasty, Li Yuan was the governor in the area of modern-day Shanxi, and was based in Taiyuan.In 615, Li Yuan was assigned...
, there were repeated cycles of Tuyuhun, then ruled by the Busabo Khan Murong Fuyun
Murong Fuyun
Murong Fuyun , formal title Busabo Khan , was a ruler of the Xianbei/Qiang/Tibetan state Tuyuhun. He first became ruler when his brother Murong Shifu was assassinated in 597, and became one of the longest-ruling monarchs in Tuyuhun history...
, making incursions into the modern Sichuan
Sichuan
' , known formerly in the West by its postal map spellings of Szechwan or Szechuan is a province in Southwest China with its capital in Chengdu...
and southern Gansu
Gansu
' is a province located in the northwest of the People's Republic of China.It lies between the Tibetan and Huangtu plateaus, and borders Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, and Ningxia to the north, Xinjiang and Qinghai to the west, Sichuan to the south, and Shaanxi to the east...
regions and offers of peace by both sides, never longstanding. These incursions continued after Emperor Taizong became emperor in 626
626
Year 626 was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 626 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Byzantine Empire :* August 7 – The Byzantines...
-- although they appeared to decrease in frequency, as the only incursions recorded in the Chinese chronicle Zizhi Tongjian
Zizhi Tongjian
The Zizhi Tongjian was a pioneering reference work in Chinese historiography, published in 1084, under the form of a chronicles. In 1065 CE, Emperor Yingzong of Song ordered the great historian Sima Guang to lead with other scholars such as his chief assistants Liu Shu, Liu Ban and Fan Zuyu, the...
were in 628
628
Year 628 was a leap year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 628 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Asia :* January – Third Perso-Turkic War: Emperor...
, when Tuyuhun forces attacked Min Prefecture (岷州, roughly modern Dingxi
Dingxi
-Geography and climate:Dingxi City is located in central Gansu province, 98 km east of Lanzhou, giving it the nickname the "eastern gateway". The Wei River, a tributary of the Yellow River flows through the district and provides it with the majority of its water. Dingxi is semi-arid, with little...
, Gansu
Gansu
' is a province located in the northwest of the People's Republic of China.It lies between the Tibetan and Huangtu plateaus, and borders Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, and Ningxia to the north, Xinjiang and Qinghai to the west, Sichuan to the south, and Shaanxi to the east...
), and 632
632
Year 632 was a leap year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 632 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Asia :* January 27 – Annular eclipse of the...
, when Tuyuhun forces attacked Lan Prefecture (蘭州, roughly modern Lanzhou
Lanzhou
Lanzhou is the capital and largest city of Gansu Province in Northwest China. A prefecture-level city, it is a key regional transportation hub, allowing areas further west to maintain railroad connections to the eastern half of the country....
, Gansu
Gansu
' is a province located in the northwest of the People's Republic of China.It lies between the Tibetan and Huangtu plateaus, and borders Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, and Ningxia to the north, Xinjiang and Qinghai to the west, Sichuan to the south, and Shaanxi to the east...
). It was said that, with regard to Tuyuhun's generally hostile attitude toward Tang, that Murong Fuyun had, in his old age (although it is not known what his age was at this point), taken the posture at the advice of his strategist, the Prince of Tianzhu.
Sometime before 634
634
Year 634 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 634 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- British Isles :* Oswald of Northumbria defeats...
, Murong Fuyun appeared to make an overture toward peace -- by sending an emissary to offer tributes to Emperor Taizong -- but even before the emissary left, Tuyuhun forces attacked and pillaged Shan Prefecture (鄯州, in modern Haidong Prefecture
Haidong Prefecture
Haidong Prefecture is a prefecture of Qinghai province in Western China. Its name literally means "east of the Lake."-Geography:...
, Qinghai
Qinghai
Qinghai ; Oirat Mongolian: ; ; Salar:) is a province of the People's Republic of China, named after Qinghai Lake...
). When Emperor Taizong sent emissaries to rebuke Murong Fuyun and summoned Murong Fuyun to Chang'an to meet him, Murong Fuyun refused, but responded by requesting that a Tang princess be given to his son, the Prince of Zun, in marriage. Emperor Taizong agreed, but ordered that the Prince of Zun personally arrive in Chang'an to marry the princess. When the Prince of Zun failed to do so, Emperor Taizong cancelled the marriage. Meanwhile, Murong Fuyun also attacked Lan and Kuo (廓州, also in modern Haidong) Prefectures and detained the Tang emissary Zhao Dekai (趙德楷). Emperor Taizong sent a number of emissaries to Tuyuhun to discuss the matter and also summoned Tuyuhun emissaries and personally had discussions with them. Murong Fuyun still did not relent.
In fall 634, Emperor Taizong sent the generals Duan Zhixuan (段志玄) and Fan Xing (樊興) to attack Tuyuhun with Tang forces, supplemented by soldiers from the Qibi (契苾) and Dangxiang tribes. When Duan began the attack, however, after minor successes, Tuyuhun forces simply began to elude him and refuse to engage him. Apparently immediately after he withdrew, Tuyuhun forces again attacked Liang Prefecture (涼州, roughly modern Wuwei, Gansu).
In 634 the Tibetans asked the Chinese for a Chinese princess to marry their king. When they discovered that the Tuyuhun had an envoy in the capital at the same time also asking for the hand of a Chinese princess, they attacked the Tuyuhun forcing its king to flee. After further struggles between the Chinese and Tibetans, the Chinese finally agreed to send a princess to the Tibetan Emperor.
Li Jing's campaign
After the Tuyuhun attack on Liang Prefecture, Emperor Taizong decreed that a major campaign against Tuyuhun shall be carried out. He wanted to make the general Li JingLi Jing
Li Jing , né Yaoshi , formally Duke Jingwu of Wei , was a general and one time chancellor of the Chinese Tang Dynasty...
his commander, but felt that Li Jing was getting advanced in age (63 at the time), and initially decided not to do so. However, when Li Jing heard this, he requested to go, which pleased Emperor Taizong, who made him the commander of the overall operation, with Hou Junji
Hou Junji
Hou Junji was a major general and chancellor of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, particularly known for his campaigns against Gaochang and Tuyuhun...
, Li Daozong
Li Daozong
Li Daozong , courtesy name Chengfan , was an imperial prince of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty. He was a cousin of Emperor Taizong, and in Emperor Taizong's reign commanded forces in campaigns against Eastern Tujue, Tuyuhun, Goguryeo, and Xueyantuo...
, Li Daliang (李大亮), Li Daoyan (李道彥), and Gao Zengsheng (高甑生) serving under him, supplemented by Tujue and Qibi troops. In the initial stage of the campaign, some Dangxiang and Qiang tribes, apparently fearing that they would be involved, rebelled against Tang and fled to join Tuyuhun.
In summer 635
635
Year 635 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 635 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Religion :* Saint Aidan founds Lindisfarne in...
, Tang forces began engaging Tuyuhun forces, and after some minor victories by Li Daozong, Murong Fuyun, apparently following the same strategies he used against Duan, burned the grasses and fled. Most of Li Jing's subordinates believed that it was dangerous to venture further without adequate grazing supplies and advised withdrawal, but Hou opposed the idea, pointing out that this was the opportunity to destroy Tuyuhun. Li Jing agreed, and divided his forces into two branches -- with Li Jing himself, Xue Wanjun (薛萬均) and Li Daliang heading northwest, and Hou and Li Daozong heading southwest. Both prongs continued to be successful, although during one battle Xue Wanjun and his brother Xue Wanche (薛萬徹) fell into a Tuyuhun trap and were nearly killed, saved only by the heroics of Qibi Heli (契苾何力). Eventually, Li Jing received news of Murong Fuyun's location and surprised Murong Fuyun, defeating his remaining forces. Murong Fuyun himself managed to flee, but the nobles, led by his son Murong Shun
Murong Shun
Murong Shun , regal title Zhugulüwugandou Khan or, in short, Gandou Khan , Tang Dynasty noble title Prince of Xiping , was briefly a khan of the Xianbei/Qiang/Tibetan state Tuyuhun...
the Prince of Daning -- who, as Murong Fuyun's oldest son by his wife, Sui Dynasty
Sui Dynasty
The Sui Dynasty was a powerful, but short-lived Imperial Chinese dynasty. Preceded by the Southern and Northern Dynasties, it ended nearly four centuries of division between rival regimes. It was followed by the Tang Dynasty....
's Princess Guanghua, had been resentful at not being made crown prince
Crown Prince
A crown prince or crown princess is the heir or heiress apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The wife of a crown prince is also titled crown princess....
-- killed the Prince of Tainzhu and surrendered. Murong Fuyun, in flight, was killed by his subordinates. Emperor Taizong created Murong Shun the dual titles of Prince of Xiping and Zhugulüwugandou Khan (or Gandou Khan in short), to succeed Murong Fuyun.
During Murong Shun's and Murong Nuohebo's reigns
Murong Shun's reign was short -- plagued by the people's lack of respect for him, because he had long served as a hostage to Sui. In winter 635, he was assassinated. His son Murong NuoheboMurong Nuohebo
Murong Nuohebo , regal title Wudiyebaledou Khan or, in short, Ledou Khan , Tang Dynasty noble title Prince of Qinghai , was the last khan of the Xianbei/Qiang/Tibetan state Tuyuhun...
the Prince of Yan succeeded him, and there was much infighting. Emperor Taizong sent Hou Junji to Tuyuhun with an army to pacify the Tuyuhun people so that they would submit to Murong Nuohebo's rule. In 636
636
Year 636 was a leap year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 636 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Byzantine Empire :* August 20 – Battle of Yarmuk:...
, Murong Nuohebo petitioned to formally submit to Tang, and Emperor Taizong created him the dual titles of Prince of Heyuan and Wudiyebaledou Khan (or Ledou Khan in short).
Tuyuhun, however, was soon under the threat of the emerging power of Tufan. Sometime before 638
638
Year 638 was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 638 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Asia :* The Muslims capture Jerusalem and Akko.* In...
, Tufan's Songtsän Gampo, who had heard that Eastern Tujue's and Tuyuhun's khans had been able to marry Chinese princesses, also wanted to marry one, sending emissaries to offer tributes of gold, silver, and jewelry as bride price
Bride price
Bride price, also known as bride wealth, is an amount of money or property or wealth paid by the groom or his family to the parents of a woman upon the marriage of their daughter to the groom...
. Emperor Taizong refused, and when the emissary returned to Tufan, he blamed Murong Nuohebo for alienating Emperor Taizong from a marriage with Tufan. Songtsän Gampo, believing the emissary, attacked Tuyuhun, forcing the Tuyuhun people to flee north of the Qinghai Lake
Qinghai Lake
Qinghai Lake , is a saline lake situated in the province of Qinghai, and is the largest lake in China. The names Qinghai and Kokonor both mean "Blue/Teal Sea/Lake" in Chinese and Mongolian. It is located about west of the provincial capital of Xining at 3,205 m above sea level in a depression...
. Songtsän Gampo next attacked Tang's Song Prefecture (松州, roughly modern Ngawa Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture
Ngawa Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture
The Ngawa Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture is an autonomous prefecture in Sichuan, whose capital is Barkam town . It has an area of 83,201 km²....
, Sichuan
Sichuan
' , known formerly in the West by its postal map spellings of Szechwan or Szechuan is a province in Southwest China with its capital in Chengdu...
), claiming that he was "welcoming" the Tang princess. In 638
638
Year 638 was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 638 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Asia :* The Muslims capture Jerusalem and Akko.* In...
, a counterattack by the Tang general Niu Jinda (牛進達), under Hou's command, defeated Tufan forces at Song Prefecture. Songtsän Gampo submitted a formal apology to Emperor Taizong, but still requested to marry a Tang princess, and this time Emperor Taizong agreed, eventually creating a daughter of a clansman as Princess Wencheng
Princess Wencheng
Princess Wencheng was a niece of the powerful Emperor Taizong of China's Tang Dynasty, who left China in 640, according to records, arriving the next year in Tibet to marry the thirty-seven year old Songtsän Gampo the thirty-third king of the Yarlung Dynasty of Tibet, in a marriage of...
and marrying her to Songtsän Gampo in 640
640
Year 640 was a leap year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 640 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Europe :* Tulga succeeds his father Suinthila as king...
-- but, prior to that, creating another daughter of a clansman as Princess Honghua and marrying her to Murong Nuohebo in 639
639
Year 639 was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 639 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Europe :* Clovis II succeeds Dagobert I as king of the...
, when Murong Nuohebo visited the Tang capital Chang'an
Chang'an
Chang'an is an ancient capital of more than ten dynasties in Chinese history, today known as Xi'an. Chang'an literally means "Perpetual Peace" in Classical Chinese. During the short-lived Xin Dynasty, the city was renamed "Constant Peace" ; yet after its fall in AD 23, the old name was restored...
.
However, soon the control of the Tuyuhun state fell under the chancellor
Chancellor
Chancellor is the title of various official positions in the governments of many nations. The original chancellors were the Cancellarii of Roman courts of justice—ushers who sat at the cancelli or lattice work screens of a basilica or law court, which separated the judge and counsel from the...
the Prince of Xuan. It was rumored that the Prince of Xuan intended to seize Princess Honghua and then turn her and Murong Nuohebo to Tufan. In 641
641
Year 641 was a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 641 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Byzantine Empire :* February 11 – Byzantine...
, when Murong Nuohebo heard this, he fled to Shanshan
Shanshan
Shanshan is the Chinese name for a kingdom that existed roughly from 200 BCE-1000 CE at the north-eastern end of the Taklamakan Desert including the great, but now mostly dry, salt lake known as Lop Nur....
to his general the Prince of Weixin. Meanwhile, the Tang military commander Xi Junmai (席君買) made a surprise attack against the Prince of Xuan, killing him and his two brothers, allowing Murong Nuohebo to return, albeit with the Tuyuhun people highly alarmed. Emperor Taizong sent his official Tang Jian (唐儉) to Tuyuhun to try to pacify the people.
Final collapse of the Tuyuhun
Little is known about Murong Nuohebo's governance for years after this incident. In 660660
Year 660 was a leap year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 660 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Europe :* Slavic principality of Carantania is first...
-- more than a decade after Emperor Taizong had died in 649
649
Year 649 was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 649 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Asia :* Arabs conquer Cyprus* Soga no Kurayamada no...
and been succeeded by his son Emperor Gaozong
Emperor Gaozong of Tang
Emperor Gaozong of Tang , personal name Li Zhi , was the third emperor of the Tang Dynasty in China, ruling from 649 to 683...
-- Tufan's then-chancellor Lu Dongzan (祿東贊) sent his son Qizheng (起政) to attack Tuyuhun on account of Tuyuhun's status as Tang vassal, although the results of the attack were not mentioned in Chinese historical sources, but the attacks appeared to recurrent. Both Tuyuhun and Tufan submitted petitions to Emperor Gaozong accusing each other of crimes and requesting aid, and Emperor Gaozong declined both. In 663
663
Year 663 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 663 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Byzantine Empire :* Byzantine Emperor Constans II...
, when the Tuyuhun official Suhe Gui (素和貴) surrendered to Tufan, he gave much details about Tuyuhun to Tufan, and a subsequent Tufan attack dealt devastating losses to Tuyuhun. Murong Nuohebo and Princess Honghua abandoned their territory and fled to Liang Prefecture with his remaining followers, largely ending the existence of Tuyuhun as a separate state, although the Tuyuhun people would not be formally adopted into the Tang governmental structure until 672
672
Year 672 was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 672 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Europe :* Wamba succeeds Reccaswinth as king of the...
, when Murong Nuohebo was given a prefect title in a newly created Anle Prefecture (安樂州, in modern Wuzhong, Ningxia
Ningxia
Ningxia, formerly transliterated as Ningsia, is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China. Located in Northwest China, on the Loess Plateau, the Yellow River flows through this vast area of land. The Great Wall of China runs along its northeastern boundary...
).