With the help of Tang Dynasty , Mengshezhao unified the Erhai area and established the Nanzhao regime. But not long after, Nanzhao broke out in war with the Tang Dynasty, defeating the Tang Dynasty's army twice. Since then, the relationship between the Tang Dynasty and Nanzhao has been good and bad, and sometimes wartime and sometimes harmony. In the late Tang Dynasty, conflict broke out between the two sides. In order to maintain the stability of in the southwest region of , the Tang Dynasty was forced to engage in the last marriage. What was going on?
1. More than ten years of war
859, Tang Xuanzong died of illness, and the envoy of the Tang Dynasty reported his death to Nanzhao. Unexpectedly, Fengyou, the ruler of Nanzhao, also died. The powerful minister of Nanzhao, named Shilong (son of Fengyou) as the king. After reading the edict from the Tang Dynasty, Chadian was very angry because the Tang Dynasty not only did not provide compensation to Nanzhao, but also "the edict was given to the former king." However, Nanzhao used this as an excuse, "helped the emperor, Jianyuan and Jianji, and called himself the Great Li Kingdom." Tang Yizong , who just inherited the throne, was also very angry because Shilong violated the name of Tang Xuanzong . After
, Nanzhao launched a war against the Tang Dynasty and continuously sent troops to harass the southwestern border area of ββthe Tang Dynasty. The war between the two sides lasted for more than ten years. Although the Tang Dynasty repeatedly repelled Nanzhao's army, it did not gain the upper hand, and both sides suffered losses. "China wasted it, and its country was also injustice." So Shilong began to change his strategy and sent envoys many times, wanting to marry the Tang Dynasty, "please be brothers, nephews and uncles." But the Tang Dynasty court reacted coldly to this.
2. The dispute over marriage
html In 1877, Shilong died of illness and his son Long Shun succeeded to the throne. In the second year, he sent an envoy to request marriage bride. However, Nanzhao only had a certificate and no written form, requiring him to only call him brother to the Tang Dynasty and not to be a minister. This aroused dissatisfaction among some officials of the Tang Dynasty, and the court officials were divided into two factions, and the two sides had a fierce debate over whether to marry. However, the Reihe Sect still gained the upper hand. Long Shun discovered that it was impossible to achieve peace and decided to use force against the Tang Dynasty.
html In 1880, the Nanzhao army captured the Tang Dynasty's Annan Protectorate's Mansion , and Zeng Gun, who was the Annan Protectorate, fled to Yong Mansion. At this time, , Emperor Xizong of Tang, no longer cared about the affairs of the south, because Huang Chao's army was about to reach , Chang'an, . In December of the same year, Emperor Xizong of Tang learned from his ancestor Emperor Xuanzong of Tang and fled to Shu for refuge. Shu was very close to Nanzhao. The Nanzhao army once besieged Chengdu. Under the persuasion of the ministers, Emperor Xizong of Tang believed that the strategy should be changed.
3. The last time to marry
html In 1881, Nanzhao sent three senior officials to Chengdu, and Emperor Xizong of Tang finally agreed to marry Nanzhao. Because the late Tang Dynasty was very chaotic, there were different records about the situation of this marriage, and some even said that the marriage failed. However, I think this marriage was finally realized. In 882, Nanzhao asked the princess to marry, and the Tang Dynasty refused to discuss etiquette. In 883, the envoy of Nanzhao once again requested a marriage kinship as soon as possible. After some treatment, it finally achieved a marriage kinship in October of that year.
The princess who married her is Princess Anhua. Historical records say that she is the daughter of the Tang Dynasty royal family. There is also a problem with this record, because Princess An Hua was the second daughter of Emperor Yizong of Tang, in other words, she was the sister of Emperor Xizong of Tang. This time the marriage was still effective. The Tang Dynasty avoided the battle with Nanzhao and gained a chance to breathe. However, Princess Anhua was not happy because Long Shun fell in love with another woman. The ending of Princess Anhua is not clear. Some people say that she was sent back to the Tang Dynasty. In short, the fate of marrying the princess is relatively bumpy.
Reference materials: 1. "Old Book of Tang"; 2. "New Book of Tang"; 3. "Zizhi Tongjian"
