太宗和高宗時代

631年，李貞封漢王，633年，任徐州都督。636年，改封原王，旋改封越王，任揚州都督，實封八百戶。643年，任相州刺史，649年，加滿千戶。就在這一年，父親唐太宗逝世，九弟李治繼位，是為唐高宗。

650年，任左衛大將軍。653年，徙任安州都督，咸亨年間，再任相州刺史。李貞好武，長于騎射；好學，兼涉文史，有行政能力。皇族中與十弟紀王李慎齊名，當世唐代百姓尊稱他們：「紀、越」。但李貞聽信小人讒言，有正直官僚被貶退，又縱容僮僕欺侮所部的官民。因此史書說他：佩服他的才幹，而鄙夷他的行為。

反武運動的失敗

李貞轉任豫州刺史。在唐高宗執政時期，皇后武氏逐漸執掌大權，大肆為其家族加官進爵，並屠殺李氏皇族，這迫使李氏皇族甚疑武則天將要取代李唐江山。683年，其弟唐高宗去世，太子李顯繼位，就是唐中宗，命其伯父李貞為太子太傅。

光宅元年後（684年），武則天臨朝稱制，不久廢唐中宗，立幼子豫王李旦為皇帝，即唐睿宗，但實際大權掌握在武則天皇太后和武氏外戚手中。

李氏皇族見武則天將奪取李氏江山，準備一起反抗，這些李氏皇族主要有韓王李元嘉、霍王李元軌、魯王李靈夔（以上唐高祖之子、李貞叔父）、李元嘉的兒子黃國公李譔、李元軌的兒子江都王李緒、李靈夔的兒子范陽王李藹、虢王李鳳的兒子東莞郡公李融，和包括越王李貞、李貞之長子琅玡王李衝等人。

武則天在完成修建明堂後，召集宗室聚集于東都洛陽，在洛水舉行祭神儀式。李貞等人預防太后可能先將他們誅滅乾淨，于是開始積極行動反抗。

首先，黃國公李譔偽造唐睿宗李旦給李衝下的詔書，說：「皇帝已經被軟禁，要宗室一起來勤王」。李衝也假造唐睿宗李旦給他的詔書，說：「皇太后要取代李氏江山，建立武氏王朝」。然而，在諸王約定共同起兵的時間之前，688年9月16日，李衝在他作刺史的博州（山東聊城）提前起兵反抗，他通知越王李貞、紀王李慎、韓王李元嘉、霍王李元軌和魯王李靈夔等人，讓李唐宗族同時起兵反抗武則天，但只有李貞起兵，其他諸王都沒有準備充分，而遲疑不決。李貞通知他姑母常樂公主和姑父壽州（安徽六安）刺史趙瑰，常樂公主表示支持李貞。不過李貞以為只有他和他的屬下裴守德一心，就把他的女兒良鄉縣主嫁給裴守德。

不久李貞很快占有上蔡（今河南駐馬店）。同時李衝在9月22日兵敗被殺。李貞聽說李衝兵敗，惶遽不安，想請太后饒恕。可是這時李貞的屬下傅延慶帶來兩千位應徵士兵，李貞改變主意，向部下官兵宣稱：「李衝已破魏、相數州」。並且李貞令道士及和尚轉讀諸經以祈福，家僮、戰士都帶護身符以避免兵戈之傷。

武則天命左豹韜衛大將軍麴崇裕為中軍大總管，夏官尚書岑長倩為後軍大總管，鳳閣侍郎張光輔為主帥，率十萬大軍討伐李貞，並且制削李貞及李沖父子之屬籍，改姓虺氏。

左豹韜衛大將軍麴崇裕領兵與李貞軍隊相遇。李貞派他幼子李規和他屬下裴守德抵擋。李規和裴守德拒戰兵潰，並逃回豫州首府汝陽城（今河南汝南）躲藏。

李貞躲避，欲閉門自守。在麴崇裕率眾兵迫迫逼近下已經開始攻城，裴守德只好到處尋找李貞，欲殺之自保。

最後李貞的侍衛對李貞說：「大王是金枝玉葉豈能受刀劍之傷。」不久李貞退回官邸，飲毒自盡。李規不得已亦縊其母，然後自縊；良鄉縣主、裴守德也自縊身亡。麴崇裕斬李貞、李規父子及裴守德之首，傳首東都，梟于闕下。

載初元年（690年），武則天廢黜唐睿宗，廢唐號改國號為「周」，自稱皇帝。正式遷皇都於洛陽。

李氏皇族身後遭遇

李貞、李衝死後，武則天派周興殺害了李元嘉、李元軌、李譔、常樂公主和趙瑰。這些宗室沒有被殺的，被開除宗籍，流放嶺南。

參與謀畫的李唐宗族都改姓虺。

李貞其餘之子：常山郡公李蒨被殺，李溫告其朋黨減死、流嶺南，尋卒。

唐中宗於神龍元年（705年）複位，在李貞身亡多年後，敬暉等奏李貞父子死于社稷，請複爵土，唐中宗恢復了李貞的李姓和族籍，但恢復爵位遭到了武三思和上官婉兒的反對。

開元五年（716年），唐玄宗將李貞、李衝重新改葬，追謚號為敬，但指派許王李素節之子李琳而非李貞子孫嗣越王位。琳薨，爵不傳。李貞最幼子李珍子的後代流嶺南，數世不能歸。開成年間，後代女道士李元真帶著四世靈柩北還，求祔越王的墳墓。唐文宗詔嘉憫，敕宗正寺、京兆府為訪其兆，非陪陵者聽葬。

家庭

妻

• 某氏，垂拱四年九月十一日（688年10月10日）被殺

子

• 李衝

• 李洽

• 李溫

• 李蒨，垂拱四年卒

• 李規，垂拱四年九月十一日（688年10月10日）被殺

• 李珍子，第六子。曾孫女女道士李玄真，《舊唐書·列女傳》有載

女

• 良鄉縣主，嫁汝陽縣丞裴守德

• 第五女餘姚縣主（儀鳳二年（677年）—開元二十二年十月二十八日（734年11月27日）），嫁正議大夫行太子家令借紫金魚袋上柱國慕容嘉賓

唐代四大名樓之一越王樓

唐代名樓之一的越王樓，規模宏大、樓高10丈，歷經三載建成與滕王閣、黃鶴樓、岳陽樓並列「中國唐代四大名樓」。

為唐太宗李世民第八子越王任綿州刺史時（公元656年-661年）所建，李貞曾上奏於唐高宗李治，強調奉命鎮守大西南，守邊關、揚天威、布帝德，讓綿州百姓可朝夕望闕叩拜，倍沾唐天子隆恩。為壯大唐之山河，他建王府、修高樓，擴建州城和軍隊。高宗撥給國庫銀兩，由李貞督建。

李白、杜甫、李賀、李商隱、陸游等歷代名人登越王樓後曾留下詩篇156首，宋、元、明、清歷代畫家也多有描繪越王樓的精美畫卷。

但於唐末宋初，越王樓被一場大火燒燬大半，元朝進行了大規模的修復，明代亦重建過一次，但明代的一場大火又將其徹底燒燬。越王樓於四川綿州重建，作為觀光。

;《上樓詩》李白

• 危樓高百尺，手可摘星辰。

• 不敢高聲語，恐驚天上人。

;《越王樓歌》 杜甫

• 綿州州府何磊落，顯慶年中越王作。

• 孤城西北起高樓，碧瓦朱甍照城郭。

• 樓下長江百丈清，山頭落日半輪明。

• 君王舊跡今人賞，轉見千秋萬古情。

;《寄答綿州楊齊伯左司》陸游

• 磊落人為磊落州，滕王閣望越王樓。

• 欲憑夢去直虛語，賴有詩來寬旅愁。

• 我老一官書紙尾，君行千騎試遨頭。

• 遙知小寄平生快，春酒如川炙萬牛。

李貞墓誌銘

李貞墓誌銘1972年出土于陝西醴泉縣唐太宗昭陵內的李貞墓中。

註釋

傳記資料

• 《舊唐書》卷七十六·列傳第二十六·越王貞傳

• 《新唐書》卷八十·列傳第五·越王貞傳

• 《資治通鑑》卷193、卷194、卷204

• 大唐故太子少保豫州刺史越敬王墓誌銘

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 (揚州, 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 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 (李元軌) the Prince of Huo, and Li Lingkui (李靈夔) the Prince of Lu; Li Yuanjia's son Li Zhuan (李譔) the Duke of Huang; Li Yuangui's son Li Xu (李緒) the Prince of Jiangdu; Li Lingkui's son Li Ai (李藹) 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 (趙瓌) the prefect of Shou Prefecture (壽州, 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 (傅延慶) 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 (李規) 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 (李溫) 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 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").

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.