Ma Teng
Ma Teng | |
---|---|
![]() A Qing dynasty illustration of Ma Teng | |
Minister of the Guards ( | |
In office 208 –211 | |
Monarch | Emperor Xian of Han |
Chancellor | Cao Cao |
General of the Vanguard ( | |
In office 208 | |
Monarch | Emperor Xian of Han |
General Who Attacks the South ( | |
In office 202 –208 | |
Monarch | Emperor Xian of Han |
General Who Pacifies the Di ( | |
In office 195 –202 | |
Monarch | Emperor Xian of Han |
General who Guards the West ( | |
In office 192 –195 | |
Monarch | Emperor Xian of Han |
Personal details | |
Born | Unknown Xingping, Shaanxi |
Died | June or July 212[1] Handan, Hebei |
Children |
|
Parent |
|
Relatives | Ma Dai (nephew) |
Occupation | Military general, warlord |
Courtesy name | Shoucheng ( |
Peerage | Marquis of Huaili ( |
Ma Teng ([a] courtesy name Shoucheng, was a Chinese military general and warlord who lived during the late Eastern Han dynasty of China.[1] He controlled Liang Province (
Life
[edit]Ma Teng was born in Maoling County (
Ma Teng grew up in extreme poverty and made a living selling firewood to the city markets that he collected in the mountains. He was extremely tall, more than eight chi tall (approximately 1.84 metres), his appearance large and imposing, his face and nose majestic. He was also known to be virtuous therefore many people admired him.[3]
In 184, during the final years of Emperor Ling's reign, the Qiang people in Liang Province rose up against the local government under Beigong Yu (
He impressed the provincial government and local officials; therefore, he was promoted to Assistant Officer in the army, whose role was to manage the troops. His skills in battle against the rebels were further recognised and he was appointed as Major (
However, when Geng Bi was killed in battle by the rebel army, Ma Teng switched sides and joined Han Sui. The rebellion was eventually suppressed by the Han general Huangfu Song but Ma Teng escaped along with the rebels. In the end, the central government granted military titles to some of the rebel leaders in order to appease them.
When Li Jue and Guo Si seized power over Chang'an after Dong Zhuo's assassination, Ma Teng and Han Sui at first pledged allegiance to them, and were appointed as General who Attacks the West (
During the Chuping (
Ma Teng didn't go back east and joined Han Sui. Although Ma Teng was initially on good terms with Han Sui, both of them as close as brothers. However as conflict arose between their respective retainers, the two went to war against each other over control of Liang Province. The fighting escalated to a point where they became sworn enemies. Once, Ma Teng forced Han Sui to flee until the later after gathering his soldiers came back and killed Ma Teng's wife and children. From then on, the conflict escalated.[7]
Cao Cao, who at this point had decisively defeated Yuan Shao at the Battle of Guandu, and had Zhong Yao along with Wei Duan (韋端) brokered peace between Ma Teng and Han Sui, who then pledged allegiance to the Han dynasty and sent troops to assist Cao Cao in defeating Yuan Shao's successors and remnants. Ma Teng was appointed as General of the Vanguard (
While he was in the West, Ma Teng was known to have well defended his lands against aggressive tribes and bandits, caring for the learned scholars and promoting talented people, protected and treated generously the common people therefore he was greatly respected for his achievements.[9]
In 208, Cao Cao wanted to conquer Jing but fearing the warlords influence in Guanzhong. He summoned Ma Teng to Ye city with most of his family and have them disbanded their personal troops. Zhang Ji was in charge to persuade him. As Ma Teng was still hesitant about this, Zhang Ji to press him, ordered the counties to prepare supplies for his arrival and had officials of high position sent to welcome him. Ma Teng had no choice but to go east.[10] Already in his old age, he was appointed Minister of the Guards (
Around early 211, as Cao Cao ordered Zhong Yao and Xiahou Yuan to pass throughout Guanzhong to attack Zhang Lu in Hanzhong. Ma Chao suspecting this to be a feint to invade Liang Province formed a coalition with Han Sui and other minor warlords in Liang and started a rebellion against the Han dynasty. While persuading Han Sui to join him, Ma Chao said, "[...] Now, I abandon my father, and I'm willing to acknowledge you as my father. You should also abandon your son, and treat me like your son."[12] Cao Cao defeated Ma Chao and his coalition at the Battle of Tong Pass in September 211. In June or July 212, Emperor Xian issued an imperial decree ordering the execution of Ma Teng and the rest of his family who were with him in Ye city at the time.[13][14]
In Romance of the Three Kingdoms
[edit]In the 14th-century historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Ma Teng is portrayed as a loyalist of the declining Han dynasty. He participates in a plot with Liu Bei and Dong Cheng to assassinate Cao Cao, who is depicted as a villain monopolising power and holding Emperor Xian hostage. However, the plot is unsuccessful and Ma Teng returns to Liang Province.
When Ma Teng is later recalled to the imperial capital Xuchang, he decides to again join a plot to assassinate Cao Cao, this time with Huang Kui (
In popular culture
[edit]Ma Teng is a warlord and playable character in the game Total War: Three Kingdoms.[15] Ma Teng also appears in the Dynasty Warriors games, specifically Dynasty Warriors 5, and Dynasty Warriors 9.
See also
[edit]Notes
[edit]- ^ According to Liu Xie's biography in Book of the Later Han, Ma Teng was executed on the guiwei day of the 5th month of the 17th year of the Jian'an era of his reign. However, there is no guiwei day in that month; the month corresponds to 17 Jun to 16 Jul 212 in the Julian calendar. [(
建 安 )十 七 年 夏 五 月 癸 未 ,诛卫尉 马腾,夷 三 族 。] Houhanshu vol. 09.
References
[edit]- ^ a b de Crespigny (2007), p. 650.
- ^ (《
典 略 》曰:騰 字 壽 成 ,馬 援後也。桓帝時 ,其父字 子 碩 ,嘗為天水 蘭 幹 尉 。後 失 官 ,因 留 隴西,與 羌錯居 。家 貧 無 妻 ,遂 娶 羌女,生 騰 。) Dianlue annotation in Sanguozhi vol. 36. - ^ (
騰 少 貧 無 產業 ,常 從 彰 山中 斫材木 ,負 販詣城市 ,以自供給 。騰 為 人 長 八 尺 餘 ,身體 洪 大 ,面 鼻 雄 異 ,而性賢 厚 ,人 多 敬之 。) Dianlue annotation in Sanguozhi vol. 36. - ^ (
靈 帝 末 ,涼 州 刺史 耿鄙任 信 奸吏,民 王國 等 及氐、羌反叛。州 郡 募 發 民 中有 勇 力 者 ,欲 討之,騰 在 募 中 。) Dianlue annotation in Sanguozhi vol. 36. - ^ (
州 郡 異 之 ,署 為 軍 從事 ,典 領 部 眾。討賊有功 ,拜 軍 司馬 ,後 以功遷偏將軍 ,又 遷征西 將軍 ,常 屯 汧、隴之間 。) Dianlue annotation in Sanguozhi vol. 36. - ^ (
初 平中 ,拜 征 東 將軍 。是 時 ,西 州 少 穀 ,騰 自 表 軍人 多 乏 ,求 就谷於池陽 ,遂 移 屯 長 平岸 頭 。而將王 承 等 恐 騰 為 己 害 ,乃攻騰 營。時 騰 近 出 無 備,遂 破 走 ,西上 。) Dianlue annotation in Sanguozhi vol. 36. - ^ (
會 三 輔亂,不 復 來 東 ,而與鎮西 將軍 韓 遂 結 為 異姓 兄弟 ,始 甚相親 ,後 轉 以部曲 相 侵入 ,更 為 讎敵。騰 攻 遂 ,遂 走 ,合 眾還攻 騰 ,殺 騰 妻子 ,連 兵 不 解 。) Dianlue annotation in Sanguozhi vol. 36. - ^ (
建 安之 初 ,國家 綱紀 殆弛,乃使司 隸校尉 鍾繇、涼 州 牧 韋端和解 之 。徵 騰 還 屯 槐 裏 ,轉 拜 為 前 將軍 ,假 節 ,封 槐 裏 侯 。) Dianlue annotation in Sanguozhi vol. 36. - ^ (
北 備胡寇,東 備白騎 ,待 士 進 賢 ,矜救民 命 ,三 輔甚安 愛 之 。) Dianlue annotation in Sanguozhi vol. 36. - ^ (
太 祖 將 征 荊州,而騰等分 據 關 中 。太 祖 復 遣 旣 喻騰等 ,令 釋 部 曲 求 還 。騰 已 許 之 而更猶豫 ,旣 恐 為 變 ,乃移諸 縣 促儲偫,二 千 石 郊迎。騰 不 得 已 ,發 東 。。) Sanguozhi vol. 15. - ^ (
十 (五 )年 ,徵 為 衛 尉 ,騰 自 見 年 老 ,遂 入 宿衛 。...又 拜 超 弟 休 奉 車 都 尉 ,休 弟 鐵騎 都 尉 ,徙其家 屬 皆 詣 鄴,惟 超 獨 留 。) Dianlue annotation in Sanguozhi vol. 36. - ^ (及約
還 ,超 謂 約 曰:「前 鍾司隸任超 使 取 將軍 ,關東 人 不可 複 信也 。今 超 棄父,以將軍 為 父 ,將軍 亦 當 棄子 ,以超為 子 。」行 諫約,不 欲 令 與 超 合 。約 謂 行 曰:「今 諸 將 不 謀 而同,似 有 天 數 。」乃東詣 華 陰 。) Weilue annotation in Sanguozhi vol. 15. - ^ (
超 至 安定 ,遂 奔涼州 。詔 收 滅 超 家 屬 。超 復 敗 於隴上 。) Dianlue annotation in Sanguozhi vol. 36. - ^ (
十 七 年 夏 五 月 癸 未 ,誅衞尉 馬 騰 ,夷 三 族 。) Houhanshu vol. 9. - ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2083: attempt to index a boolean value.
- Chen, Shou (3rd century). Records of the Three Kingdoms (Sanguozhi).
- Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2083: attempt to index a boolean value.
- Fan, Ye (5th century). Book of the Later Han (Houhanshu).
- Luo, Guanzhong (14th century). Romance of the Three Kingdoms (Sanguo Yanyi).
- Pei, Songzhi (5th century). Annotations to Records of the Three Kingdoms (Sanguozhi zhu).
- Sima, Guang (1084). Zizhi Tongjian.