Qin Zongquan was a Chinese military general, monarch, politician, rebel, and warlord during the Tang dynasty.
20 Facts About Qin Zongquan
1.
2.
Qin Zongquan was later a claimant to the imperial throne, in competition with Emperor Xizong of Tang and, later, Emperor Xizong's brother Emperor Zhaozong, with his capital at Cai Prefecture.
3.
Qin Zongquan's subordinates turned against him and delivered him to the Tang capital Chang'an, where he was executed.
4.
Qin Zongquan's family was from Cai Prefecture, which, at the start of his known career, was part of Zhongwu Circuit, and Qin served as an officer at Zhongwu's capital Xu Prefecture.
5.
In late 880, when the major agrarian rebel Huang Chao was poised to cross the Huai River north to attack the center of Tang dynasty territory, then-military governor of Zhongwu, Xue Neng, sent Qin Zongquan to try to contain Huang's advance.
6.
Yang persuaded Qin Zongquan to send forces to participate in the campaign against Huang, and Qin Zongquan sent 3,000 men, under the command of his officer Wang Shu to join Yang's army.
7.
Qin Zongquan had his general Meng Kai attack Cai Prefecture.
8.
Qin Zongquan engaged Meng but was defeated, and reacted by opening the city gates and submitting to Huang.
9.
In winter 883, when Huang was still sieging Chen, Qin Zongquan himself put Xu Prefecture under siege, but was unable to capture it.
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However, Qin Zongquan did not resubmit to Tang authority, and instead sent troops to pillage the surrounding circuits.
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In particular, he attacked Zhu Quanzhong the military governor of Xuanwu Circuit, but with Zhu Xuan the military governor of Tianping Circuit coming to Zhu Quanzhong's aid, Qin Zongquan was defeated, and he withdrew.
12.
Meanwhile, in winter 884, when another renegade Tang general, Lu Yanhong, was set to attack Xiang Prefecture, Qin Zongquan sent his officers Qin Zongquan Gao and Zhao Deyin to aid Lu, and they captured Xiang Prefecture.
13.
Lu subsequently attacked Xu Prefecture and captured it, forcing Zhou Ji to flee, while Qin Zongquan's forces took over Xiang Prefecture.
14.
In spring 885, Qin Zongquan ordered a nearby prefect, Wang Xu the prefect of Guang Prefecture, to pay taxes to him.
15.
Qin Zongquan attacked Ying and Bo, but Zhu Quanzhong repelled his attack.
16.
Qin Zongquan, after declaring himself emperor, continued his campaign to increase his territory.
17.
Qin Zongquan sent his brother Qin Zongyan to attack Jingnan Circuit, while he captured Xu Prefecture, killing Lu Yanhong.
18.
When Qin Zongquan launched his major attack in summer 887, Zhu Quanzhong gathered the troops of Xuanwu and Yicheng Circuits, as well as the aid troops led by Zhu Xuan and Zhu Xuan's cousin Zhu Jin.
19.
Meanwhile, in winter 887, Qin Zongquan recaptured Zheng Prefecture, while Zhao Deyin, whom Qin had made the military governor of Shannan East Circuit, captured Jingnan and killed the Tang military governor Zhang Gui, leaving his officer Wang Jianzhao in control of Jingnan's capital Jiangling Municipality.
20.
Qin Zongquan defeated Qin in a battle just south of Cai Prefecture, and Qin withdrew into Cai Prefecture to defend it against Zhu's siege.