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Erzhu Rong (爾朱榮) (493[1] – November 1, 530[2]), courtesy name Tianbao (天寶), formally Prince Wu of Jin (晉武王), was a general of the Xianbei-led Chinese Northern Wei dynasty. He was of Xiongnu ancestry, and after Emperor Xiaoming was killed by his mother Empress Dowager Hu in 528, Erzhu overthrew her and put Emperor Xiaozhuang on the throne, but at the same time slaughtered many imperial officials and took over most of actual power, effectively ruling as military dictator of the Northern Wei State. He then contributed much to the rebuilding of the Northern Wei state by putting down the various agrarian rebellions that had fractured the state during Emperor Xiaoming's reign. However, in 530, Emperor Xiaozhuang, believing that Erzhu would eventually usurp the throne, tricked Erzhu into the palace and ambushed him. Subsequently, however, Erzhu's clan members, led by his cousin Erzhu Shilong and nephew Erzhu Zhao, defeated and killed Emperor Xiaozhuang. He was often compared by historians to the Han dynasty general Dong Zhuo, for his ferocity in battle and for his violence and lack of tact. Unlike Dong Zhuo however, by accounts of Wei Shou, the author of Northern Wei's official history, the Wei Shu, Erzhu Rong's military skills had few equals in his time, and he is not recorded to have ever lost a battle.
- ^ According to Erzhu Rong's biography in Book of Wei, he was 38 (by East Asian reckoning) when he died. Thus by calculation, his birth year should be 493. (荣与天穆、菩提同时俱死。荣时年三十八。) Wei Shu, vol.74
- ^ wuxu day of the 9th month of the 2nd year of the Zhong Datong era, per volume 154 of Zizhi Tongjian. Emperor Xiaozhuang's biography in Book of Wei recorded the same date, but recorded the year as the 3rd year of the Wutai era.