Life

Gao Huaide's father Gao Xingzhou was a general in the Later Zhou military. In 944, just 18 years old, Gao Huaide accompanied his father in resisting the invasion by the Liao forces from the north. In Qicheng (near today's Puyang, Henan Province), his father was surrounded by the Liao forces and with no aid in sight, Gao Huaide fought a way out and saved his father on his horseback.

In 957, the Later Zhou military tried to invade Shouchun (in today's Shou County, Anhui Province) which was occupied by Southern Tang kingdom. At night, Gao Huaide and a few men went across the Huai River for reconnaissance and in the morning caught a Southern Tang soldier who provided important information. When Emperor Shizong of Later Zhou watched the battle from a height, he noticed a general who fought many enemies by himself, even taking the spear from the enemy's hands. He was informed that was Gao Huaide.

When Later Zhou was overthrown by the Song dynasty, Emperor Taizu of Song arranged for Gao Huaide to marry his younger sister, Princess Chang of Yan Kingdom. Along with Shi Shouxin, Gao Huaide defeated Li Yun's rebellion.

生平

性格率真，不拘小节，精音律。年轻时随父高行周从军。后晋开运元年（944年），有辽军南袭，他随父出战，兵困于戚城（今河南省濮阳市北），竟单骑挟父杀出重围。后周显德四年（957年），周世宗攻南唐寿春（今安徽寿县），敌军刘仁赡筑寨据守，怀德奉命深入敌营侦察，夜渡淮河，清晨兵临寿春城下，抓住一名敌兵，获得敌营情报，甚获世宗赏识。后因拥立赵匡胤称帝，娶燕国长公主为妻，加拜驸马都尉，升殿前副都点检。

建隆元年（960年），昭义军节度使李筠起兵叛于上党（长治），太祖令怀德与石守信率兵进讨，北汉刘钧按兵不动，首战长平告捷，又破李筠部于泽州（山西晋城），李筠退守泽州。六月，赵匡胤亲征，李筠自焚而亡。建隆二年（961年），改封归德军节度。开宝六年秋，加拜同平章事，冬季，燕国长公主去世，辞去驸马都尉职位。宋太宗即位，兼任侍中，加检校太师。太平兴国四年（979年）跟随太宗灭北汉，改镇曹州，封冀国公。太平兴国七年（982年）改封武胜军节度，同年七月病逝，年五十七岁。追赠中书令，追封渤海郡王，谥号武穆。

高怀德之子高处恭，官终右监门卫大将军。高处恭弟高处俊，官至西京作坊使。燕国长公主所生女高氏受封为长乐郡主，后又被宋仁宗封为仁寿公主。

参考书目

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