Liu Yun

Liu Yun (died February 24, 951), probably known as Liu Chengyun before 949, referred to in historical sources as the Duke of Xiangyin, was a military governor of the Later Han dynasty during the Five Dynasties period. He was an ethnic Shatuo. A cousin of the Later Han emperor Liu Chengyou, Liu Yun was named Liu Chengyou's successor by Empress Dowager Li following Liu Chengyou's death, but on his way to the capital he was put under house arrest and later executed on orders of Guo Wei, who had founded the Later Zhou dynasty. After his death, his father Liu Chong founded the Northern Han dynasty and waged a war against Later Zhou to avenge his son's death. Background It is not known when Liu Yun was born. His father was Liu Chong, who was a younger brother of Liu Zhiyuan, a major general of Later Jin, who would later found Later Han as its Emperor Gaozu. Because Liu Zhiyuan favored Liu Yun greatly, he adopted Liu Yun as a son. (He had three biological sons of his own, Liu Chengxùn, Liu Chengyou, and Liu Chengxūn (劉承勳, note different tone).) Because of Liu Yun's adoption into Liu Zhiyuan's house, he was probably known as Liu Chengyun after the adoption to be consistent with the names of Liu Zhiyuan's biological sons, and he was referred to as Liu Chengyun as late as 948, by which point Liu Chengyou had inherited the throne after Liu Zhiyuan's death. That year, he was commissioned the military governor (Jiedushi) of Wuning Circuit (武寧, headquartered in modern Xuzhou, Jiangsu). In 949, he was given an honorary chancellor designation Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi. (By that time, he was referred to as Liu Yun, probably to observe naming taboo for his adoptive brother Liu Chengyou.) Aborted succession to the Later Han throne and death In late 950, Liu Chengyou, tired of the control of the senior officials Yang Bin, Shi Hongzhao, Wang Zhang, and Guo Wei had on the government, had Yang, Shi, and Wang killed. He sent a messenger to order Guo's death at Yedu (鄴都, in modern Handan, Hebei), but when the news leaked, Guo was able to anticipate the arrival of the messenger and escape being killed. However, Guo's family was slaughtered, and so Guo rebelled and marched on the capital Kaifeng. In the subsequent battle near Kaifeng, Liu Chengyou was killed in the confusion. Guo entered the capital and took control of the situation.