Background

Li Zhen was born on 627. He was the eighth son of Emperor Taizong. His mother was Emperor Taizong's concubine Consort Yan. Emperor Taizong created him the Prince of Han in 631. In 633, he was made the commandant at Xu Prefecture (徐州, roughly modern Xuzhou, Jiangsu), although it is unclear whether he actually reported to Xu Prefecture. In 636, his title was changed to Prince of Yuan and then to Prince of Yue, and he was made the commandant at Yang Prefecture (扬州, roughly modern Yangzhou, Jiangsu) – and this time, it appeared that he did report to Yang Prefecture. In 643, he was made the prefect of Xiang Prefecture (相州, roughly modern Handan, Hebei).

Emperor Taizong died in 649 and was succeeded by Li Zhen's younger brother Li Zhi (as Emperor Gaozong). In 653, Li Zhen was made the commandant at An Prefecture (安州, roughly modern Xiaogan, Hubei). Sometime during Emperor Gaozong's Xianheng era (670–674), he again became the prefect of Xiang Prefecture.

During these years, Li Zhen was said to be capable at horsemanship and archery, well-studied in literature and history, and capable in selecting officials. However, he was also said to be frequently listening to false accusations, and staff members who dared to speak against his actions were often dismissed. He further allowed his servants to bully the people he governed, and therefore, it was said that the people admired his talent but despised his actions.

Rebellion against Empress Dowager Wu

Emperor Gaozong died in 683 and was succeeded by his son Li Zhe (as Emperor Zhongzong), but real power was in the hands of Emperor Gaozong's powerful wife Empress Wu (later known as Wu Zetian), who took power as empress dowager and regent. In spring 684, when Emperor Zhongzong showed signs of independence, she deposed him and replaced him with his brother Li Dan the Prince of Yu, but thereafter held onto power even more tightly. She also gradually elevated the statuses of not only herself but also her Wu clan members, both past and present, which led members of the imperial Li clan to suspect that she planned to overthrow the Tang dynasty and replace it with her own dynasty and that she was planning to slaughter them. Sometime during these times, Li Zhen was made the prefect of Yu Prefecture (豫州, roughly modern Zhumadian, Henan).

The Li clan members who were suspecting that Empress Dowager Wu was planning to slaughter them included Li Zhen, his uncles (sons of the dynasty founder Emperor Gaozu) Li Yuanjia (李元嘉) the Prince of Han, Li Yuangui (李元轨) the Prince of Huo, and Li Lingkui (李灵夔) the Prince of Lu; Li Yuanjia's son Li Zhuan (李撰) the Duke of Huang; Li Yuangui's son Li Xu (李绪) the Prince of Jiangdu; Li Lingkui's son Li Ai (李蔼) the Prince of Fanyang; another cousin, Li Rong (李融) the Prince of Dongwan; and Li Zhen's son Li Chong the Prince of Langye. They secretly corresponded with each other, seeking one common plan to disarm Empress Dowager Wu. They became heavily alarmed when Empress Dowager Wu, after she had finished constructing a grand imperial hall, the Mingtang (明堂), issued orders to summon members of the imperial clan to the eastern capital Luoyang to be ready for a ceremony to worship the god of the Luo River (洛水, near Luoyang). The princes began to prepare to act, and in preparation, Li Zhuan forged an edict from Emperor Ruizong to Li Chong, stating, "I am under house arrest. The princes should come save me!" Li Chong also forced an edict from Emperor Ruizong to himself, stating, "The Empress Dowager is planning to transfer the sovereignty of the Li clan to the Wu clan!"

However, prior to the princes' working out a coordinated plan, on September 16, 688, Li Chong launched a rebellion himself at Bo Prefecture (博州, roughly modern Liaocheng, Shandong), where he was serving as prefect. He notified Li Yuanjia, Li Yuangui, Li Lingkui, Li Zhen, and Li Shen (李慎) the Prince of Ji (Li Zhen's brother) and asked them to rise as well, but only Li Zhen did, as the other princes, not fully prepared, were hesitant to do so. Li Zhen, in turn, notified his aunt the Princess Changle and her husband Zhao Gui (赵瓌) the prefect of Shou Prefecture (寿州, roughly modern Lu'an, Anhui), and both the Princess Changle and Zhao Gui encouraged him. However, of Li Zhen's subordinates, only Pei Shoude (裴守德) was of the same resolve as he was, and he gave Pei his daughter, the Lady Liangxiang, in marriage. Li Zhen then attacked and quickly captured Shangcai (上蔡, also in modern Zhumadian).

Empress Dowager Wu commissioned the chancellor Zhang Guangfu to serve as commander of an army against Li Zhen, assisted by the general Qu Chongyu (麴崇裕) and the chancellor Cen Changqian. Meanwhile, Li Chong was defeated and killed on September 22, 688, and when Li Zhen heard of Li Chong's death, he was terrified and considered surrendering and seeking forgiveness from Empress Dowager Wu. However, at this time, his subordinate Fu Yanqing (傅延庆) returned with 2,000 conscripts, and Li Zhen changed his mind, claiming to his army that Li Chong had been successful and would soon arrive. He also had his soldiers wear amulets blessed by Taoist and Buddhist monks that purportedly would protect them from swords.

Qu soon arrived with his army, and Li Zhen sent his youngest son Li Gui (李规) and Pei to resist Qu, but their forces deserted as soon as they saw Qu's forces. Li Gui and Pei fled back to the capital of Yu Prefecture. Li Zhen, in fear, tried to defend the city, but Qu's army quickly arrived. Li Zhen's bodyguards, while fighting off the attacking forces, told him, "Your Royal Highness should not wait to die by the sword." Li Zhen thereafter retreated into his mansion and committed suicide by poison. Li Gui strangled his mother and then hanged himself, and Pei and Lady Liangxiang did the same. Their heads were cut off and delivered to Luoyang to be shown to the public.

After death

After Li Chong's and Li Zhen's deaths, Empress Dowager Wu put one of her secret police officers, Zhou Xing, in charge of investigating, and under her direction, Zhou arrested Li Yuanjia, Li Lingkui, Li Zhuan, Princess Changle, and Zhao Gui, and forced them to commit suicide. Their family members were mostly slaughtered, while those who were not killed were excised from the imperial clan rolls and had their family names changed to Hui (虺), meaning 'monster'. Of Li Zhen's remaining sons, Li Qian (李蒨) the Duke of Changshan was killed, while Li Wen (李温) gave up names of his associates under interrogation and was spared, but was exiled to the Lingnan region.

Empress Dowager Wu subsequently seized the throne from Emperor Ruizong in 690, interrupting the Tang dynasty and establishing her own Zhou dynasty. In 705, she was in turn overthrown, and Emperor Zhongzong was restored to the throne. He posthumously restored Li Zhen's family name and imperial clan status, but not his titles, as the move was opposed by his cousin and trusted advisor Wu Sansi (his cousin on the Wu side of the family) and his concubine Consort Shangguan Wan'er. Only later, during the reign of Emperor Zhongzong's nephew Emperor Xuanzong (Emperor Ruizong's son), in 716, were Li Zhen and Li Chong reburied. They were also given posthumous honors, with Li Zhen receiving the posthumous name of Jing (meaning "undying faithfulness to the emperor").

Family

• Father

　• Emperor Taizong of Tang

• Mother

　• Virtuous Consort, of the Yan clan (德妃 燕氏; 609–671)

• Issue and Descendants

　• Li Chong, Prince of Langye (琅邪王 李冲, ?–688), first son. Had one son:

　　• Li Ji (李汲)

　• Li Qia (李洽), second son.

　• Li Wen, Duke of Shen (沈国公 李温), third son.

　• Li Qian, Duke of Changshan (常山公 李蒨), fourth son.

　• Li Gui (李规), fifth son.

　• Li Zhenzi, Duke of Linghuai (临淮公 李珍子), sixth son.

Notes and references

• Old Book of Tang, vol. 76.https://web.archive.org/web/20071011073112/http://ef.cdpa.nsysu.edu.tw/ccw/02/tan09.htm

• New Book of Tang, vol. 80.https://web.archive.org/web/20080219204850/http://ef.cdpa.nsysu.edu.tw/ccw/02/ntan13.htm

• Zizhi Tongjian, vols. 193, 194, 204.

太宗和高宗时代

631年，李贞封汉王，633年，任徐州都督。636年，改封原王，旋改封越王，任扬州都督，实封八百户。643年，任相州刺史，649年，加满千户。就在这一年，父亲唐太宗逝世，九弟李治继位，是为唐高宗。

650年，任左卫大将军。653年，徙任安州都督，咸亨年间，再任相州刺史。李贞好武，长于骑射；好学，兼涉文史，有行政能力。皇族中与十弟纪王李慎齐名，当世唐代百姓尊称他们：「纪、越」。但李贞听信小人谗言，有正直官僚被贬退，又纵容僮仆欺侮所部的官民。因此史书说他：佩服他的才干，而鄙夷他的行为。

反武运动的失败

李贞转任豫州刺史。在唐高宗执政时期，皇后武氏逐渐执掌大权，大肆为其家族加官进爵，并屠杀李氏皇族，这迫使李氏皇族甚疑武则天将要取代李唐江山。683年，其弟唐高宗去世，太子李显继位，就是唐中宗，命其伯父李贞为太子太傅。

光宅元年后（684年），武则天临朝称制，不久废唐中宗，立幼子豫王李旦为皇帝，即唐睿宗，但实际大权掌握在武则天皇太后和武氏外戚手中。

李氏皇族见武则天将夺取李氏江山，准备一起反抗，这些李氏皇族主要有韩王李元嘉、霍王李元轨、鲁王李灵夔（以上唐高祖之子、李贞叔父）、李元嘉的儿子黄国公李撰、李元轨的儿子江都王李绪、李灵夔的儿子范阳王李蔼、虢王李凤的儿子东莞郡公李融，和包括越王李贞、李贞之长子琅玡王李冲等人。

武则天在完成修建明堂后，召集宗室聚集于东都洛阳，在洛水举行祭神仪式。李贞等人预防太后可能先将他们诛灭乾净，于是开始积极行动反抗。

首先，黄国公李撰伪造唐睿宗李旦给李冲下的诏书，说：「皇帝已经被软禁，要宗室一起来勤王」。李冲也假造唐睿宗李旦给他的诏书，说：「皇太后要取代李氏江山，建立武氏王朝」。然而，在诸王约定共同起兵的时间之前，688年9月16日，李冲在他作刺史的博州（山东聊城）提前起兵反抗，他通知越王李贞、纪王李慎、韩王李元嘉、霍王李元轨和鲁王李灵夔等人，让李唐宗族同时起兵反抗武则天，但只有李贞起兵，其他诸王都没有准备充分，而迟疑不决。李贞通知他姑母常乐公主和姑父寿州（安徽六安）刺史赵瑰，常乐公主表示支持李贞。不过李贞以为只有他和他的属下裴守德一心，就把他的女儿良乡县主嫁给裴守德。

不久李贞很快占有上蔡（今河南驻马店）。同时李冲在9月22日兵败被杀。李贞听说李冲兵败，惶遽不安，想请太后饶恕。可是这时李贞的属下傅延庆带来两千位应徵士兵，李贞改变主意，向部下官兵宣称：「李冲已破魏、相数州」。并且李贞令道士及和尚转读诸经以祈福，家僮、战士都带护身符以避免兵戈之伤。

武则天命左豹韬卫大将军麴崇裕为中军大总管，夏官尚书岑长倩为后军大总管，凤阁侍郎张光辅为主帅，率十万大军讨伐李贞，并且制削李贞及李冲父子之属籍，改姓虺氏。

左豹韬卫大将军麴崇裕领兵与李贞军队相遇。李贞派他幼子李规和他属下裴守德抵挡。李规和裴守德拒战兵溃，并逃回豫州首府汝阳城（今河南汝南）躲藏。

李贞躲避，欲闭门自守。在麴崇裕率众兵迫迫逼近下已经开始攻城，裴守德只好到处寻找李贞，欲杀之自保。

最后李贞的侍卫对李贞说：「大王是金枝玉叶岂能受刀剑之伤。」不久李贞退回官邸，饮毒自尽。李规不得已亦缢其母，然后自缢；良乡县主、裴守德也自缢身亡。麴崇裕斩李贞、李规父子及裴守德之首，传首东都，枭于阙下。

载初元年（690年），武则天废黜唐睿宗，废唐号改国号为「周」，自称皇帝。正式迁皇都于洛阳。

李氏皇族身后遭遇

李贞、李冲因越王之乱而死后，武则天派周兴杀害了李元嘉、李元轨、李撰、常乐公主和赵瑰。这些宗室没有被杀的，被开除宗籍，流放岭南，而且参与谋画的李唐宗族都改姓虺。

李贞其馀之子：常山郡公虺蒨被杀，虺温告其朋党减死、流岭南，寻卒。

唐中宗于神龙元年（705年）复位，在虺贞身亡多年后，敬晖等奏虺贞父子死于社稷，请复爵土，唐中宗恢复了虺贞的李姓和族籍，但恢复爵位遭到了武三思和上官婉儿的反对。

开元五年（716年），唐玄宗将李贞、李冲重新改葬，追谥号为敬，但指派许王李素节之子李琳而非李贞子孙嗣越王位。琳薨，爵不传。李贞最幼子李珍子的后代流岭南，数世不能归。开成年间，后代女道士李元真带著四世灵柩北还，求祔越王的坟墓。唐文宗诏嘉悯，敕宗正寺、京兆府为访其兆，非陪陵者听葬。

家庭

妻

• 某氏，垂拱四年九月十一日（688年10月10日）被杀

子

• 李冲

• 李洽

• 李温

• 李蒨，垂拱四年卒

• 李规，垂拱四年九月十一日（688年10月10日）被杀

• 李珍子，第六子。曾孙女女道士李玄真，《旧唐书·列女传》有载

女

• 良乡县主，嫁汝阳县丞裴守德

• 第五女馀姚县主（仪凤二年（677年）—开元二十二年十月二十八日（734年11月27日）），嫁正议大夫行太子家令借紫金鱼袋上柱国慕容嘉宾

唐代四大名楼之一越王楼

唐代名楼之一的越王楼，规模宏大、楼高10丈，历经三载建成与滕王阁、黄鹤楼、岳阳楼并列「中国唐代四大名楼」。

为唐太宗李世民第八子越王任绵州刺史时（公元656年-661年）所建，李贞曾上奏于唐高宗李治，强调奉命镇守大西南，守边关、扬天威、布帝德，让绵州百姓可朝夕望阙叩拜，倍沾唐天子隆恩。为壮大唐之山河，他建王府、修高楼，扩建州城和军队。高宗拨给国库银两，由李贞督建。

李白、杜甫、李贺、李商隐、陆游等历代名人登越王楼后曾留下诗篇156首，宋、元、明、清历代画家也多有描绘越王楼的精美画卷。

但于唐末宋初，越王楼被一场大火烧毁大半，元朝进行了大规模的修复，明代亦重建过一次，但明代的一场大火又将其彻底烧毁。越王楼于四川绵州重建，作为观光。

;《上楼诗》李白

• 危楼高百尺，手可摘星辰。

• 不敢高声语，恐惊天上人。

;《越王楼歌》 杜甫

• 绵州州府何磊落，显庆年中越王作。

• 孤城西北起高楼，碧瓦朱甍照城郭。

• 楼下长江百丈清，山头落日半轮明。

• 君王旧迹今人赏，转见千秋万古情。

;《寄答绵州杨齐伯左司》陆游

• 磊落人为磊落州，滕王阁望越王楼。

• 欲凭梦去直虚语，赖有诗来宽旅愁。

• 我老一官书纸尾，君行千骑试遨头。

• 遥知小寄平生快，春酒如川炙万牛。

李贞墓志铭

李贞墓志铭1972年出土于陕西醴泉县唐太宗昭陵内的李贞墓中。

注释

传记资料

• 《旧唐书》卷七十六·列传第二十六·越王贞传

• 《新唐书》卷八十·列传第五·越王贞传

• 《资治通鉴》卷193、卷194、卷204

• 大唐故太子少保豫州刺史越敬王墓志铭