1. Li Gao was initially a Northern Liang official, but in 400, he seceded from Northern Liang's prince Duan Ye's rule and established his own independent dynasty.
18 Facts About Li Gao
1. 2.
Li Gao was posthumously honored by the Tang dynasty as Emperor Xingsheng.
3.
Li Gao was born in 351, and was a posthumous child of his father Li Chang, who traced his ancestry to the Han dynasty general Li Guang.
4.
Li Gao had, for a time, lived in the same house with his half-brother Song Yao and Guo Nen, a minister of Later Liang's founding emperor Lu Guang known for his magical and prophetic abilities.
5.
When Meng died in 400, the officials of Dunhuang Commandery, because Li Gao was popular with the people, asked him to take over.
6.
Li Gao therefore accepted and requested confirmation from Duan Ye, and Duan Ye agreed.
7.
At the urging of Song and Zhang Miao Li Gao first sent messengers to flatter Suo, and instead made a surprise against Suo, defeating him and forcing him to flee back to the Northern Liang capital Zhangye.
8.
Li Gao accepted and took the title of Duke of Liang, thus establishing Western Liang.
9.
In light of Later Qin's advances Li Gao nominally submitted to Later Qin as a vassal.
10.
In 405, Li Gao claimed additional honorific titles, and at the same time, while not renouncing Later Qin, sent messengers to Jin, requesting to be a vassal.
11.
Li Gao moved his capital from Dunhuang to Jiuquan, closer to the Northern Liang capital Zhangye, to put additional pressure on Northern Liang.
12.
Li Gao wrote a letter to all of his sons, which is still extant, encouraging them to be open-minded and think logically, and be mild in temperament.
13.
In 406, Li Gao entered into a peace agreement with Southern Liang's prince Tufa Rutan, with an implicit understanding of an alliance against Northern Liang, but no actual joint military action was ever taken.
14.
Later that year, Juqu Mengxun made an attack on Jiuquan, and Li Gao suffered a defeat to Juqu Mengxun near Jiuquan and was forced to return to the city to defend it against a siege, but Juqu Mengxun, not having enough strength to siege it, withdrew.
15.
In 408, not having received response from Jin when he sent messengers in 405, Li Gao sent another messenger with his petition to the Jin capital Jiankang.
16.
Li Gao ransomed Zhu with silver and gold, and Juqu Mengxun returned Zhu and made peace with Li Gao.
17.
Li Gao guarded his capital and refused to engage Juqu Mengxun, who was then forced to withdraw when his army ran out of food supply.
18.
Li Gao then sent Li Xin to attack the Northern Liang troops in retreat, and Li Xin had a major victory over Juqu Mengxun, capturing his general Juqu Bainian.