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Securing the West and the North Upon ascending the throne, Emperor Gaozu of Tang found himself ruling a fragmented empire. Numerous warlords had declared themselves emperors, and true sovereignty required their subjugation. The immediate threat in the west was Xue Ju, the self-proclaimed emperor of Jincheng (modern Lanzhou). Although Xue Ju died of illness,…
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The Rise of a Tribal Matriarch In 589 AD, following the Sui Dynasty’s conquest of the Chen Dynasty, Crown Prince Yang Guang ordered his troops to advance into Lingnan (the region south of the Nanling Mountains) to assume control. However, the local populace, still loyal to the fallen Chen regime, united in resistance. They…