Prior to independence

Tufa Wugu's father Tufa Sifujian (禿髮思復鞬) was a great-grandnephew of the early Jin Dynasty (266–420) Xianbei general Tufa Shujineng, who had been a menace to Jin forces during the reign of Emperor Wu. Tufa Sifujian became tribal chief in 356 and was a Former Qin vassal, but it was not known when he died and was succeeded by Tufa Wugu.

Tufa Wugu himself was described as brave and ambitious, and he considered ways to take over Liang Province (涼州, modern central and western Gansu). His general Fen Tuo (紛陁) advised him that he had to be diligent, encourage agriculture, and rule efficiently and fairly. He strived to follow Fen's suggestions, and soon became known for his abilities. In 394, Lü Guang, the prince of Later Liang, sent messengers to commission Tufa Wugu as a general, and Tufa Wugu considered whether to accept it. Most of his advisors wanted to reject the commission, since they felt it humiliating to be Later Liang's vassal, but the strategist Shizhen Ruoliu (石真若留) pointed out that Tufa Wugu was not yet in shape to oppose Lü Guang, and that he should submit to make Lü Guang arrogant. Tufa Wugu agreed, and accepted the Later Liang posts.

In 395, Tufa Wugu attacked a number of unsubmissive tribes around his, including Yifu (乙弗) and Zhejue (折掘), forcing them to submit. He built Lianchuan Castle (廉川堡, in modern Haidong Prefecture, Qinghai) to serve as headquarters. Also in 395, Lü Guang created him the Duke of Guangwu.

In 396, when Lü Guang claimed the imperial title of "Heavenly Prince" (Tian Wang), he tried to confer some more honorific titles on Tufa Wugu, but this time Tufa Wugu refused, stating to Lü Guang's ambassador:

:Heavenly Prince Lü's sons are all corrupt and immoral. His nephews are particularly violent and cruel. People both near and far are angry and ready to rebel. How can I go against the people and accept these unjust titles? I am about to claim a regal title myself.

Tufa Wugu therefore rejected the titles, although he kept the musicians and artisans that Lü Guang sent to him as part of the title bestowment.

In 397, after Lü Guang had suffered a loss on the battlefield against Western Qin's prince Qifu Gangui, Tufa Wugu declared himself the Prince of Xiping and changed era name, signifying a declaration of independence for Southern Liang. He then captured Later Liang's city Jincheng (金城, in modern Lanzhou, Gansu), which Later Liang had only captured from Western Qin earlier that year. Lü Guang sent his general Dou Gou (竇苟) to attack Southern Liang, but was defeated by Tufa Wugu.

Reign

The major aim for Tufa Wugu was to weaken Later Liang and eventually capture its capital Guzang (姑臧, in modern Wuwei, Gansu), and later in 397, when Later Liang's rebel general, the prophet Guo Nen (郭黁), under attack by Lü Guang's son Lü Zuan, sought help from him, he sent his brother Tufa Lilugu to relieve Guo, although Guo later submitted to Western Qin. In 398, two other Later Liang rebel generals Yang Gui (楊軌) and Wang Qiji (王乞基) submitted to Tufa Wugu, and later that year Tufa Wugu defeated the powerful Qiang chief Liang Ji (梁饑), and after his victory, the Qiang and Xiongnu tribes south of the Hongchi Mountain (洪池嶺, in modern Wuwei as well) all submitted to him. Late in the year, he changed his title from Prince of Xiping to Prince of Wuwei, perhaps signifying his eventual design on Guzang.

In spring 399, Tufa Wugu moved his capital to Ledu (樂都, in modern Haidong Prefecture, Qinghai). It was described that, around this time, he was very effective at judging talent, and regardless of whether his subordinates were Han or of other ethnicities, he put them all in the right positions in accordance with their talent. He also sought advice on whom to attack first, among Western Qin, Later Liang, or Northern Liang. Pursuant to suggestions by Yang Tong (楊統), who pointed out that Lü Guang was incompetent and that his sons were distrusting of each other, and that Tufa Wugu should let his troops harass Later Liang's borders and eventually conquer it. When Lü Guang's sons Lü Shao and Lü Zuan attacked Northern Liang later that year, Tufa Wugu went to the Northern Liang prince Duan Ye's aid, helping to stave off the Later Liang attack.

Later that year, Tufa Wugu fell off his horse while drunk, and he suffered a severe chest injury. He remarked, while grinning, "I am making Lü Guang and his sons happy!" As his conditions worsened, he ordered that someone who is old should succeed him, and so his nobles supported his brother Tufa Lilugu as the new prince (as Prince Kang).

Era name

• Taichu (太初 tài chū) 397–400

Personal information

• Father

　• Tufa Sifujian (禿髮思復犍), Xianbei tribal chief

• Children

　• Tufa Fudan (禿髮赴單)

　• Tufa Fanni (禿髮樊泥)

生平

禿髮思復鞬死後，禿髮烏孤接任禿髮鮮卑首領，他勇猛威武，且有大志，並圖謀奪取時由後涼控制的涼州。禿髮烏孤於是致力發展農業，與鄰邦修好，禮待賢士，以積聚力量。後涼麟嘉六年（394年），涼王呂光封為冠軍大將軍、河西鮮卑大都統、廣武縣侯，其部屬石真若留認為當時禿髮烏孤的根基未穩，尚未是後涼的對手，建議禿髮烏孤暫時接受，等待機會。禿髮烏孤因而接受。

次年（395年）破乙弗、折掘二部，並自建廉川堡（今青海民和縣西北）作都城，此後再受後涼封為廣武郡公。後涼龍飛元年（396年）呂光稱天王，又遣使署征南大將軍、益州牧、左賢王，禿髮烏孤指呂光諸子貪淫，甥子暴虐，以不違百姓之心及不受不義爵位為由拒絕不受。及於次年正式叛後涼自立，自稱大都督、大將軍、大單于、西平王，改年號太初，並攻克後涼控制的金城（今甘肅蘭州市西北），後更於街亭（今甘肅秦安縣東北）擊敗前來討伐的後涼軍。次年（398年），後秦樂都、湟河、澆河三郡、嶺南羌胡數萬落及後涼將領楊軌、王乞基皆向禿髮烏孤歸降。禿髮烏孤於同年改稱武威王。太初三年（399年），烏孤遷都樂都（今青海樂都）。當時禿髮烏孤選任官員包括了胡人豪族、當地有德望之士、文武才俊、中原遷來的有才之士以及秦雍世族子弟，皆以其才授官。同年禿髮烏孤因酒後墜馬傷及肋骨，傷重而死，死前向臣下表示應當立年長新君，故由其弟禿髮利鹿孤繼位。諡號為武王，廟號烈祖。

後代

子

• 禿髮羌奴，烏孤子，因為烏孤去世時尚年幼，沒能繼位。

• 禿髮樊尼，烏孤子，安西將軍，後歸北魏。

• 禿髮赴單，烏孤子，南涼亡後獲西秦乞伏熾磐任命為西平太守。

孫

• 禿髮承鉢，烏孤孫，南涼滅亡時投奔沮渠蒙遜，後入北魏，封昌松公。