Li Keyong

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Li Keyong , 李克 用, Lǐ Kèyòng; (* 852 , according to other information 856 ; † 908 ) was a troop leader and governor of the Emperor of China .

Li Keyong was the head of the Shato Turks and was called in 879 by the Chinese Emperor Tang Xizong (ruled 873-888) when rebels under Huang Chao captured the capital Chang'an and largely destroyed it. His cavalry forces drove the rebels out in an attack from Shanxi Province . In February 883 the battle broke out on Liangtian Mountain. Huang Chao had about 150,000 men under his command. Li Keyong's troops were fewer in number, but arguably more battle-hardened. After defeating the rebel army, Li Keyong pursued Huang Chaos troops as far as Shandong, where he weakened them near Taishan Mountain to such an extent that Huang Chao took his own life in 884. The following year the emperor returned to Chang'an. As a reward for Li Keyong, the existing Hebei Governorate was expanded to include Shanxi. This drove the eunuch Tian Lingci , who previously held de facto power at the imperial court, and forced the emperor to go into exile again.

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