The An Lushan Rebellion and the Fall of the Tang (755-907)

An Lushan, a general of Sogdian-Turkic origin who commanded major frontier armies in northeastern China, rebelled in 755 against the Tang court, proclaiming himself emperor of a new dynasty, the Yan. His troops rapidly seized Luoyang and then Chang'an, forcing Emperor Xuanzong to flee; during the flight his own troops demanded the execution of Consort Yang Guifei, whom they blamed for the crisis. An Lushan himself was assassinated in 757 by his own son, and the rebellion continued under other leaders until its final defeat in 763, with Tang forces turning to the Uyghurs for military help in retaking the two capitals.