Background

Luo Hongxin was from Guixiang, one of the two counties making up the main city of Weibo Circuit's capital Wei Prefecture (魏州). His great-grandfather Luo Xiu, grandfather Luo Zhen, and father Luo Rang all served as officers at Weibo Circuit. Luo Hongxin himself did so as well from his youth, and he successively served under the military governors Han Jian and Le Yanzhen.

Takeover of Weibo Circuit

As of spring 888, a tension had developed between the elite headquarters guard corps and Le Yanzhen, over attempts by Le Yanzhen's son Le Congxun to recruit troops to replace the critical role that the headquarters guards played in Weibo's military. At one point, Le Congxun became so fearful of the headquarters guards that he fled from Wei Prefecture; Le Yanzhen subsequently made him the prefect of nearby Xiang Prefecture (in modern Handan) and allowed him to retrieve armors and weapons from Wei Prefecture to equip his own army, which made the headquarters guards even more apprehensive.

Le Yanzhen, sensing the tension and fearing that the headquarters guards were about to mutiny, tried to avoid the mutiny by resigning and becoming a Buddhist monk. The headquarters guards supported the officer Zhao Wenbian (趙文㺹) as acting military governor. Le Congxun, however, had amassed 30,000 troops by this point and tried to contest this succession by marching on Wei Prefecture. Zhao refused to engage Le Congxun in battle, and the soldiers killed him. With there having been a rumor spread around that a god had foretold that Luo would be the new military governor, Luo stepped forward to take the leadership role. He engaged Le Congxun and defeated Le Congxun. Le Congxun withdrew to Neihuang (內黃, in modern Anyang, Henan). Luo put Neihuang under siege.

Le Yanzhen and nearby warlord Zhu Quanzhong the military governor of Xuanwu Circuit (宣武, headquartered in modern Kaifeng, Henan) had been friendly with each other, however, and during the disturbance the Weibo soldiers killed Zhu's emissary Lei Ye (雷鄴). Le Congxun thus sought aid from Zhu. Zhu sent his officer Zhu Zhen (朱珍) north, capturing three Weibo cities and advancing to Neihuang, where he initially defeated Weibo forces. However, when Le Congxun subsequently tried to fight out of the siege, Luo's officer Cheng Gongxin (程公信) attacked and killed him. Subsequently, Le Yanzhen was also executed, and both his head and his son's were publicly displayed on the gate to the Weibo camp. Luo subsequently sent messengers to apologize to Zhu Quanzhong and offer him gifts, so Zhu Quanzhong withdrew his forces, allowing Luo to take over Weibo without further opposition. Then-reigning Emperor Zhaozong issued an edict making Luo acting military governor.

Early rule

Later in 888, Emperor Zhaozong made Luo Hongxin full military governor of Weibo, and created him the Duke of Yuzhang in 889. Emperor Zhaozong also bestowed on him the honorary titles of acting Sikong (司空, one of the Three Excellencies) and chancellor (同中書門下平章事, Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi).

At that time, Luo's Weibo Circuit sat between the regions of control by the major warlords Zhu Quanzhong the military governor of Xuanwu Circuit (宣武, headquartered in modern Kaifeng, Henan) and Li Keyong the military governor of Hedong Circuit (河東, headquartered in modern Taiyuan, Shanxi), who had a heated rivalry with each other. Luo appeared to initially try to stay out of the fray in the rivalry between Zhu and Li. For example, in 889, when Li attacked Meng Fangli the military governor of the eastern half of Zhaoyi Circuit (昭義), who was then at Xing Prefecture (邢州, in modern Xingtai, Hebei), causing Meng to commit suicide in distress, Meng's brother and temporary successor Meng Qian (孟遷) sought aid from Zhu. When Zhu sought permission to send relief troops through Weibo territory, however, Luo denied permission, causing Zhu to be able to send only a small contingent to aid Meng Qian; Meng Qian eventually was forced to surrender to Li. However, in 890, after Luo again denied Zhu permission to mount an offensive against Hedong through his territory, Zhu attacked Weibo, and after five defeats at Zhu's hand in spring 891, Luo sued for peace, and thereafter he was submissive to Zhu.

Late rule

However, Luo Hongxin, even though he submitted to Xuanwu, did not break off his relations with Hedong initially. For example, in 894, when Li Keyong's allies Zhu Xuan the military governor of Tianping Circuit (天平, headquartered in modern Tai'an, Shandong) and Zhu Xuan's cousin Zhu Jin the military governor of Taining Circuit (泰寧, headquartered in modern Jining, Shandong) were under Xuanwu attack and sought aid from Li, Li obtained permission from Luo to send relief troops through Weibo (commanded by his officer An Fushun (安福順)) and again did so in 895 (commanded by his officers Li Chengsi (李承嗣) and Shi Yan (史儼)).

In 896, Li Keyong again sent relief troops for Tianping and Taining through Weibo, commanded by his adoptive son Li Cunxin, initially with Luo's permission. However, Zhu Quanzhong wrote Luo to warn him that Li Keyong had the ambition of ruling all of the territory north of the Yellow River and that he believed that Li Cunxin was intending an attack once the Tianping/Taining campaign was over. Further, Li Cunxin aggravated Luo by pillaging Weibo's countryside. Luo, in anger, ambushed Li Cunxin's troops in the night, forcing him to flee. (This was considered the turning point in Zhu Quanzhong's campaign against Zhu Xuan and Zhu Jin, as from this point Li Keyong was no longer able to aid Zhu Xuan and Zhu Jin through Weibo territory. Zhu Quanzhong further cemented his relationship with Luo by respectfully referring to Luo, as if he were an older brother.)

Later in 896, Li Keyong launched a major attack on Weibo and was initially successful in defeating Weibo troops and reaching Wei Prefecture. However, Zhu Quanzhong sent his general Ge Congzhou to aid Weibo, and defeated Li Keyong in battle, capturing Li Keyong's son Li Luoluo (李落落) and nearly capturing Li Keyong himself. When Li Keyong sought to ransom Li Luoluo from Zhu Quanzhong, Zhu Quanzhong instead gave Li Luoluo to Luo and had Luo execute Li Luoluo, to further complete the break between Weibo and Hedong. After Li Luoluo's death, Li Keyong withdrew. Another subsequent attack by Li Keyong in winter 896 also ended in failure, with Luo aided by Zhu Quanzhong, and Li Keyong ended all attempts to go through Weibo territory after Tianping and Taining fell to Xuanwu troops in spring 897.

In 898, Zhu Quanzhong, with aid from Weibo, attacked the three prefectures of Zhaoyi Circuit east of the Taihang Mountains that Li Keyong still held. The Xuanwu/Weibo troops quickly achieved victory and captured those prefectures, removing Li Keyong's remaining military presence east of the Taihang. At some point, Luo was created the Prince of Linqing.

Later in 898, Luo died. The Weibo soldiers supported his son Luo Shaowei as acting military governor, and this was later confirmed by Emperor Zhaozong. Luo Hongxin was posthumously honored and created the Prince of Beiping.

Notes and references

• Old Book of Tang, vol. 181.

• New Book of Tang, vol. 210.

• Zizhi Tongjian, vols. 257, 258, 259, 260, 261.

家世背景

羅宗弁先世是長沙人。祖先北遷到了魏博首府魏州，居住在魏州主城的兩縣之一貴鄉。

曾祖羅秀、祖父羅珍、父羅讓都是魏博軍的軍官。青年時的羅宗弁也是如此，先後效力節度使]韓簡和樂彥禎。善騎射，狀貌雄偉。未知何時改名羅弘信。

接管魏博

文德元年二月，魏博牙兵因樂彥禎之子樂從訓招募親兵而與樂彥禎關繫緊張。樂從訓害怕，逃離魏州。樂彥禎任他為相州刺史，允許他從魏州獲取甲兵、金帛武裝自己的軍隊，牙兵愈發起疑。

樂彥禎察覺氣氛緊張，害怕牙兵兵變，於是剃髮出家。牙兵推都將趙文㺹留後。樂從訓聚兵三萬進軍魏州，想競爭節度使繼承人。趙文㺹拒不出戰，為士兵所殺。時羅弘信為馬牧監，當時有人稱看見白鬚老翁預言羅弘信將為新節度使，羅弘信便站出來領導軍眾，四月，在牙軍推戴下，自稱權知留後，迎戰樂從訓，敗之。樂從訓撤到內黃，羅弘信圍之。

樂彥禎和鄰鎮軍閥宣武軍節度使朱全忠交好，但魏博軍驅逐樂彥禎時殺了朱全忠的使者押牙雷鄴。樂從訓因此求救于朱全忠。朱全忠派都指揮使朱珍、踏白都副將王檀等北上，攻下魏博治下黎陽、臨河、李固三城，逼近內黃，最初打敗了魏博軍，魏博將周儒、邵神劍被王檀所俘。但樂從訓試圖突圍時，被羅弘信部將程公信攻殺于洹水。樂彥禎也被處決，父子都被梟首軍門。羅弘信又派使者用重禮犒勞朱全忠軍，請求修好，朱全忠撤軍，羅弘信因而在無人反對的情況下接管了魏博。四月，唐昭宗下詔加羅弘信工部尚書，權知節度留後。

前期統治

同年七月，昭宗加羅弘信金紫光祿大夫、檢校尚書右僕射，充魏博節度觀察處置等使，次年又封豫章郡公，加檢校司空、同平章事。

當時，羅弘信治下的魏博夾在彼此強烈敵對的兩大軍閥朱全忠和河東節度使李克用之間。羅弘信起初想在兩者之間獨善其身。如龍紀元年（889年），李克用攻東昭義節度使孟方立于邢州，迫孟方立沮喪自殺，其弟孟遷求助于朱全忠。朱全忠遣將趙昌嗣向羅弘信借糧食馬匹，想借道魏博的相州、衛州派出援軍討李克用，但羅弘信拒絕，朱全忠只能派出數百精兵助孟遷；孟遷最終被迫降于李克用。大順元年（890年）六月，正值昭宗討伐李克用，因羅弘信與成德軍節度使王鎔相請，德州刺史、權知滄州兵馬留後盧彥威被任為檢校尚書右僕射，兼滄州刺史、御史大夫，充義昌軍節度、滄德觀察處置等使。當月，朱全忠想借道魏博攻河東，羅弘信因當初雷鄴之事害怕，正通好河東，故再次拒絕，也沒有出兵幫昭宗討伐李克用，朱全忠便從黎陽渡河攻魏博。待昭宗軍為李克用所敗，朱全忠又以羅弘信觀望為由，十二月，派萬騎討魏博，以丁會、葛從周率眾渡河取黎陽、臨河，龐師古、霍存下淇門、衛縣，自領大軍後繼。次年正月，羅弘信守內黃，遣使求救于李克用，李克用也出兵，但羅弘信自內黃至永定橋五戰皆敗，大將馬武等被擒，又被攻陷十縣、斬首萬餘級，故元城被屠，于是遣使厚幣求和，朱全忠下令停止焚掠，歸還戰俘，羅弘信感悅，從此降服于朱全忠。

後期統治

但降服于宣武軍的羅弘信起初並沒有和河東斷絕關係。如乾寧元年（894年），李克用的盟友天平軍節度使朱瑄及其堂弟泰寧軍節度使朱瑾遭宣武軍攻打時，求救于李克用，李克用得羅弘信許可經魏博派出了騎將安福順率領的援軍，次年又派出史儼、李承嗣率領的援軍。

乾寧三年（896年）正月，李克用再次經魏博派出養子李存信、李瑭等率領的援軍以救天平、泰寧，羅弘信最初也允許了。但朱全忠寫信警告羅弘信，李克用志在吞併河朔，一旦天平、泰寧戰事結束，李存信將攻魏博。李存信又劫掠魏博鄉里，激怒了羅弘信。羅弘信憤而發兵三萬夜襲李存信軍于莘縣，迫其逃去。這被認為是朱全忠討伐朱瑄、朱瑾戰事的轉折點，此後李克用再不能經魏博派軍援助朱瑄、朱瑾。朱全忠又尊敬地稱羅弘信為兄，進一步鞏固了和羅弘信的關係。

同年三月，李克用大舉攻魏博，掠相州、魏州，攻李固、洹水，敗殺萬餘魏博軍，進逼魏州。朱全忠派部將葛從周、氏叔琮援魏博，敗李克用于洹水，俘其子鐵林指揮使李落落，李克用本人也幾乎被俘。李克用想向朱全忠贖回李落落，朱全忠卻將李落落交給羅弘信並讓羅弘信殺了他，使魏博和河東完全決裂。李落落既死，李克用撤軍。但從此李克用每每侵擾相州、魏州，六月，破魏成安、洹水、臨漳等十餘邑。七月，李克用派李存信攻羅弘信，並徵兵于附庸于自己的盧龍節度使劉仁恭，劉仁恭以契丹入侵推託。九月，李存信攻魏博臨清，葛從周等引軍來援，大敗于宗城北，李存信進攻魏州。十月，李克用在白龍潭敗羅弘信，追到魏州觀音門，因朱全忠救兵到而還。百姓因李克用侵擾，十死其九。同年冬，李克用再攻魏博，由于朱全忠救助羅弘信而再次失敗。四年（897年）正月天平、泰寧被宣武軍攻陷後，李克用也不再嘗試打通魏博了。

五年（898年）三月，盧彥威被劉仁恭子劉守文所敗來投，羅弘信不納。朱全忠與劉仁恭修好，會同魏博軍攻太行山以東昭義鎮李克用轄下邢、洺、磁三州。聯軍很快取勝，五月，攻陷三城，消除了李克用留在太行山東的勢力。當年，李克用再討羅弘信，先鋒李嗣本破湯陰。羅弘信累官至檢校太師，其妻自越國夫人進封燕國夫人，九月，守侍中，封為臨清郡王，後進長沙郡王。累官檢校太尉、兼中書令。

當月，羅弘信卒。魏博軍推其子節度副使羅紹威知留後，後得昭宗認可。羅弘信死後累贈守太師，追封北平王，謚莊肅。娶趙國夫人呂氏，先卒，又娶吳國夫人王氏，未詳自越國夫人進封燕國夫人的是哪位妻子。羅弘信父羅讓本為檢校司空，累贈太師，封南陽王，妻宋氏封越國太夫人。

後朱全忠稱帝，建立後梁，即太祖皇帝。乾化二年（912年），梁太祖追封羅弘信為趙王。

注釋及參考文獻