An Lushan Rebellion

David Cook

Tang Dynasty- Golden Age of China

• Emperor Xuanzong - Strong, powerful emperor, wise and successful; helped the Tang reach its peak. However, fell in love with Yang Guifei. Yang had a very strong influence and had many people who she was close to be appointed to the court by the Emperor. This gave her political power and as the Emperor began to spend more time with her his court began to fall apart and the government began to break down.

· One of the people that Yang helped give power to was An Lushan.

An was a general who was of Sogdian descent. He became a military governor, and was given a good amount of power. As he judged that the Emperor's power base narrowed he decided to attack the Imperial City at Ch’ang-an, which was the capital of the Tang and the royal court was forced to flee. In return for protecting the Emperor and the court in this self-inflicted disgraceful situation his own palace army demanded that he execute Yang. Under tears he ordered his consort to be stragulated.

• The rebellion lasted from 756-763 and effectively ended the Tang rule. It destabilized the previously strong central government and destroyed the countryside. The Tang were able to restore the government in 763 but it had become very weak because of the rebellion and the political infighting.