生平

《旧唐书》、《新唐书》没有他的传，《新唐书·宰相世系表》说他是父亲是岳州刺史王武宣。

根据出土的其祖父王约墓志铭、其女资敬寺尼法云墓志铭、其子右监门卫将军王泰墓志铭记载，王德真出身京兆王氏，廿一代祖王孟，仕汉宣帝以豪杰称。十八代祖王遵，从隗嚣以才辩著。十三世祖王景，曹魏散骑常侍，从宦京兆，因即家焉。高祖王俱，北魏使持节、仪同三司、鄯州诸军事、鄯州刺史。曾祖王琳，北魏金紫光禄大夫、使持节代幽营汾定五州诸军事、定州刺史、武都郡开国公。祖父王约，北周瓜凉秦甘宁五州诸军事、瓜州刺史、临漳郡开国侯。父王武安，随雍州醴泉县令、定州别驾。

王德真自神尧皇帝（唐高祖）挽郎授密王府典签，历任太子舍人、兵部吏部员外郎、吏部郎中、乾封令、中书舍人、户部中书二侍郎、同中书门下三品、太常卿、金紫光禄大夫，加侍中、上柱国、乐平县开国男，赠尚书左仆射。夫人陇西郡夫人天水权氏，齐州长史、尚书左丞、武都郡开国公权万纪之女。

其叔父王长谐为武德功臣，官至左武卫大将军、秦州都督，封平原郡公，赠荆州大都督，谥曰襄，陪葬献陵。

王德真家族墓地在京兆万年县神禾原，现已出土有周甘宁二州刺史王约墓志、王约弟周义绥公王铄墓志、隋膳部员外侍郎王仲卿、唐赵州长史王客卿兄弟墓志（王约侄子王弘之子）、右监门卫将军王泰墓志、并州司马王九言墓志（王铄曾孙）。

680年夏四月廿四，唐高宗任命王德真为中书侍郎（中书省的副首长）、同中书门下三品，与裴炎、崔知温同时为相。五个月后，九月十三，他被罢去宰相，任皇八子相王李轮的王府长史。

683年，相王李轮改封为豫王李旦。十二月，唐高宗去世，七子李哲即位，即唐中宗。684年，唐中宗被废，武则天立李旦为皇帝，即唐睿宗。二月廿五，唐睿宗以长史王德真为侍中（门下省首长）。685年五月初一，王德真贬为同州（今陕西省渭南市）刺史，同日流放象州（今广西来宾）。之后其事迹无记载。《新唐书·宰相世系表》说他的儿子是三原令王九思、孙子是告城令王潜。

延伸阅读

Background

Despite Wang's high status, little is firmly established about his background or career except for the years that he served as chancellor — as, unusual for a chancellor, he did not have a biography in either the Old Book of Tang or the New Book of Tang. According to the table of chancellors in the New Book of Tang, his father was Wang Wuxuan (王武宣), who at one point served as the prefect of Yue Prefecture (岳州, roughly modern Yueyang, Hunan).

During Emperor Gaozongs reign

As of summer 680, during Emperor Gaozong's reign, Wang Dezhen was serving as Zhongshu Shilang (中书侍郎), the deputy head of the legislative bureau of government (中书省, Zhongshu Sheng), when he was given the designation of Tong Zhongshu Menxia Sanpin (同中书门下三品), making him a chancellor de facto. Five months later, however, without any reason given in the currently extant historical records, he was made the secretary general for Emperor Gaozong's son Li Dan (the later Emperor Ruizong) the Prince of Yu, and was no longer chancellor.

During Empress Dowager Wus regency

As of 684, Wang was still serving as the secretary general for Li Dan, as well as the minister of rites, when Li Dan's older brother Li Zhe, who had succeeded Emperor Gaozong after Emperor Gaozong's death in late 83 (as Emperor Zhongzong), was deposed by Empress Dowager Wu. She made Li Dan the new emperor (as Emperor Ruizong), and subsequently made Wang Shizhong (侍中) — the head of the examination bureau of government (门下省, Menxia Sheng) and a post considered one for a chancellor. In 685, however, for reasons lost to history, Wang was demoted to the post of prefect of Tong Prefecture (同州, roughly modern Weinan, Shaanxi) — but on the same day, was then further exiled to Xiang Prefecture (象州, roughly modern Laibin, Guangxi). Nothing further was recorded about him, although the table of chancellors in the New Book of Tang indicated that his son Wang Jiusi (王九思) later served as a county magistrate, as did his grandson Wang Qian (王濳).

Notes and references

• Zizhi Tongjian, vols. 202, 203.