On the track of history, there will always be some key moments, which directly affect the development trajectory of future generations. The Xuanwumen Rebellion in 626 A.D. was such a major event. In this power transfer drama directed by Li Shimin, he killed his eldest brother Li Jiancheng and fourth brother Li Yuanji with his own hands, but spared their daughters. This series of thrilling actions stemmed from the contradictions and confrontations within the Li dynasty, and it also became the most dramatic political situation at that time. So, why did Li Shimin kill his siblings, but let his nieces go?
When it comes to the Xuanwumen Revolution in 626 AD, we have to start with Li Yuan, the founding emperor of the Tang Dynasty. As the founder of the country, Li Yuan's vision and determination are too short-sighted and thin. In 617 AD, at the instigation of his sons, he reluctantly raised troops in Taiyuan. When Emperor Yang of Sui died the following year, he couldn't wait to let the puppet emperor Yang Yunchan give up the throne, thus establishing himself as king and founding the Tang Dynasty. But in fact, Chang'an City at that time was only a corner of Guanzhong, and Li Yuan did not really unify the whole country. Therefore, he is a typical "get on the bus first and pay the ticket later".
In this way, Li Yuan, who was unwilling to be a symmetrical king, put the heavy responsibility of fighting the world on his son Li Shimin. Li Shimin was calm and capable, experienced in battle, and became his father's most relied on general. In contrast, the eldest brother Li Jiancheng looks slender and elegant as the crown prince, and the younger brother Li Yuanji is flying and domineering. Because the burden imposed on Li Shimin was too heavy, the contradictions between the brothers in the royal palace were also intensifying. Li Shimin regarded Li Yuanji as his ancestor, and the relationship between the two was estranged; Li Yuanji was jealous of Li Shimin's military exploits and became closer to his eldest brother Li Jiancheng.
In fact, Li Jiancheng was not only dressed in a fancy costume as the crown prince, he also made outstanding achievements, but it is a pity that various film and television works at that time often demonized him and portrayed him as an image of jealousy and bad conduct. In fact, in the first six years of the establishment of the early Tang Dynasty, although Li Shimin made great achievements, Li Jiancheng was also a meritorious service. It's just that Li Yuan, the father, was too derelict in his duties, and after establishing himself as the queen, he no longer refused to go out of the city to lead troops to fight, and put all the burden of conquest on his son.
In order to attract talents, Li Yuan once proudly said that "between the arrows and stones, there is no distinction between the high and the low". But this is said lightly, but it is not easy to do. After conquering Chang'an, he not only rewarded the relics of the Sui Dynasty, but also ignored those new talents, and pushed them all to Li Shimin. Gradually, a number of meritorious deeds gathered under Li Shimin's command, and he became more and more respectful of the imperial court. Li Yuan's blind maintenance of Li Jiancheng's status as the crown prince not only caused Li Shimin to drift away, but also buried the root of the dispute between the crown princes.
Seeing that the contradictions between his sons were intensifying, Li Yuan wanted to find a way back for himself and the dynasty, so he said to Li Shimin: "You are not compatible with the brothers now, so go to Luoyang to establish a banner, just like King Liang Xiao of the Han Dynasty back then." This is tantamount to instructing Li Shimin to raise troops to seize power. Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji were afraid that things would get bigger, so they had to give up. However, they did not give up, and then tried every means to drive Li Shimin's cronies out of the palace, and also wanted to take Li Shimin in one fell swoop at the Kunming Pool Wine Banquet.
At this time, Li Shimin's situation was critical, and it was with the support of his cronies such as Wei Chi Jingde and others that he was able to turn defeat into victory in the Xuanwumen Revolution and take Chang'an City in one fell swoop. A life-and-death game began, and Li Shimin had to kill his eldest brother Li Jiancheng and fourth brother Li Yuanji to prevent future troubles. At the same time, in order to stabilize his throne, he also killed all the sons of Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji, except for a few powerless nieces.
In fact, this is not Li Shimin's initiative, such tragedies were often seen during the Northern and Southern Dynasties. Li Shimin's doing so is undoubtedly a kind of reproduction of history, and its root is precisely the logic of the rise and fall of dynasties that has been passed down from generation to generation. In order to eliminate hidden dangers and ensure the longevity of the dynasty of his own descendants, he had to eradicate dissidents. In this way, the change of Xuanwumen became a thrilling family tragedy, which made onlookers sigh.
In the Xuanwumen Rebellion, the spearhead of the power struggle was directed at the Li Dynasty. Li Yuan's lack of courage and wisdom to control the overall situation made his sons suspicious of each other and increasingly disrespectful. And Li Shimin finally won the throne with his strong military strength and extraordinary decisiveness. In this thrilling brotherhood, getting rid of relatives who pose a threat to their power is only the norm of dynastic change.
The so-called "princes and generals, rather have a kind", Li Shimin's actions show the cunning and resoluteness of a generation of authority. Historically, he was not the only ruler to do so. In order to seize, consolidate and maintain power, many dynasties have followed this bloody and indifferent path. However, with the passage of time, this path has become a legacy of the old system that people hate, and it will be spurned by morality and the rule of law. #头条首发大赛#