生平

早年

唐德宗贞元三年(787年)，李吉甫于长安任太常博士，李德裕于其在长安万年县安邑坊的住宅内出生。贞元八年(792年)四月，李吉甫因窦参与陆贽之案牵连被贬为明州员外长史，李德裕随父一同移居明州。三年后，陆贽被罢相，贬于忠州，而李吉甫也因此被升为忠州刺史，李德裕也一同移住，《酉阳杂俎》有故事记载此间李德裕于翟塘遇到过怪物。李德裕秉持自幼就有的志向，苦心力学，精通《汉书》与《左传》。尽管已有足够的文采，李德裕因不喜欢科举考试而随父亲辗转各地，也不与当地诸生一同参与乡举。至贞元二十一年八月前，李德裕因父亲转任郴州、饶州而多次迁家。

唐顺宗永贞元年(805年)八月，李吉甫受命由饶州调回京师，李德裕却依旧拒绝考试入仕。据历史学家李文才的推论，因李氏家族源自李栖筠及李吉甫对待当时科举制度的态度，李德裕受环境影响而有相同的抗拒心理，即对进士科的浮华问题有共识。同年十二月，顺宗病逝。

入仕

唐宪宗元和元年(806年)，李德裕随李吉甫回到京师。元和四年十一月，由于淮西彰义军易权于吴少阳，李吉甫自请为淮南节度使，后以王起为掌书记。当时李德裕也随父出镇，并曾与时已任御史的王起游玩于汴州等地。元和八年，李吉甫因在相位七年受褒奖，李德裕也因父恩萌补为秘书省校书郎。李德裕当时尽管与好友王起同在京师为官，却不常见面，有次雨天去拜访王起时发现对方已经入朝，于是互叙诗言情，感叹两者官署不同而无法如以前那样亲密的交流。同年，李德裕为避嫌而辞校书郎一职，出为地方官，转多位节镇幕府从事。

元和九年十月，李吉甫去世，李德裕循例丁忧守制。元和十一年，张弘靖去相位，出镇河东，驻于太原，弹压王承宗。李德裕次年在丁忧结束后继续受任于藩镇，张弘靖因崔公信升殿中侍御史，辟李德裕为新任掌书记。元和十三年六月，张弘靖组织了唱和诗会，李德裕与崔恭、韩察、高铢、陆瀍、胡证、张贾等人同酬唱。当时，由于张弘靖镇守太原，没有奉承周边宦官，适时监军使魏弘简不满却无法在公务上指出有何瑕疵，便进言宪宗说张弘靖有很多书画收藏。宪宗知道后下诏索要，李德裕代替张弘靖撰写了进献多种书画的书状《代高平公进书画状》、《进玄宗马射图状》，后所献书画受到宪宗赞赏。元和十四年五月，张弘靖拜为吏部尚书，李德裕随张弘靖入朝，除为监察御史。后张弘靖再出镇地方，李德裕留于京师。

穆宗朝

元和十五年正月，宪宗被杀，穆宗即位。李德裕于十三日被任命为翰林学士，仍守监察御史，二月二十日兼为屯田员外郎。穆宗为太子时就听说过李吉甫的名声，后面见到李德裕，也非常重视李德裕。因此内廷所出诏书，大部分都是让李德裕草拟的。穆宗在位初期，政治决策不端，经常采取施恩等疲怠手段，导致了很多用心不良的皇亲国戚藉此插手内廷，与当权官员私通有无，而李德裕对这样的现象有憎恨之感，遂于长庆元年(821年)正月上疏论事。在疏中，李德裕指出驸马等亲戚因身份特殊，不应和朝廷重要官员有过多接触，他说现在他们都到宰相及各种高层官员的私宅中，因非自身有一技之长而得以被引荐，所以只能利用机密信息为交换。他认为这些官员居清高显贵的位子，若有公事理应直接于中书省等官署内解决。这一事论得到了穆宗的赞同。在翰林院期间，李德裕结交了同任职翰林院的李绅、元稹，三人因性情相投，文采出人，在当时被并称为「三俊」。三月二十三日，李德裕改官考功郎中知制诰。

长庆二年正月二十九日，李德裕加翰林学士承旨，二月四日迁为中书舍人。在中书舍人任上，李德裕多接触机密参要信息，工作做的很好，在任仅两个星期后，被穆宗调任出为御史中丞填补缺职，专以治肃朝纲。同月，李逢吉自襄阳回朝，他早在宪宗元和时，因对淮西战事的不同意见不受宪宗待见，被下放为剑南东川节度使，此次回朝就任兵部尚书。适时元稹、裴度任相位，于是李逢吉暗中安排人手，挑拨两者关系。至六月，元稹和裴度皆因此被罢相，李逢吉顺利代为门下侍郎同平章事。经李绅等人的辩解，裴度得以留在京师，而李逢吉为排挤以裴度为代表的李德裕、李绅等人会阻碍他，便多加排挤。于是李绅被调为御史中丞，李德裕则外放为浙西观察使。

节度浙西

窦易直在李德裕上任前为当地团练防御使，七月份时治下汴州将领李㝏将将主李愿驱逐，窦易直听闻后想要使用府库财物犒赏安抚驻军，后因有人进言说如此赏赐没有名义，还可能会有新的忧患，于是没有执行这一计划。然而军士都知道了这个消息，恰巧由于河道乾旱，转运司无法正常转送金钱粮食，另一将领王国清以这些库存为赏赐的藉口唆使驻军叛乱。在事发时有人告密，导致王国清被捕下狱，却有上千叛乱军士攻破牢狱，救出王国清。窦易直在退到城楼上后许诺用十万钱换一级叛军首级，使手下开始反击叛军，活捉并处决了王国清在内的三百多叛军。至九月李德裕接任前，窦易直大肆将府库内的财物封赏于将士，导致这些军士非常骄横。于是李德裕实施节俭的政策，将地方收入都用为军费，使得那些军士不再抱怨。在任两年后，润州府库也逐渐充实，驻军也恢复了战斗力。

长庆三年，李德裕时三十七岁，敢于实施各种新的政策，革除那些会损害百姓利益的旧俗。当时润州等地治下百姓多迷信巫祝神怪，导致了当他们父母亲人病重时，便不敢继续养育而离去。为了改变这一类风俗，李德裕专门选择当地那些德高望重的长老等有识之士，宣传了慈孝及患难与共的道德观念，并在此基础上利用法律约束这类行为的再发生。同时，李德裕下令捣毁各地淫祠，鼓励祭祀当地以前的贤臣；那些容易窝藏盗贼土匪的山房也一俱被毁。除此之外，李德裕也上疏阐述了百姓有厚葬的习俗，他开始禁止此类风气以使地方可以休养生息。李德裕指出，当时百姓对父母没有尽孝，反而在死后实施厚葬之举，不但所用的礼器僭越礼制，祭奠过程十分奢靡，还配音乐送终。这样的葬礼多为社群共同集资或借贷自己筹划，导致日常的积蓄被挥霍一空。这样的现象对百姓而言习以为常，并不敢随意废除这样的习俗，最后使得人户贫破。因此李德裕提出要严禁贵重如金、银等物为葬礼时装饰，严格惩罚僭越制度来陈设音乐并使用更高等级的葬器的人。这一提议得到了同意，敕中规定说各类利器规格不能超出典章所定，继续有厚葬之行为的人家尽管不去问罪，却也需要在官府备案。据统计，李德裕治下共除去淫祠一千多所，山房一千五百间，当地的风气大有转变。穆宗特下诏褒奖李德裕之政绩。

敬宗朝

长庆四年(824年)正月，穆宗去世，敬宗即位。敬宗登基后生活奢侈，向浙西下诏令命令当地进献二十具盝子，共计会花费一万三千两银子和一百三十两金子。七月，在制作了两具盝子进献后，李德裕上疏想要敬宗免除这些额外的负担。他在疏中指出，浙西府库储备的银子只剩下两三百两，千方百计凑出来了两具盝子；另一方面就算节省支出，当地财政还有十三万贯的亏空。他委婉的指出说上奏此事是既不想负任命之恩，也不希望会使军需缺阙，对下横徵暴敛，于是敬宗罢去此次进奉。尽管已经有敕书规定不许进献，一个月后的道路上依旧来往很多徵收贡品的使者，李德裕再奏事，却没有得到回覆。九月，又下诏于浙西，令进献一千匹缭绫。李德裕再次上疏谏言，不但指出浙西所部无法提供那些贡品，还说明了多位前朝皇帝的节俭风格，期望敬宗可以效仿这些好的行为。这件事情在后世也多被引用与各类奏疏散文，宋代孙甫认为这说明了李德裕以治下百姓为本的思想，不奉承君主的欲望。

十二月，徐州节度使王智兴试图在徐、泗等地设置佛教戒坛，李德裕上《王智兴度僧尼状》弹劾王智兴，指称他为奸幸。李德裕指出自宪宗元和二年起有敕禁止私自剃度，王智兴在各个辖区发榜通知戒坛的事情导致一户人口中必会让一人剃发，只为逃避朝廷赋税，利用宗教的身份来隐瞒自己的资产。而由于元和禁令导致佛门不再兴置戒坛，王智兴的奏请使全国范围的沙门奔走，据李德裕的见闻，每日至少有百人渡河来度。王智兴请建戒坛的理由为庆祝诞节，而李德裕据此估计等到那时候，江淮以南将会有六十万壮丁不在户册。尽管李德裕上疏后此事被罢，王智兴依靠此事致富，获得了很多利润，被时舆论所抨击。

宝历元年(825年)，敬宗即位未久。他注重于玩乐之事，对理政没有兴趣，于是李逢吉和王守澄等人把持朝政，时为宰相之一的牛僧孺因考虑到以后的仕途于正月上表试图辞去相位。当时敬宗喜爱游幸，一月中上朝次数不过三，导致了很多官员很难觐见皇帝。因此李德裕于二月八日上《丹扆六箴》劝谏敬宗，分《宵衣》、《正服》、《罢献》、《纳诲》、《辩邪》、《防微》六篇，全方面例举敬宗理应效仿的前代贤君。在箴中，他用伯禹、光武的例子劝诫敬宗要早起上朝，并且不能因为其他原因就不早朝；他用汲黯、杨阜的例子劝诫敬宗不贪图华美的服饰或安逸的享受，要遵守礼制；他用汉文帝的例子劝诫敬宗不要多徵地方进献多馀的事物，不超脱自然就是至理；他用汉成帝、魏明帝的例子劝诫敬宗针对合适的谏言从善如流，不因忠言逆耳而不听；他用汉昭帝的例子劝诫敬宗多了解自己的国家，多分辨臣子所上奏疏的利弊；他最后用汉武帝、莽何罗的例子劝诫敬宗遵守皇帝应该遵守的法度，居安思危才能免去遗虑。敬宗后经韦处厚手诏赞扬了李德裕所上谏言，在诏内赞赏了他于浙西期间的政绩，并肯定了这一箴谏的积极性。此时李德裕为浙西观察使有数年，希冀回朝任事，由于其箴言间接抨击了李逢吉，在李逢吉的排挤下继续留任浙西，不得升迁。

宝历二年二月，毫州有僧人诓骗百姓，说有一处圣水可以治疗疾病。李德裕亲自去探查了情况，并在最后上奏中央。他在奏疏中指出，圣水一事是僧人为钱而设的骗局，每一斗水要价三贯。那些病人在去取水之前断绝荤菜的进食，喝完水后还持续两个星期只吃素，这导致很多人病情没有好转，反而更容易有生命危险。李德裕在视察过程中看到有两浙、福建的百姓都过来取圣水，他每天阻拦的人口高达数千人。那些取水的人中还有的人取后加入其他水源地的水，再转卖获利。李德裕认为圣水一说为妖妄之言，他在调查过程中曾取水做了试验，若圣水有传言所说的功效，那么煮肉的时候肉不会有变化，最后试验结果证明圣水没用，因此他提议令汴宋观察使令狐楚堵塞「圣水」以从根本上安抚地方。时任执政的裴度同意李德裕的说法，批准李德裕所奏。

敬宗一直追慕神仙术，宝历二年五月，有一名山人杜景先上奏状，愿意在淮南、江南等地寻访奇人异士。浙西有道士周息元是杜景先的好友，杜景先对敬宗夸耀说周息元已经活了几百年，敬宗遂派遣中使迎接周息元到京师。当时还有诏下于李德裕，命他准备公车提供乘行。李德裕认为周息元所说荒诞不经，上疏告谏敬宗说他见过的那些所谓道士都是纯粹附和皇帝，使用小的伎俩来糊弄别人，文成、五利两位将军的道术也没有灵验，因此在他看来值得戒备。李德裕在疏中进一步用高宗和玄宗没有选择服用那些异士炼出来的黄金为例，说明他在支持敬宗追寻隐士的同时注意自己的身体健康。抵达京师后，周息元自称认识张果、叶静能，还描述出他们的面相供画师画图。但是由于他只是平常人，对道学一窍不通，说话怪诞，于是在文宗即位后被放回江西。敬宗在位的三年时间中，一共给浙西下过四次诏书要求推举当地的佛、道高人，但是李德裕一人都没有推荐。后修《旧唐书》的史官据周息元的事情为例，认可李德裕见识深广并坚守正道。

文宗朝

宝历二年十二月八日，敬宗被杀害，文宗即位。大和元年(827年)九月，时仍为浙西观察使的李德裕与浙东观察使元稹一同加检校礼部尚书。当时李德裕纳段成式为自己的幕僚，曾与其一同饮宴。有一次他与李德裕谈及唐朝的词人优劣，李德裕指出当时流行有张九龄之「灵芝无根，醴泉无源」，其实出自虞翻的书信，张九龄只不过将芝草换成灵芝而已。段成式后来碰巧收藏到《虞翻集》，查阅验证了李德裕所言不虚。大和二年，李德裕因在浙西任上的政绩加衔银青光禄大夫，被赞其惠政「洋溢于歌讴，天下闻之久矣」。

大和三年初，李德裕在浙西推崇道理，治下既有儒学也有各种宗教，只禁止僧人只为蛊惑群众而皈佛。曾有僧人法融在浙西传道，于显庆二年去世，李德裕为法融修造一座新塔，捐献出自己越二十万钱的收入。三月，新塔修成，李德裕为此专门写信给京中好友刘禹锡，请他为这座塔撰写记文。八月，李德裕被召还入京，为兵部侍郎。裴度本欲推荐李德裕为相，李宗闵却在宦官的帮助下先拜相。九月，李德裕检校户部尚书，出为郑州、滑州节度使。

节度郑滑

早在大和元年，李同捷被诛，适时魏博节度使史宪诚也参与镇压李同捷之战，却暗自接济李同捷，于是后来本为义成军节度使的李听被命兼任魏博节度使。大和三年，史宪诚因一直对中央阳奉阴违，致使他被部下聚众所杀。何进滔被城内叛军推举为首，率军突袭时驻扎在城外的李听，李听所部溃败之下不得不退守滑州。由于多次动兵，朝廷期望先休养生息，于是魏博与郑滑暂为对峙状态，何进滔也被封为魏博节度使。战事过后，御史中丞温造等人上疏弹劾李听，尽管文宗未加罪于李听，他的兵权被收回，转为太子少师。当时的义成军治下郑滑等地物资殚竭，军队因连续作战也十分疲惫，急需牧民官员施行新政，使当地休养生息。恰逢李宗闵等人排挤李德裕，他便被命接替李听统辖义成军镇。

李德裕出行前，好友刘禹锡赠诗送行，其内表达了他期许出身前朝宰相李吉甫家门的李德裕也可以入相，并称赞了他在浙西八年期间的政绩可嘉。不久于大和四年十月，由于剑南西川节度使郭钊因病不能任职，李德裕被调任顶替郭钊节镇成都，官加检校兵部尚书、充剑南西川节度使并兼成都尹，义成军节度使一职由崔元略所替代。十二月，新任浙西观察使段嶷转奏百姓和将校为李德裕立碑的请求，文宗同意并下敕嘉奖李德裕在浙西时功绩，令礼部侍郎贾餗撰写碑文。

节度蜀中

当时的剑南道刚受南诏的袭略，成都南部姚州、协州，西部的维州、松州都被南诏所侵占。郭钊在当地治理不利，民生难以恢复。大和四年十一月，李德裕出剑门，抵达西川。他先派出官吏在各个州县勘寻被劫掠百姓，将每一个有名字的记录在册。经统计，共有九千人被劫掠，其中八千九百人都为寻常百姓。后李德裕靠碟谱索回三千三百人，与监军使于龙兴在大慈寺勘验了这些人。适时，为防止蜀中被再次袭扰，李德裕亲自视察治下地理情形，通过巩固关防、增加兵员的方式安定百姓的人心。他每日召见有作战经验的士卒，仔细辨别了各种山川城池的险要程度，对交通道路的状况也进行了评估，在一个月内完成了这些事情。当朝廷下令令李德裕修清溪关来阻挡南诏入寇之势时，李德裕先就地采石营造要塞，同时根据自己所了解的情况回复朝廷说此举的弊端。他指出蜀中有很多小路与蛮夷相接，不能依靠关隘来阻拦，只有重兵镇守本地才能确保安全。在他预计中，招募黎、雅州一万人加上成都两万人，只要经过训练，南蛮就不敢轻举妄动。

当留在蜀中的精锐被调归原驻地时，李德裕上奏试图挽留部分来帮助镇守。他说蜀兵心理脆弱，战斗力不够与蛮夷交战，又例举杜元颖旧事说明自己的兵力短缺。奏状中还说，李德裕走访多位将领，知道了仅仅在清溪关附近就有三条大型交通要道，还有很多小路，他恐怕南诏用从蜀中劫掠所得与吐蕃结盟共同入寇。朝廷后同意了李德裕所奏，来自郑滑、陈许两镇共一千五百人的精兵被留于蜀中戍守边疆。其时李德裕也开始遴选有战斗力的州兵，其中老弱、不听令的士卒都被淘汰，最后剩下七成的兵员；还从河中、浙西等地找来工匠打造更精良的武器装备。在治下百姓中，李德裕以两百户出一男丁的比例招募民兵，并称他们为「雄边子弟」。这些民兵中的精锐被他编为十一军，以保义、慕义、飞星、流电等为名。于是为进一步遏制吐蕃和南诏，李德裕下令修造杖义城以掩护清溪关；修造御侮城以掩护荣经；并重新修葺了邛崃关，在这些兵城关隘中储备粮食，使得蜀中民心稍微安定。

除为军事备御而准备，李德裕对各地的内政也进行了相应的调整。本在边境戍守部队的粮草来自于内地的漕运，它们从嘉州、眉州一路运至大度水，这使得抵达时已为夏日，很多船夫因水土不服而死。李德裕遂令邛州、雅州为源，十月份开始运粮至阳山地区，错开了炎热的季节，减少了天气所造成的死伤。适时蜀中很多女孩子被父母卖给别人为妾，于是李德裕令十三岁以下者服行五年的劳作、十三岁以上则为三年，完成后再回到父母家。另一方面，李德裕也效仿他在浙西的政策，拆毁了很多违章建造的寺庙，并藉此增加了百姓耕种的田土面积。后他下令禁止如剃发而肆意娶妻等陋习，使得治下风气转变。

归还维州争论

在李德裕坐镇并对西川进行了改革后，南诏和吐蕃对唐戒心越加强烈。大和五年九月，李德裕收到吐蕃治下维州副使悉怛谋帅手下部将投降的请求，他怀疑有诈，托言说要等命令。于是悉坦某直接带人到了成都，李德裕不得不派行维州刺史虞藏俭带兵先入驻维州城。随后，李德裕就此事上奏文宗，请求新的指令。此奏疏被传至尚书省，由多位官员共同商议，其中牛僧孺持异议。他指出吐蕃面积广大，维州的缺失不能伤害到吐蕃的元气，并说维州地理位置偏远，吐蕃很容易可以攻打至唐腹地，有维州对战局没有帮助，因此不宜同意收纳维州。李德裕后再上疏，说明了自己针对吐蕃的战略计划。在疏内，他指出维州对于吐蕃和唐廷都非常重要，维州城三面临江，不但是蜀中可以进击南诏和吐蕃的要冲，也是吐蕃在西方可以抵御唐廷的险要。他进一步解释说维州地理的重要性体现于当初韦皋千方百计试图进取维州就是为了可以镇戍边陲，如果现在依靠维州城布置防线，则可以省去其他很多兵寨集结的重兵，也能威胁到失去维州保护的吐蕃城池。文宗最后认为牛僧孺所言更有道理，考虑到唐与吐蕃关系刚刚建立，即命令李德裕归还维州及请降者。维州当李德裕送悉怛谋回吐蕃后，得知他们在吐蕃境内就地诛杀，因此加深了和牛僧孺的矛盾，而李德裕的支持者也认为牛僧孺的举动是防止李德裕获取功勋。

后于武宗会昌三年三月，李德裕再以此事上奏武宗，提出此事以前被牛僧孺等人所阻碍，请求追封因此被杀的悉怛谋。在奏疏内描述了他被迫将悉怛谋送回时，吐蕃的使者直接将他们在唐国界内虐杀这些人的见闻。于是武宗同意追封悉怛谋为右卫将军。

后世士人对李德裕、牛僧孺针对此事的意见有分歧的看法。宋代司马光在他的《资治通鉴》中对此事评论说唐与吐蕃刚刚建立好关系，就占据维州，无论是从利益或者义理上都是不对的。他认为当时李德裕说此事是从利益的角度出发，牛僧孺则是从大义的角度出发，因此牛僧孺所言更符合他的看法。后洪迈也明确支持司马光的论断，以牛僧孺之论为正确。陆游却持相反的意见，他写《筹边楼记》追述李德裕的事迹，引用了重建筹边楼的范成大对牛、李在维州事上的评论，认为李德裕镇守蜀中时，维州一事就是因为牛僧孺而功败垂成，如果维州被拿下，则李德裕可以据此取得更多的功绩。胡寅从另一个角度回护李德裕，说牛僧孺放弃唐原有的土地，并将归附的人捆缚送回是「以小信碍大计」，李德裕为洗刷前朝耻辱并奏请追封悉怛谋是大义的体现。后宋明理学著名的代表人物朱熹明确指出李德裕奏疏所言都是为过谋事，而牛僧孺尽管以义理说事，却是完全为了一己私利。

明代史家王夫之在其著作《读通鉴论》中针对此事有更为详尽的评论。他指出，维州一事支持牛僧孺的观念是自司马光开始的，司马光的目的是为说北宋当时对外的军事政策积极，从而利用牛僧孺的观点来告诫皇帝。王夫之进一步说明了唐、宋两个时代对外的强弱对比不同，战略利害也是两个方向，用一时的判断决定千秋的是非是有问题的。他详细分析了当时吐蕃的国力，用接近李德裕时期的几个战事为例，说明当时吐蕃军队的战斗力不同以往，对比唐军相对弱小。随后他强调了将归降的悉怛谋等人再送回吐蕃屠刀之下会使他人寒心，牛僧孺的一番言论在他看来属于私党之见，无视国家本身的利益需求。现代著名史学家岑仲勉先生在考证时也引援了王夫之的观点，并在此基础上利用牛党当政后的事例为旁证，将两个时期同样占据维州等城的行为作对比，指出了前后叙述形容的矛盾之处，认为牛僧孺此举即是「以私害公」。

第一次拜相

在维州事发后，文宗对自己的决定有后悔之意，时西川道监军使王践言转为枢密使，奏对文宗时支持李德裕所言。大和六年十二月，牛僧孺因此被罢为淮南节度使，李德裕则被召为兵部尚书入朝，段文昌代为剑南西川节度使。后段文昌上奏请为李德裕立德政碑，其奏疏为张弘靖子张次宗所草拟。次年二月，李德裕拜相，为同中书门下平章事守兵部尚书，爵进赞皇伯，食邑七百户。李德裕面见文宗谢恩时，文宗问及朝廷中的朋党情况。李德裕认为当时官员里三分之一的人都属于朋党，就算新入朝的也会趋炎附势陷入党争，他进一步建言说要任用更公正的官员，藉此消除朋党。当时以杨虞卿、张元夫等人为首的朋党政治下行政受到严重干扰，文宗对此十分不满，李德裕藉机建议贬官这几个党魁，于是文宗分别贬斥杨虞卿为常州刺史、张元夫为汝州刺史。后李宗闵发话说李德裕在外地时间长，对朋党的情况不如他清楚。他指出杨虞卿在和宾客应酬时被称为行中书，因此他没有给杨虞卿一个好的官位。李德裕讽刺说如果给事中不好还有什么官好，使得李宗闵无言以对。

李德裕初为相，便开始针对京中一些旧制进行了改革。以前的时候，三省六部的官员需要在执宰空闲时才能拜见，其他官员非公事不能谒见。李宗闵在权时常常有客人，时为太子太傅的李听带人在李宗闵处聚会，喝醉了才离去。李德裕因此规定了百官有公事要参见宰相的，必须先通报于宪台，罢朝后也不能到中书省来，而是直接从龙尾道离开。京兆府本在上朝时安排护送的卫兵，被李德裕以没有重要的事情时不需要武备的理由罢去；罢朝后百官也被禁从兴利门抄近道。在这几项规定被贯彻后，禁中官署秩序得到了改善。中书、尚书两省以前为使自己赚取利润，给予江淮一些豪商便于通货的令符。这样一来，那些商人就被各个城镇奉为上宾，并依此抬高自己的地位。这些作为使得各地本土的小商贩所占据的市场被侵吞，利润被那些最富的商人所赚取。李德裕判说他们不应与百姓争利，因此罢去了这项特权。六月份，李宗闵罢相，李德裕本官晋为中书侍郎兼集贤殿大学士。

宝历元年时，刘从谏的父亲刘悟去世，刘从谏效仿河北三镇的做法，世袭为昭义节度使。当时的执政李逢吉因为受贿，帮助李从谏拿到节度使的位子，李绛的反对被压了下去。大和七年七月，宣武节度使杨元卿生病，朝廷讨论换人代替，李德裕便提出将刘从谏调任到宣武军，以截断与山东的关系，文宗却认为不可行，最后李程代为宣武军节度使。同月，李德裕上奏，引用代宗时宰相杨绾针对教育的一封书状，建议科举以经术为重，其中进士科以议论经籍为主，删去诗赋等浮华却不务实的题目。针对皇室、勋贵的后代，李德裕也一并提出了几点提议，他认为那些王族生养在深宫没有好处，不应该如此浪费赋税所得，可以让诸王出任各地为长官并检验他们的才能。这些建议被文宗所采纳，他于八月册封太子后下诏，落实了这几项政策。然而，最后由于无法确定需要空出的职位，诸王一事被罢。

大和八年正月，逢新一轮进士及第。当时的惯例是礼部将进士的名单呈报给中书门下覆核，礼部侍郎先将名单交由宰相过眼，经宰相同意后再放榜取士。李德裕认为此举不妥，他指出在这过程中榜单多有修改之处，也导致外人多有流言。所以尽管审查更为精细，宰相也不应先于他人知道取舍。于是他下令说礼部以后进士名单不用呈报，直接放榜。

贬官袁州

早在敬宗时，王守澄即和郑注有勾结，于大和年间郑注依靠王守澄的帮扶成为内廷一员。大和八年八月，李逢吉族人李训说服李逢吉，入京贿赂郑注，藉此被王守澄推荐给文宗。文宗因中意李训讲解易经的水平，想要提拔他入翰林为谏官。由于李训早年试图陷害裴度，事发被流放，李德裕劝告文宗说李训向来的作为文宗也知道，不适宜当为近侍官员。后王涯支持文宗，使得文宗犹豫不决，最终下敕任命李训为四门助教。给事中郑肃、韩佽封驳了这一敕书，被王涯召见说李德裕留言让他们不用封驳，于是这封敕书顺利下达。第二天，两人将此事报告给李德裕，李德裕批评他们说就算说不封还也要当面讲，不需要托人传言，而且给事中的封驳之任也非要宰相覆核的。九月，郑注回朝，他和王守澄、李训一同计划对付李德裕，他们利用李宗闵和李德裕的旧怨，引诱李宗闵和李德裕更加敌对。十月，李宗闵被召入朝为执政，李德裕则因此被出为山南西道节度使，李训在当日便充为翰林侍讲。

对李训的任命导致了给事中郑肃、韩佽等人的抗议，不得不退回成命。李德裕面见文宗，请求留在京师，数日后还为兵部尚书。李宗闵后指出李德裕为节度使的诏书已经下达，于是李德裕不再有平章事的头衔，节镇改为镇海军。由于朝中大臣结党互相针对，文宗多有担心，认为去除朝廷里的朋党比平定河北还要难。

大和八年十一月，李德裕赴润州任，途径汝州时，受到了时为汝州刺史的刘禹锡招待。次年，李训、郑注试图诬陷德裕，他们利用了在大和五年发生的宋申锡一案，指使王璠、李汉上奏构陷说李德裕在浙西为观察使时贿赂杜仲阳以结交漳王李凑，图谋不轨。胡三省在他对《资治通鉴》的注释中指出以资治通鉴本身文本为准，李德裕就任时间的差距使他不可能参与入宋申锡一事。当文宗召集几位中枢官质问此事时，路隋不认同李德裕会做这种事，他指出如果李德裕有罪，那么他应也有罪。最后于四月十一日，李德裕被贬官为太子宾客，分司东都，路隋则因此被罢相，替为镇海军节度使。两个星期后，李德裕被文宗以皇帝生重病时没有任何忧虑、在蜀中贪财、贿赂奸人为由，贬为袁州长史。

节度淮南

大和九年十一月，甘露之变事发，失败后王涯、李训等人皆被当场诛杀，而时为凤翔节度使的郑注也因此被杀。时执政薛元赏成功平抚神策军，稳定了内廷。李德裕此时已在袁州任，他在任期间作了多首描写当地环境的诗赋并和儿子李烨唱和。当时还是郡学生的卢肇也受到过李德裕的礼遇，后于会昌三年科举中为进士第一。

开成元年(836年)三月，由于文宗意识到当初李德裕勾结漳王一事属于郑注等人的污蔑，他升李德裕官为滁州刺史，阶复银青光禄大夫。四个月后，李德裕官复太子宾客分司东都，他九月十九日抵达洛阳，居住于平泉山居。其好友刘禹锡也任同职，两者互相作唱和诗多首。文宗时问几位执宰，说朝廷现在还有什么遗留之事需要处理，几位都回答说有宋申锡之事还没解决。文宗感叹说当时兄弟都不能保护，何况是宋申锡，于是让人追为褒赐宋申锡。他又说李德裕现在就如同宋申锡，有意下诏升李德裕为浙西观察使。后在与学士说此事时，黎植反对说驱逐朋党时李德裕和李宗闵都被贬出，只有李德裕连续三次升官。文宗便问他曾经推荐的郑注是李德裕想要杀的人，现在官位应该给谁。这使得黎植不敢再对，于是十一月二十一日，诏下李德裕，再任他为浙西观察使并于十二月四日自洛阳出发赴任。李德裕前后共三次节度浙西，加起来已有十年以上。

开成二年五月，李德裕改官为淮南节度使以顶替牛僧孺，同时检校户部尚书兼为扬州大都督府长史，牛僧孺则调为检校司空，官升东都留守。牛僧孺听说此事后，先将军政等事务托付给了自己的副手张鹭，再行入朝。当时扬州府库中藏有八十万贯的钱帛，李德裕到任后先循例清点治下府库的钱帛军械等物，发现钱只剩四十万，其馀一半记录被张鹭所支用。于是李德裕上奏言明此发现，牛僧孺认为此事没错，诉讼于文帝，姚合、魏謩等官也以此弹劾李德裕说他因私怨而中伤牛僧孺。在文宗下令李德裕再行核实后，李德裕上疏认罪，指出节镇替代时有「杀半数」的惯例，承认他没有认识到这一情况。文宗下诏免除了这一罪责。开成四年四月，李德裕检校尚书左仆射。

武宗朝

第二次拜相

文宗开成五年正月，武宗被立为皇太弟并勾当军国事，在神策中尉仇士良等宦官的帮助下登位。由于当时的执政杨嗣复、李钰本支持前太子，武宗将他们罢去，在七月时召李德裕回朝，时为宣武节度使的李绅代为淮南节度使。李德裕于九月抵达京师，即拜相，本官升吏部尚书同中书门下平章事，兼为门下侍郎。当入谢时，李德裕向武宗提出了几条谏言。他指出，要治理好朝廷，需要先辨别正邪，而可以辨别的方法就是看是否结朋党；后再引用了管仲与齐桓公故事来说明政出一门的重要性；最后建议执宰任期不能长久，对比了贤相姚崇三考满后退相和李林甫总掌朝政十九年招致天宝时期的衰败。十一月，李德裕为义成军节度使时替代史宪诚为魏博节度使的何进滔去世，他的儿子何重霸被推举为首。李德裕知道后致书节度河阳的李执方，请他劝说李重霸归顺朝廷。

会昌元年(841年)二月，仇士良因刘弘逸、薛季棱为文宗所看重，唆使武宗将两人赐死，并派出宦官诛杀被贬为湖南观察使的杨嗣复和桂管观察使李珏。三月二十四日，李德裕休假在家，晚上闻知有中使出发去处置杨嗣复和李钰，便找人向盐铁转运使崔珙、户部尚书杜悰核实此消息，确知有使离开后他连夜草拟了一份奏状。二十五日早晨，崔珙、崔郸、陈夷行三位执政都已到中书，于是李德裕在一起吃饭的时候完成了这封奏状，请三人与他一同在延英殿与武宗论述此事。然而第一份奏状没有回覆，李德裕遂于中午写了第二封奏状再进，并也请枢密使到中书，询问赐死之事的真假，枢密使便透露说杨嗣复、李钰牵涉其中。李德裕与其他几位执政待在中书，专门等延英殿奏对的机会。至申时，延英殿开，李德裕邀请了中书门下的一些官员，对他们说就算他一个人恳请武宗救不了杨嗣复等人，他们总不会都不能打动武宗的。进入延英殿后，李德裕等人率先劝说武宗慎重考虑此事，而武宗坚持说自己不后悔这个决策，多次令他们先坐下，李德裕说没有圣旨免除赐死的命令就不敢坐。武宗在犹豫之后同意了李德裕等人所请，他解释说李钰想要扶持陈王，杨嗣复还在试图说服安王一方的杨妃效仿武则天旧事，李德裕便说这些消息虚实难知。于是武宗最终召回宦官，将杨嗣复贬为潮州刺史，李珏为昭州刺史。

九月，幽州发动兵变，主帅史元忠被陈行泰所替代，上书请求朝廷授予节度使之符节未果，又被张绛所杀。当陈行泰奏报抵达京师时，李德裕向武宗建议不要理会，他认为幽州自己会乱，后果然张绛事出。在此期间，李德裕上的《论幽州事宜状》解释了他一系列建议的原因，在内指出了幽州从朱克融就开始的不归顺朝廷的风气，计划通过不将节钺给予擅自立为节度使的将军来约束这种习俗。十月，雄武军使张仲武想要攻打张绛，他派遣手下吴仲舒到京城请求平复幽州，理由为张绛惨虐。当时李德裕召见了吴仲舒，他问雄武军有多少兵员，在知道只有本城八百加上折冲府的五百后追问这点兵力如何才能取胜，吴仲舒用利用人心和断绝粮道两种计策回答后，李德裕便上表推荐张仲武为平叛人选，加为卢龙节度使。

十月，鉴于武宗因喜好游猎，每天很晚才回皇宫，对于朝事不顾，李德裕遂上《论游幸状》劝谏武宗，说明作为君主需要有良好的作息，不能荒于游乐。十一月，武宗谒见郭太后时，太后指点他要多采纳谏言，因而翻阅了李德裕等人的谏状。这些奏疏中多为劝诫他不要频繁游猎，于是他采纳了这些谏言，减少了外出游猎的次数，那些因游玩事而可以出入宫禁的人也不再能随意出入，不再随意给赏赐。

对回鹘战略

同年二月时，回鹘内乱，与牙帐关系相近的十三部落立乌希特勒为乌介可汗，下属部落多次骚扰唐边境，唐廷不知道回鹘内乱始末，因此边将和侵轶的回鹘士卒有所交锋。李德裕撰诏《赐背叛回鹘敕书》，在内指出了当时南下的回鹘部落烧杀抢掠，警告他们不要继续；同时也说唐廷一方不知道当时嫁过去的太和公主的情况，因此派遣使节魏謩前去宣旨，警告回鹘一方不要再动刀兵，也令唐军固守边疆，先不和敌军交兵。

八月，天德军回报中枢，报告了回鹘近期的动乱结果，说明了可汗的变换始末以及太和公主被新可汗所截迁移到其他地域的事情。由于回鹘部落迁移时缺乏后勤资源，在抵达唐边境后试图用金子、玉石等事物换取粮食，天德军使田牟贪财想要冒领功勋，和监军使韦仲平奏议提请出击回鹘，这一提案由朝廷官员共同商议是否批准，李德裕上奏想要用抚慰的方式对待回鹘，他提议接济回鹘三万石粮草，武宗对此奏犹豫不决。李德裕提出，这次回鹘移居到天德军附近的嗢没斯特勒一部穷无所归，以前也和唐秋毫无犯，不应趁人危难再去攻打。他还用汉宣帝与呼韩邪单于为例建议派遣使臣带三万石粮草去宣抚回鹘部落，陈夷行反对说这是资敌行为。李德裕便说德城拥兵只有一千多人，战斗不利的话城池就会沦陷，不如直接安抚，就算敌方想要入寇，反击之事也是要集合多路军队，而非天德军独自所可以抗击的。最后，鸿胪卿张贾遣为巡边使出使回鹘，宣告朝廷的回应并先观察他们的具体情况。张贾出发后，武宗问李德裕能否保证嗢没斯是真的请降，李德裕回答说他也不能确定，他认为在这样的情况下可以先用怀柔的政策，召集河东和振武军士兵防备意外。他表示如果回鹘决定攻打城镇，可以用武力驱逐，田牟也可以获得军功。后于八月二十四日，李德裕上奏状，他认为拒绝回鹘所部的投诚，并还加以攻伐，会失去大唐的恩义威信，唐军在此基础上如果还失败的话，那么就会产生更多的边患。他进一步指出，回鹘所部自六月以来，没有侵犯边关，亦或者抢夺党项的物产，回鹘之前奏上的表状也显示出了他们的诚恳。李德裕还解释了田牟所说的并非现在的这个部落，而是其他的恶徒，现在在天德军所边的是嗢没斯部落，非常饥困。为此他还举了汉宣帝五凤年间的事例，当时匈奴有乱，也有人建议趁机平灭匈奴，后在萧望之的劝说下反而遣使慰问，最后使得汉边境平安六十年。李德裕也提出了一个备用计划，即召集太原和振武军的骑兵在边境处，防备回鹘所部决定入寇。他总结说回鹘和党项等国之间的交锋是他们自己的恩怨，而唐廷不应该派军队去帮助任何一方，等到张贾回朝后就可以知道具体情况并决定下一步的策略。在此之前，约束田牟不许主动进犯。

至十一月，魏敬休前去宣读新的谕旨，指出新的可汗还没有受到自己的册命，之前几个月里多次出使回鹘，给了很多帮助，回鹘所部现在需要尽快离开唐边境；并且自己的武器装备也不能借给他们，否则其他附属也会藉此讨要。朝廷方面当时没有获知回鹘方面公主的动向，乌介可汗便以太和公主的名义派遣使者入朝，并请求唐廷将振武城借给回鹘所部，用来安置公主。十二月十四日，在李德裕的请求下，武宗下诏王会为使节，按既定的计划携两万石粮草抚慰回鹘。诏书中再次说明了回鹘作为藩属和唐的友谊，劝说回鹘所部在接纳唐所赈救济粮食后可以离开；同时拒绝借振武城的要求，催促他们尽快回到其故土。同时，李德裕上奏请求增加太原地区的防御力量，他指出朝廷过于关注回鹘，将会使得吐蕃趁机入寇。于是朝廷分别从郑滑、陈许两镇兵马中调拨三千步兵，屯戍在太原，协助大同军守卫西北。

会昌二年正月，李德裕进位司空，张仲武也就任卢龙节度使。当时根据李德裕的策略，遣兵部郎中李拭为巡边使，视察天德、振武两军备御状况。

二月，回鹘方面再次上书请求暂借振武城，理由是受到了吐谷浑和党项的侵略，把粮食都抢走了，于是李德裕拟写《赐回鹘书意》，说明了唐廷已经帮助回鹘很多次，惟有借城的事情自古未有，不能同意。这一诏书由中官杨观带去乌介可汗处宣读。同时，李德裕上疏让巡边使李拭在太原时整饬边防。他在疏内表明云州以北的整体防御要冲在于把头烽，河东节度使苻澈曾经修缮过把头烽，但是并没有在其中派驻任何士卒，如同虚设。他想要李拭和苻澈商易重新制置这一烽城，抽调兵员驻扎。另一方面，天德、振武附近的三受降城之间距离超过四百里路，位于腹地的中、东受降城都缺乏足够的兵马守卫。李德裕进一步的解释了两城的困迫处境，他指出中受降城现在驻兵只有一队，旧有的城墙破损也没有人修复；东受降城则因为是新建造的城池，城中没有水源，水供应只能依靠城外的金河和城西门外的水井。现在北边的敌人多聚集在阴山北面，自南面出来后便会先遭遇这两城，因此需要太原和振武军共同抽调三千士兵前去修筑中受降城；东受降城则可以修建卫星城，戍卫水源，同时考虑修复张仁愿时的堡垒旧址。李德裕认为这样一来就可以使得振武、天德、受降城之间会形成完整的防御链，震慑周边敌酋。他还在奏疏内指出回鹘还在边境，不得不防，而拥有稳固的边防力量后就不难后期制置回鹘。

天德军在边境多次将前来投降的回鹘百姓捕捉并杀害，王可度自天德军将此事奏上中央，指出因不敢在军城内留有这类人，所以都处置掉了。三月四日，李德裕因此事上疏，要求下诏束缚如此行为。他认为这样做有伤唐朝的仁义，建议再有捉到回鹘人，就迁移到太原地界安置下来。当时，嗢没斯告诉田牟赤心想要侵犯唐的边境，两人合谋把赤心和他的仆从杀了，但是七千户的手下随同那颉啜向东逃走，在横水地区烧杀抢掠。李德裕接到河东方面的奏报后请兵反击，他对比地理位置后认为这支军队离乌介太远，因此不属于可汗所部，密诏卢龙军前往截击回鹘乱军，用来震慑回鹘可汗。

四月，田牟上报说因为回鹘入寇，他在请示之前便出兵三千抗击回鹘。李德裕知道后，于同月十八日上疏提出了相应的策略。他指出，田牟军事能力不足，奏状中说他已经出兵三千人，说明天德军全军尽出，如果战事不利，那么天德城就难免空虚；回鹘又擅长野战，而不善于攻坚战，因此田牟应当采取是坚守城池的策略，等待援军到来。李德裕认为要从浙西、宣州共调集弓箭手七百人组成支援田牟的援军，走道河曲，这样一来可以依靠森林等地理优势截击回鹘的骑兵部队，到天德后再归入天德军指挥序列。李德裕鉴于中央和前线来往时间过长，提议先派遣中使去制止田牟出击的行动，他再提出若已经开战，为了防止有意外，要把作战经验丰富的石雄调为天德军都防御副使，统领天德军的骑兵。同时，还下诏给吐谷浑、党项等部落，许诺他们可以自留战利品，在天德军进击后一同进攻，靠杀敌数量再进行封赏。为进一步瓦解回鹘的战斗力，李德裕提议回鹘因为迁移而后勤乏力，人心浮动，所以可以让田牟诱降回鹘人，投降者给予粮食后遣送到不会影响战局的太原。而为了在战时维持后方的稳定，李德裕也提出让刘沔、李忠顺等部暂时收管回鹘俘虏、叛逃之人，部分遣散到太原。除战术的策略外，李德裕还试图通过这次战事警告周边部落，他认为尽管无法知道嗢没斯的诚意到底有几分，还是需要加官晋爵，用以体现回鹘这次是因为不归顺唐朝而获得的惩罚，唐军出击也不是以消灭回鹘为目的。后李德裕再上疏，请得诏书下发给张仲武，联合契丹等部落一同驱赶赤心的部下，并把乌介部落遣散出唐边境地域。五月，嗢没斯及其下属部落归降唐朝，获封左金吾大将军、怀化郡王。在六月时，嗢没斯的部下被并为归义军，他本人则改名李思忠，率领归义军与唐军一同讨伐乌介部。

李德裕受到武宗的信任，言听计从。短短数年，外攘回纥，内平泽潞；更严肃整顿吏治，裁汰冗官，制驭宦官，使朝政为之一新。会昌五年（845年），协助唐武宗灭佛运动，一次拆毁伽蓝四千六百馀所，还俗僧尼二十六万馀人。会昌元年（841年）兼左仆射，及讨泽潞功成，拜太尉、封卫国公。

武宗死后，会昌六年（846年），德裕被刚即位的唐宣宗罢相。初出为荆南节度使，俄徙东都留守，寻贬潮州司马。大中二年（848年）宣宗发布了再贬李德裕制，再贬为崖州司户参军，流放到海南岛。李德裕在海南积极为当地百姓传授儒学，颇受百姓爱戴。

晚年

李德裕在位时奖掖寒门后进，在他南谪时，有人写诗曰：「八百孤寒齐下泪，一时回首望崖州」。其表弟某侍郎遣人饷以衣物，李德裕回书答谢之，曰：「天地穷人，物情所弃，虽有骨肉，亦无音书，平生旧知，无复吊问。阁老至仁念旧，再降专人，兼赐衣服器物茶药至多，开缄发纸，涕咽难胜。大海之中，无人拯恤，资储荡尽，家事一空，百口嗷然，往往绝食，块独穷悴，终日苦饥，唯恨垂没之年，须作馁而之鬼。十月末，伏枕七旬，药物陈裛，又无医人，委命信天，幸而自活。」书后记（大中三年）闰十一月二十日，从表兄崖州司户参军同正李德裕状侍郎十九弟。大中三年十二月初十（即850年1月26日），病困交加的李德裕死于海南海口，享年六十三岁。殁后十年，唐懿宗时，「诏追复太子少保、卫国公，赠尚书左仆射」，但并未给予谥号。《唐会要》称谥忠、赠司空，可能是误将其父李吉甫的身后待遇误记作他的。

李德裕「性孤峭，明辩有风采，善为文章。……不喜饮酒，后房无声色娱」，自奉俭约。「承武宗恩顾，委以枢衡。决策论兵，举无遗悔，以身捍难，功流社稷」。办事专断，受到一些朝臣的怨恨。排斥牛僧孺、李宗闵等人，但亦曾进言力救牛党人物杨嗣复、李珏。反之，牛党中构陷李德裕欲置之死地者，多小人而鲜君子，如「白敏中、令狐綯，在会昌中德裕不以朋党疑之，置之台阁，顾待甚优。及德裕失势，抵掌戟手，同谋斥逐，而崔铉亦以会昌末罢相怨德裕」。

文学成就

诗词文赋

李德裕为晚唐文坛代表人物之一，。宋代文学家欧阳修称李德裕的文学作品「文辞甚可爱也」。

在海南曾作诗数首：

:岭水争分路转迷，桄榔椰叶暗蛮溪。愁冲毒雾逢蛇草，畏落沙虫避燕泥。

:五月畲田收火米，三更津吏报潮鸡。不堪肠断思乡处，红槿花中越鸟啼。

:独上高楼望帝京，鸟飞犹是半年程。青山似欲留人住，百匝千遭绕郡城。

:一去一万里，十来九不还。家乡在何处，生渡鬼门关。

——清袁枚：子不语第二十回

文集源流

李德裕一生中多著述，他曾分别于武宗会昌中在相期间及宣宗大中中在贬期间系统辑录自己所撰写过的各类政治及思想文献，并请自己的好友郑亚为文集作序。后世总结这两种汇编，称之为《李文饶文集》，或称《会昌一品集》、《李卫公会昌一品集》等。文集初有二十卷，后补充别集十卷、外集四卷。一开始，李德裕将自己已经完成的十五卷本交付郑亚，郑亚后托付李商隐代他拟写文集的序文，遂被李商隐冠名为《会昌一品集》。郑亚接手后对李序做了一些修改，并命已拓展为二十卷的文集为《会昌一品制集》，对内容也进行了新的编排。

郑亚所编的二十卷文集结合十卷别集和后称外集的《穷愁志》四卷，共三十四卷。其中别集主要有李德裕早年的各种作品，包含部分奏状。外集则为李德裕晚年被贬后的一些作品汇编，其中部分作品真伪受到了一定的争议。

李德裕文集的版本中现存可考最早的是宋浙刻本《会昌一品制集》，曾被李廷相、黄丕烈等人所收藏。陆心源曾利用月湖丁氏影宋钞本为校本，对比明嘉靖刻《李卫公全集》，指出了明刻本中的错误繁多。与《会昌一品制集》同时代的还有《李卫公备全集》，其中包括文集三十四卷及姑臧集、献替记(即献替录)、辨谤略，共五十卷。明清时期李德裕的文集多为翻刻宋本，有嘉靖十行本《李文饶文集》、万历蓝印本《李文饶文集》等。当时文人除利用宋刻本对各类翻刻及抄本进行校勘外，还对文集加入点评。经过校正的嘉靖刻本于天启年间被重刻，其内包含了时人韩敬的评点。现中国科学院图书馆藏有明陈子龙评点翻刻嘉靖本《李卫公文集》。清代光绪年间曾复刻《李文饶文集》，其中《周秦行纪论》被删去，后四库全书编撰时则采纳了陆心源校嘉靖本。

其他作品

• 大和辨谤略：也可称《太和辨谤略》，李德裕以宪宗朝时令狐楚所编的《元和辨谤略》为基础，将原本十卷的内容减缩至三卷，于大和七年上奏呈书。时由集贤学士裴潾为此书作序。

• 御臣要略：大和八年九月时呈于文宗，现已失散。

• 次柳氏旧闻：大和八年九月时同《御臣要略》一起被李德裕呈上，别称《次柳氏旧史》。此书主要记载关于前朝高力士所知相关事迹，本由柳芳所问得，李德裕认为其中的记载有实证而非传闻，因此可以判断为实录，于是整理柳芳的旧闻，裁出此书。

• 西南备边录：开成五年进献，共十三卷。此书包含了李德裕为剑南西川节度使期间对当地战略地理要害的总结，著录他所观察唐对吐蕃边防的优势和劣势。

• 姑臧集

• 伐叛志

• 献替录

• 异域归忠志

逸事

文宗朝时，京师很久没有下雨，李德裕拜相那一日即下大雨，于是有人替换「裕」为「雨」，称之李德雨。

李德裕的府上有一名弹琵琶的乐手廉郊，他师从当时的琵琶大师曹纲。他留宿于李德裕在平泉的别墅时，在池塘边弹琵琶，听见在池塘中有跳跃的声音，换了一个调子以后便立刻不再听见，如果继续弹旧调，则依旧有声。

家庭

妻妾

彭城刘氏，系李德裕夫人，原居于茅山燕洞宫，道名致柔。刘氏二十一岁时嫁于李德裕，随李德裕在地方奔波时水土不服，无医、药可寻，大中三年八月二十一日因病去世。李德裕与刘氏成婚四十一年，膝下有三子、二女。

徐盼（807年—829年12月22日），字正定，润州丹徒县人。后因病危而信道，改道名天福。李德裕为御史中丞时出镇金陵，纳时为十六岁的徐氏为妾，生子李多闻、李烨。徐氏大和三年于滑州逝世，享年二十三岁，葬于洛阳邙山。

子孙

• 李椅

　• 李袖，少子

• 李浑，比部员外郎

　• 李褒，父亲过世后养于叔父李烨家

• 李多闻

• 李烨，第四子，郴尉，宣武军节度判官、检校尚书祠部员外郎、兼侍御史。娶荥阳郑珍

　• 李氏，嫁刘瞻

　• 李殷衡，李氏弟，右补阙，后为南汉宰相

　• 李延古，司勋员外郎

　• 李庄，练师陈氏所出

　• 李悬黎（女），李庄胞妹

• 李巨，庶出

• 李某

• 李氏，嫁左司郎中、史馆修撰路绾

七世孙李均，李均与其子李公弼都是进士。李公弼子李熙靖，《宋史》有传。

注释

Background

Li Deyu was born in 787, during the reign of Emperor Dezong. His grandfather Li Qiyun (李栖筠) served as the chief imperial censor, and his father Li Jifu would eventually serve as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Dezong's grandson Emperor Xianzong. It was said that Li Deyu was ambitious in his youth and was studious, particularly concentrating on the Book of Han and the Zuo Zhuan. He, however, did not want to submit to imperial examinations. During Emperor Dezong's Zhenyuan era (785-805), when Li Jifu was in exile, Li Deyu accompanied his father and did not seek an official career.

During Emperor Xianzongs reign

During the reign of Emperor Xianzong, Li Jifu became chancellor, and it was said that because Li Deyu wanted to avoid appearance of impropriety, he did not serve at the office of the imperial censors or one of the three main bureaus of the imperial government. Rather, he served on the staff of various regional governors. In 816, after the chancellor Zhang Hongjing left the chancellor post and became the military governor of Hedong Circuit (河东, headquartered in modern Taiyuan, Shanxi), Zhang invited Li Deyu to serve as a secretary. In 819, when Zhang returned to the capital Chang'an to pay homage to the emperor and subsequently remained at Chang'an, Li Deyu was made an imperial censor with the title Jiancha Yushi (监察御史).

During Emperor Muzongs reign

In 820, Emperor Xianzong died and was succeeded by his son Emperor Muzong. Emperor Muzong made Li Deyu, in addition to his imperial censor position, an imperial scholar (翰林学士, Hanlin Xueshi) as well. It was said that because Emperor Muzong had long heard about Li Jifu while he was crown prince, he had respect for Li Deyu. Soon thereafter, Li Deyu was made Tuntian Yuanwailang (屯田员外郎), a low-level official at the ministry of public works (工部, Gongbu), and continued to be imperial scholar. It was said that because Li Deyu saw that at the time, the imperial relatives were becoming influential and making improper requests, he submitted a petition that requested that imperial relatives be required to meet the chancellors at the Office of the Chancellors, rather than at private homes. Li Deyu was then promoted to be Kaogong Langzhong (考功郎中), a supervisory official at the ministry of civil service affairs (吏部, Libu), and put in charge of drafting edicts.

In 821, Li Deyu was involved in an incident that was considered one of the precipitating incidents of the coming Niu-Li Factional Struggles. At that time, both Li Deyu and Yuan Zhen were involved in power struggles with Yuan's fellow Zhongshu Sheren (中书舍人, mid-level official at the legislative bureau of government (中书省, Zhongshu Sheng)) Li Zongmin, particularly since Li Deyu had long resented Li Zongmin and Niu Sengru for what appeared to be harsh criticism against Li Jifu while Li Jifu was chancellor in the third year of Yuanhe 元和 (803). Meanwhile, Li Zongmin's junior colleague at the legislative bureau, Yang Rushi (杨汝士) and the deputy minister of rites (礼部侍郎, Libu Shilang) Qian Hui (钱徽) were in charge of overseeing the imperial examinations. The military governor Duan Wenchang (a former chancellor) and the imperial scholar Li Shen both made secret pleas to Qian for certain examinees. However, when the results were announced, the examinees that Duan and Li Shen recommended were not given passing results, while among those passing the examinations were Zheng Lang, the brother of the examination bureau (门下省, Menxia Sheng) official Zheng Tan; Pei Zhuan (裴撰) the son of the military governor Pei Du (also a former chancellor); Li Zongmin's son-in-law Su Chao (苏巢); and Yang Rushi's brother Yang Yinshi (杨殷士). This thus brought a popular uproar, and Duan submitted a report accusing Yang Rushi and Qian of being unfair. When Emperor Muzong requested opinions from the imperial scholars, Li Deyu, Yuan, and Li Shen all agreed with Duan's opinion. Emperor Muzong thus ordered Li Zongmin's colleague Wang Qi (王起) to conduct a re-examination, while demoting Qian, Li Zongmin, and Yang Rushi to be prefectural prefects and deposing 10 of the examinees selected by Qian and Yang Rushi. This was said to be the start of some 30 years of struggles between Li Deyu and his associates (known as the Li Faction) and Li Zongmin and his associates (known as the Niu Faction, named after Niu).

In 822, Li Deyu was himself made a Zhongshu Sheren, and continued to serve as imperial scholar. He was considered a possible chancellor candidate, as well as Niu. In 823, Emperor Muzong made a chancellor, while Li Deyu was sent out of Chang'an to serve as the governor (观察使, Guanchashi) of Zhexi Circuit (浙西, headquartered in modern Zhenjiang, Jiangsu). Li Deyu believed that this was the machination by then-chancellor Li Fengji to squeeze him out so that Niu could be made chancellor, and thereafter resented Niu and Li Fengji even more.

At the time that Li Deyu was made the governor of Zhexi, Zhexi had just suffered through a plot by the officer Wang Guoqing (王国清) to overthrow Li Deyu's predecessor Dou Yizhi, and it was said that after the plot was over, Dou exhausted the circuit treasury trying to placate the soldiers. It was said that Li Deyu lived frugally, and gave the remainder of his own expense budget to the soldiers, such that while he did not give them all that much, they were satisfied, and that two years after his commission, the treasury was full again. It was also said that he sought to change the ways of the circuit's people, to eliminate customs that were harmful to them. For example, the people of the circuit were superstitious and fearful of evil spirits, such that if close family members were ill, they would abandon their family members. Li Deyu taught the knowledgeable among the people that this was undue superstition, and further punished those who abandoned family members, such that within a few years, this custom was gone. He also catalogued the various temples in the circuit — such that only those that worshipped good historical figures were allowed to remain, while he destroyed 1,010 other temples. He further destroyed 1,460 houses in the mountains so that they could not be used by bandits as operation bases.

During Emperor Jingzongs reign

Emperor Muzong died in 824 and was succeeded by his son Emperor Jingzong. The young Emperor Jingzong was said to be wasteful in his living style, and later in 824 he ordered that Zhexi Circuit submit a number of silver vessels for palace use. Li Deyu petitioned that the order to set aside due to the expenses involved for the circuit. He received no response on his petition, although his subsequent petition to set aside an order for submitting silk was granted. Also in late 824, Wang Zhixing the military governor (Jiedushi) of nearby Wuning Circuit (武宁, headquartered in modern Xuzhou, Jiangsu), requested permission for him to let people take tonsure (i.e., to become Buddhist monks) at Si Prefecture (泗州, in modern Huai'an, Jiangsu), to seek divine favors for Emperor Jingzong. Emperor Jingzong initially agreed. As a result, people were rushing to Si Prefecture to take tonsure, to avoid taxes. Li Deyu submitted an objection and pointed out that if this continued, Zhexi and its Zhedong (浙东, headquartered in modern Shaoxing, Zhejiang) and Fujian (福建, headquartered in modern Fuzhou, Fujian) would lose some 600,000 battle-capable young men, Emperor Jingzong ordered a stop to the practice.

In 825, Li Deyu submitted a six-part petition urging Emperor Jingzong to change his ways entitled the Six Maxims of the Red Screen (丹扆六箴), written in six poems with 12 four-character lines each, pointing out the emperor's inappropriate behavior in six areas and hoping that he would change:

• That he was late to meetings with imperial officials and did not hold them often enough.

• That he was wearing inappropriate clothing.

• That he was requesting too many tributes.

• That he was taking honest counsel lightly.

• That he was close to scoundrels.

• That he was seeking for pleasures in too many places.

Emperor Jingzong issued an edict thanking and praising Li Deyu. It was said that Li Deyu hoped that this would catch Emperor Jingzong's attention and recall him to Chang'an, but Li Fengji, who was still chancellor, prevented that possibility.

During Emperor Wenzongs reign

Prior to chancellorship

Around new year 827, Emperor Jingzong was assassinated and succeeded by his younger brother Emperor Wenzong. In 829, Emperor Wenzong recalled Li Deyu to Chang'an and made him deputy minister of defense (兵部侍郎, Bingbu Shilang). The senior chancellor Pei Du recommended Li Deyu to Emperor Wenzong to be chancellor, but Li Zongmin, who was then deputy minister of civil service affairs, was named chancellor over Li Deyu due to assistance of eunuchs. Thereafter, because Li Zongmin viewed Li Deyu as a threat, Li Deyu was sent out of Chang'an again to serve as the military governor of Yicheng Circuit (义成, headquartered in modern Anyang, Henan). Subsequently, under Li Zongmin's recommendation, Niu, who was the military governor of Wuchang Circuit (武昌, headquartered in modern Wuhan, Hubei) at that point, was recalled to be chancellor in 830, and it was said that Li Zongmin and Niu worked together to eject Li Deyu's allies out of Chang'an; even Pei was sent out of Chang'an to serve as the military governor of Shannan East Circuit (山南东道, headquartered in modern Xiangfan, Hubei).

Later in 830, Li Deyu was moved from Yicheng to Xichuan Circuit (西川, headquartered in modern Chengdu, Sichuan), which had recently suffered from a Nanzhao incursion in 829 and was said to be weak in its defenses. Upon Li Deyu's arrival in Xichuan, he consulted with many old soldiers and officers of Xichuan to quickly familiarize himself with the fronts with Nanzhao and Tufan. He also sought reinforcements, pointing out that Xichuan's forces had been severely weakened. After his requests were granted, Li Deyu also trained the soldiers, built up the defenses of the border forts, and stored emergency food supplies, and it was said that the people of Xichuan, who were previously fearful of another Nanzhao invasion, were pacified.

In 831, Li Deyu sent messengers to Nanzhao to request that Nanzhao return some of the Xichuan people whom Nanzhao had seized during the 829 invasion, and Nanzhao returned 4,000 people.

Late in 831, Li Deyu reported that Xidamou (悉怛谋), the Tufan officer in charge of Wei Prefecture (维州, in modern Ngawa Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan), surrendered Wei Prefecture, which Tufan had captured from Tang decades earlier, to him. Li Deyu advocated accepting the surrender and using Wei Prefecture as a launch pad for a major campaign against Tufan. Niu opposed, arguing that this was a violation of the peace treaty between Tang and Tufan and that, should a war start, Tufan forces could reach Chang'an easily. Emperor Wenzong accepted his argument and ordered that Li Deyu return Wei Prefecture, as well as Xidamou and his soldiers, to Tufan. Tufan had Xidamou and his soldiers massacred. The massacre brought much popular sentiment against Niu, and was commonly viewed at the time to be the result of the conflict between Niu/Li Zongmin and Li Deyu. It was said that this incident caused Li Deyu to resent Niu even more.

In 832, with Emperor Wenzong regretting his decision in the Xidamou matter, Niu resigned and was made the military governor of Huainan Circuit (淮南, headquartered in modern Yangzhou, Jiangsu). Li Deyu was recalled to Chang'an to serve as minister of defense (兵部尚书, Bingbu Shangshu) and was expected by popular sentiment to be chancellor next. This caused Li Zongmin much apprehension, and he, under the advice of Du Cong, was initially trying to broker a peace with Li Deyu by recommending Li Deyu to be chief imperial censor (御史大夫, Yushi Daifu). However, Li Zongmin subsequently changed his mind under opposition by another associate, Yang Yuqing (杨虞卿).

Chancellorship

In 833, Li Deyu was made chancellor de facto with the designation Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi (同中书门下平章事). When he met with Emperor Wenzong to thank Emperor Wenzong, Emperor Wenzong discussed with him the matter of partisanship within the imperial government, and Li Deyu, seeing that Emperor Wenzong disliked partisanship, opined that one third of the imperial officials were engaging in partisanship — and then proceeded to use Emperor Wenzong's dislike of partisanship to eject people he disliked from the government, including Yan Yuqing and Yang's associates Zhang Yuanfu (张元夫) and Xiao Huan (萧浣). He was also soon butting heads with Li Zongmin on a number of matters, such as Yang's demotion and Li Zongmin's public derogation of the talents of Zheng Tan and Yin You (殷侑). Later in the year, Li Zongmin was sent out of the capital to serve as the military governor of Shannan West Circuit (山南西道).

Also in 833, when Yang Yuanqing (杨元卿) the military governor of Xuanwu Circuit (宣武, headquartered in modern Kaifeng, Henan) was ill and discussion was made regarding Yang's successor, Li Deyu suggested moving Liu Congjian the military governor of Zhaoyi Circuit (昭义, headquartered in modern Changzhi, Shanxi), to Xuanwu — as the Liu family had been entrenched at Zhaoyi since Liu's father Liu Wu, to eliminate the entrenchment. Emperor Wenzong, believing that it was not yet time to confront Liu Congjian, did not follow Li Deyu's suggestion and instead made former chancellor Li Cheng the military governor of Xuanwu. Meanwhile, at Li Deyu's suggestion, Emperor Wenzong issued a decree that, in addition to creating his son Li Yong crown prince, also ordered that the imperial princes (who had been restricted to living inside the palace complex since the time of Emperor Xuanzong) be allowed to live outside the palace and be given commissions as local officials; that their daughters be married in a prompt manner; and that the imperial examinations no longer test on poetry. (However, the imperial princes' moving out of the palace complex was not implemented due to a dispute over what kind of commissions they would receive.)

However, as of 834, Li Deyu began to incur Emperor Wenzong's displeasure by opposing commissions for Emperor Wenzong's close associate Li Zhongyan, which also offended another associate of Emperor Wenzong's, Zheng Zhu, as well as the eunuch Wang Shoucheng, who had recommended Zheng and Li Zhongyan to Emperor Wenzong. Wang, Zheng, and Li Zhongyan, in order to fight against Li Deyu, had Li Zongmin recalled from Shannan West to again serve as chancellor. Soon thereafter, Li Deyu was himself commissioned to be the military governor of Shannan West, continuing to carry the Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi title as an honorary title. Li Deyu then met with Emperor Wenzong and requested to stay at Chang'an. Initially, Emperor Wenzong agreed, and allowed him to remain at Chang'an to serve as the minister of defense. However, after Li Zongmin objected that this should not be a matter up for Li Deyu to decide, Emperor Wenzong sent Li Deyu out to Zhenghai Circuit (i.e., Zhexi) to serve as military governor, and further did not allow him to retain the Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi title.

After chancellorship

However, Zheng Zhu continued to attack Li Deyu. In 835, Zheng's associates Wang Fan (王璠) and Li Han (李汉) accused Li Deyu of associating with Du Zhongyang (杜仲阳) the wet nurse of Emperor Wenzong's brother Li Cou, formerly the Prince of Zhang (who had, by this point been demoted to be the Duke of Chao County), in order to support Li Cou against Emperor Wenzong. Emperor Wenzong, in anger, summoned a meeting with the chancellors, Zheng, Wang, and Li Han. Li Deyu's colleague as chancellor, Lu Sui, spoke in his defense, so initially, the only consequence that Li Deyu suffered was that he was made Taizi Binke (太子宾客), a member of Li Yong's staff — but sent to have his office at the eastern capital Luoyang, making the title entirely honorary. Subsequently, Lu was himself stripped of his chancellor title and made the military governor of Zhenghai on account of his defending Li Deyu. After Lu's demotion, Li Deyu was further demoted to be the secretary general of Yuan Prefecture (袁州, in modern Yichun, Jiangxi), on charges that he did not visit Emperor Wenzong when Emperor Wenzong was ill and that his tax collection at Xichuan caused the people trouble. When, subsequently, Li Zongmin also incurred Emperor Wenzong's wrath and was exiled as well, Zheng and Li Zhongyan (whose name had been changed to Li Xun at this point) were able to use the opportunity to accuse any imperial official they disliked of being an associate of Li Zongmin or Li Deyu, and those accused were often exiled or demoted.

Late in 835, a plot by Emperor Wenzong, Zheng, and Li Xun to slaughter the powerful eunuchs (later known as the Ganlu Incident) failed, leading to the eunuchs' slaughtering of the imperial officials, including Zheng, Li Xun (who had been made a chancellor by that point), and Li Xun's fellow chancellors Wang Ya, Jia Su, and Shu Yuanyu. After the failure of the plot, in spring 836, Li Deyu was slightly promoted, to be the prefect of Chu Prefecture (滁洲, in modern Chuzhou, Anhui), and it was said that those officials previously exiled or demoted on account of being Li Zongmin's or Li Deyu's associates were beginning to be promoted as well. Soon thereafter, Li Deyu himself was again made the governor of Zhexi.

In 837, Li Deyu was made the deputy military governor of Huainan, to act as military governor, replacing Niu Sengru. When Niu heard that Li Deyu was to succeed him, he entrusted the matters to his deputy Zhang Lu (张鹭) and immediately left the circuit. When Li Deyu arrived, he submitted a report stating that the circuit treasury had only half as much as the wealth as Niu reported, and that Zhang had spent half of the wealth in Niu's absence. Niu submitted a petition defending himself and Zhang and requested that Li Deyu be ordered to recount the treasury reserves. After the recount, Niu's report was deemed correct. Li Deyu submitted an apology, stating that he was ill when first arriving at Huainan and had been lied to by his subordinates, requesting punishment. Emperor Wenzong did not punish Li Deyu, however.

While at Huainan, there was a time when the eunuch monitor of the circuit, Yang Qinyi (杨钦义), was recalled to Chang'an, and there was expectation that he would become one of the directors of palace communications — one of the highest possible positions for a eunuch. Li Deyu, while not publicly showing deference to Yang, invited Yang to a feast and gave him great amounts of treasure as gifts. However, when Yang reached Bian Prefecture (汴州, in modern Kaifeng), Emperor Wenzong changed his order and had him return to Huainan. When Yang returned to Huainan, he, distressed, returned the gifts to Li Deyu, but Li Deyu responded, "These are not worth much," and had Yang keep the gifts, thus establishing a strong relationship with Yang.

During Emperor Wuzongs reign

Before the Huigu campaign

In 840, Emperor Wenzong died and was succeeded by his younger brother, Emperor Wuzong — who was not the choice of Emperor Wenzong (who wanted their nephew Li Chengmei to succeed him) or the chancellors Yang Sifu (whom Emperor Wuzong later believed had supported another brother of his, Li Rong the Prince of An) and Li Jue (whom Emperor Wuzong later believed had supported Li Chengmei), both of whom were considered Niu Faction leaders by later historians — but was chosen by the powerful eunuchs Qiu Shiliang and Yu Hongzhi (鱼弘志). As Emperor Wuzong did not trust Yang or Li Jue, he removed them from their chancellor posts, and, as Yang Qinyi had recommended Li Deyu, he decided to recall Li Deyu from Huainan to serve as chancellor.

Upon Li Deyu's arrival in Chang'an, Emperor Wuzong made him Menxia Shilang (门下侍郎), the deputy head of the examination bureau, and chancellor again with the designation Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi. When meeting Emperor Wuzong to thank him, Li Deyu emphasized the importance of entrusting the chancellors with the affairs of state, as well as openness between the emperor and his officials, both points that Emperor Wuzong agreed with.

Soon after Li Deyu became chancellor again, officials considered Yang Sifu's associates, such as Pei Yizhi (裴夷直) and Li Zhongmin (李中敏) were ejected from the imperial government. Nevertheless, in 841, when Emperor Wuzong, still resentful over how Yang and Li Jue did not support him, sent eunuchs to order Yang and Li Jue to commit suicide, with Du Cong pointing out to Li Deyu that he should not encourage Emperor Wuzong to be in the mode of killing officials, Li Deyu, along with fellow chancellors Cui Gong, Cui Dan, and Chen Yixing, interceded on Yang's and Li Jue's behalf, and after much pleading from them, Yang, Li Jue, as well as Pei, were further demoted, but spared of their lives.

The Huigu campaign

Meanwhile, in 840, the Tang ally Huigu's khan Yaoluoge Hesa (药罗葛阖馺) and its prime minister Jueluowu (掘罗勿) were killed in a major Xiajiasi, and the remaining Huigu forces were thrown into a state of confusion. In the confusion, one group of Huigu nobles supported Yaoluoge Wuxi (药罗葛乌希) as the new khan (as Wujie Khan), while Yaoluoge Hesa's brother Wamosi took another group of Huigu nobles to the border city of Tiande (天德, in modern Bayan Nur, Inner Mongolia) and offered to submit to Tang. In 841, Tiande's commander Tian Mou (田牟) and eunuch monitor Wei Zhongping (韦仲平), wanting to be credited with victories, suggested not to accept the surrender — arguing that Wamosi was a traitor as far as Wujie Khan was concerned — and to attack. Li Deyu pointed out that Wamosi was no traitor — as he offered to submit before Wujie Khan had even claimed khan title — and that based on the prior Tang-Huigu alliance, distressed Huigu people, such as the people under Wamosi's command, should be accepted. Emperor Wuzong agreed and accepted Wamosi's submission.

Wamosi subsequently requested emergency food relief for the Huigu people, which Li Deyu suggested that Emperor Wuzong accept. At a subsequent meeting called by Emperor Wenzong, Chen Yixing vehemently opposed, arguing that this would be, in effect, aiding the enemy. Li Deyu pointed out regardless of whether Wamosi remained submissive, his people would have to be fed — or otherwise, with Tang forces not ready for combat at that point, Tiande would fall under an attack. Chen did not dare to oppose further, and Emperor Wuzong approved the sending of emergency food supplies to Wamosi's people. Also under Li Deyu's advice, Emperor Wuzong issued an edict to Wamosi asking him to seek out and return Emperor Xianzong's daughter (and thus, Emperor Wuzong's aunt) Princess Taihe, whom Emperor Muzong had married to a prior khan, Chongde Khan, as part of a heqin (marriage alliance) marriage, whom Emperor Wuzong's court had lost contact with since the crushing defeat that Xiajiasi forces inflicted against the Huigu forces. (Unknown to Emperor Wuzong (and Li Deyu) at this point, Princess Taihe had initially been captured by Xiajiasi's khan Are (阿热), who claimed to be distantly related to Tang's imperial Li clan and who treated her with respect. Are sent a convoy to escort her back to Tang territory, but the convoy was intercepted and destroyed by Wujie Khan, who subsequently took Princess Taihe hostage.)

Meanwhile, one of the circuits on the Huigu border — Lulong Circuit (卢龙, headquartered in modern Beijing), which had long been only nominally under imperial control — was going through internal turmoils of its own, as early in 841, there had been a mutiny that killed the military governor Shi Yuanzhong. The soldiers initially supported the officer Chen Xingtai (陈行泰) to take over the circuit. Emperor Wuzong, under Li Deyu's advice, declined to take immediate action on petitions submitted on Chen's behalf for Chen to become military governor. Soon thereafter, Chen himself was assassinated, and the soldiers supported another officer, Zhang Jiang (张绛) to be their leader. Emperor Wuzong similarly declined to act on petitions on Zhang's behalf. Thereafter, when Lulong officer Zhang Zhongwu, who was then the commander of Xiongwu Base (雄武军, in modern Chengde, Hebei), requested imperial commission and permission to attack Zhang Jiang, Emperor Wuzong, again under Li Deyu's advice, agreed, and Zhang Zhongwu soon captured Lulong's capital You Prefecture (幽州) and took over the circuit.

Also in 841, when a flood damaged Xiang Prefecture (襄州), the capital of Shannan East Circuit, which Niu Sengru was then the military governor of, Li Deyu used the opportunity to blame the destruction on Niu and had him stripped of his authorities. In spring 842, there was another event that the later Song Dynasty historian Hu Sanxing pointed out showed the partisan side of Li Deyu. The official Liu Gongquan was friendly with Li Deyu, but when Cui Gong recommended Liu to be an imperial scholar to be in charge of Jixian Institute (集贤院), Li Deyu was displeased because this recommendation was not made by him. He therefore found an excuse to have Liu made Taizi Zhanshi (太子詹事) — an entirely honorary post with no authorities.

Also in 842, at Li Deyu's advice, Emperor Wuzong ordered Tian to stop engaging the Huigu irregulars, but instead entice them with food supplies and send them to Hedong Circuit (河东, headquartered in modern Taiyuan, Shanxi) (so that they would not remain at Tiande and be disruptive). Also under Li Deyu's recommendation, the general Shi Xiong was sent to Tiande to assist Tian in defending against Huigu raids.

Meanwhile, Qiu had become very jealous of Li Deyu's hold on power as well. When Emperor Wuzong was planning to issue a general pardon, rumors got to Qiu that, as part of the edict, the chancellors and the director of finances were planning to reduce Shence Army's clothing and food stipends, Qiu publicly declared, "If this occurred, when the pardon is declared, the soldiers will gather in front of Danfeng Tower the tower from which emperors declared pardons) and demonstrate!" Emperor Wuzong, angered by the remarks, sent eunuchs to rebuke Qiu and the other Shence Army officers for spreading rumors, and Qiu apologized.

By summer 842, Wujie Khan was openly attacking Tang border regions. Emperor Wuzong put Li Deyu in charge of drafting various rebukes against Wujie Khan and his advisors, urging them to reconsider their attacks. Also, with Wujie Khan forcing Princess Taihe to submit requests to allow Huigu to borrow Tiande as an operation base, Emperor Wuzong had Li Deyu write her a response back, stating:

Under Li Deyu's advice, Emperor Wuzong subsequently sent Wamosi (who had by this point been granted the Tang imperial name of Li Sizhong) and the general Li Zhongshun (李忠顺) to the border to fight against Wujie Khan. Meanwhile, in a surprise attack, in spring 843, Shi inflicted great losses on Wujie Khan's forces and rescued Princess Taihe, after which Wujie Khan fled and would no longer be a threat to Tang. Subsequently, when Emperor Wuzong considered asking Xiajiasi to return Anxi (安西, formerly headquartered in modern Aksu Prefecture, Xinjiang) and Beiting (北庭, formerly headquartered in modern Changji Hui Autonomous Prefecture, Xinjiang) Circuits — which were formerly under Tang control but which had been lost for decades — Li Deyu opposed, pointing out that it would be a logistical nightmare to place garrisons at Anxi and Beiting and supply them. Emperor Wuzong agreed.

With the Huigu campaign over, Li Deyu sought to revisit the Xidamou incident, which had occurred 12 years earlier — submitting a petition that painted Niu as jealous of him and causing a great injustice, and also arguing that Wei Prefecture would have served as a forward attack point against Tufan. At Li Deyu's urging, Emperor Wuzong posthumously honored Xidamou as a general. (It was believed by the modern historian Zhu Gui (朱桂) that Li Deyu was intending to use the revisiting of the Xidamou incident to carry out his vengeance against Niu and Li Zongmin, but that subsequent events — the Zhaoyi campaign — gave Li Deyu even greater ammunition.)

The Zhaoyi campaign

Events of 843

In summer 843, Liu Congjian was growing ill, and he wanted his adoptive son and biological nephew Liu Zhen to succeed him as the military governor of Zhaoyi. Liu Congjian soon died, but Liu Zhen did not announce his death and had petitions written in Liu Congjian's name requesting that Liu Zhen be made military governor. The chancellors largely believed that a campaign against Zhaoyi would be difficult to wage and therefore suggested that the request be granted. Li Deyu, however, argued that Zhaoyi, unlike Lulong and two other circuits north of the Yellow River — Weibo (魏博, headquartered in modern Handan, Hebei) and Chengde (成德, headquartered in modern Shijiazhuang, Hebei) — did not have a tradition of defying the imperial government, and therefore suggested that Liu Congjian's petition be denied, pointing out that allowing the Liu family to continue to hold Zhaoyi would cause other military governors to want to follow suit. He further suggested that, in order to make sure that Weibo's military governor He Hongjing and Chengde's military governor Wang Yuankui would not assist Liu Zhen, explicit promises be made to He Hongjing and Wang that their circuits would not be interfered with, and that they would be responsible for capturing three of Zhaoyi's five prefectures east of the Taihang Mountains, thus making sure that imperial forces would not operate close to Weibo or Chengde. Emperor Wuzong agreed, and imperial messengers were dispatched to Weibo and Chengde; He Hongjing and Wang agreed to follow imperial orders. (Meanwhile, Li Deyu used the opportunity to strike at Li Zongmin — by accusing Li Zongmin of being an associate of Liu Congjian's — and had Li Zongmin sent out of Luoyang to be the prefect of Hu Prefecture (湖州, in modern Huzhou, Zhejiang).

After Liu Zhen finally announced Liu Congjian's death, Emperor Wuzong publicly posthumously honored Liu Congjian, but ordered that Liu Zhen escort Liu Congjian's casket to Luoyang, and further met with Liu Zhen's biological father Liu Congsu (刘从素), telling him to persuade Liu Zhen to accept the order. Liu Zhen refused, and Emperor Wuzong ordered a general campaign against Zhaoyi. At Li Deyu's suggestion, the military governors were ordered to have specific targets to capture within Zhaoyi (to prevent them from waging minor battles and then sitting on the front without truly engaging Zhaoyi forces) — with Wang targeting Xing Prefecture (邢州, in modern Xingtai, Hebei), He Hongjing targeting Ming Prefecture (洺州, in modern Handan), Wang Maoyuan (王茂元) the military governor of Heyang Circuit (河阳, headquartered in modern Jiaozuo, Henan) targeting Ze Prefecture (泽州, in modern Jincheng, Shanxi), and LI Yanzuo (李彦佐) the military governor of Wuning Circuit and Liu Mian (刘沔) the military governor of Hedong Circuit targeting Zhaoyi's capital Lu Prefecture (潞州). When Li Yanzuo subsequently delayed on the way to the front, at Li Deyu's advice, Emperor Wuzong issued harshly worded edicts to push him to proceed, and also made Shi Xiong his deputy to eventually have Shi take over Li Yanzuo's troops. Soon, Shi took over Li Yanzuo's troops and immediately launched attacks against Zhaoyi.

Meanwhile, Wang Yuankui and He Hongjing, on Zhaoyi's eastern front, were having disagreements, with Wang secretly accusing that He Hongjing was purposefully delaying attacks on Zhaoyi. At Li Deyu's suggestion, Emperor Wuzong had Wang Zai the military governor of Zhongwu Circuit (忠武, headquartered in modern Xuchang, Henan) lead additional troops to attack Zhaoyi's eastern prefectures — which would take Zhongwu troops through Weibo. This surprised He Hongjing, who thus felt pressured to attack Zhaoyi, and he finally launched his troops. As soon as He Hongjing launched his troops, Wang Zai's orders were then changed to aid Heyang Circuit, which Liu Zhen was attacking in an effort to force the imperial government into a truce and which Wang Maoyuan could not protect due to his own illness. After Wang Maoyuan died thereafter, at Li Deyu's suggestion, Emperor Wuzong put the Heyang troops under Wang Zai's command as well, but did not make him the military governor of Heyang.

While the campaign was going on, there was a Dangxiang uprising, which attacked Yan Prefecture (盐州, in modern Yulin, Shaanxi). Li Deyu pointed out that the nomadic Dangxiang were roving pillagers who were not taken seriously by border officials because the border officials wanted to acquire camels and horses from them, and suggested that a command structure be imposed over the six circuits where the Dangxiang resided, with an imperial prince in nominal command. Emperor Wuzong agreed and nominally made his son Li Qi (李岐) the Prince of Yan be the supreme commander of the six circuits and chief comforter of the Dangxiang, and made the official Li Hui Li Qi's deputy, in actual supervision of the Dangxiang situation.

With Wang Zai getting victories over Zhaoyi forces (but unable to capture Ze Prefecture immediately), Liu Zhen had a letter from Li Tian (李恬) the prefect of Ming Prefecture, a cousin to Li Shi, a former chancellor who was by this point the military governor of Hedong, sent to Li Shi, suggesting that Liu was willing to surrender. Li Deyu suggested, and Emperor Wuzong agreed, that no action be taken on the offer immediately, and ordered Li Shi reply in a harsh manner, indicating that surrender would only be accepted if Liu and his family members had themselves bound and taken to the border between Zhaoyi and Hedong; only then would Li Shi agree to escort them to Chang'an.

Events of 844

Meanwhile, the Hedong forces, under the command of the officer Wang Feng (王逢), were stationed at Yushe (榆社, in modern Jinzhong, Shanxi), and Wang sought reinforcements. Hedong headquarters, however, were out of troops, so Li Shi summoned 1,500 soldiers from the northern front, that Liu Mian had previously placed at Hengshui Fence (横水栅, in modern Datong, Shanxi) during the Huige campaign, under the command of the officer Yang Bian (杨弁), back to Taiyuan, so that he could send them to reinforce Wang. Three days before the Chinese New Year, the Hengshui Fence soldiers arrived, but as the circuit treasury was empty, Li Shi could not give them the silk rewards that the soldiers being sent on a campaign were accustomed to receive; rather, he had to take silk out of his own personal wealth, but was only able to pay half as much. Further, the eunuch monitor Lü Yizhong (吕义忠), then with Wang, was sending messages forcing the soldiers to get underway without staying at Taiyuan for New Year. The soldiers were angry and distressed, and Yang took this opportunity to start an uprising. He had the soldiers pillage the city and take control of the city of Taiyuan. Li Shi was forced to flee to Fen Prefecture (汾州, in modern Linfen, Shanxi). Yang subsequently entered into an alliance with Liu Zhen

In light of Yang's uprising, there were immediate calls among the imperial officials to stop the campaign against Zhaoyi, and even Wang Zai was calling for accepting Liu's surrender. Li Deyu opposed, and again reiterated that Liu's surrender should only be accepted if he and his family bound themselves. Under further advice by Li Deyu, who argued that Yang's uprising could not be tolerated, Emperor Wuzong ordered that the focus of the campaign be shifted, to concentrate on Yang first. To those ends, he ordered Li Shi and Lü to gather troops from nearby prefectures and try to recapture Taiyuan, while ordering Wang Feng to leave Hedong troops at Yushe and instead take troops previously sent by Yiwu (义武, headquartered in modern Baoding, Hebei), Xuanwu, and Yanhai (兖海, headquartered in modern Jining, Shandong) Circuits to head toward Taiyuan. He also ordered Wang Yuankui to divert troops toward Taiyuan as well. This set a panic into the Hedong soldiers at Yushe, who were fearful that the soldiers from other circuits would slaughter their families if Taiyuan fell, so they volunteered to attack Yang with Lü as their commander. In less than a month after Yang took over Taiyuan, the Hedong troops under Lü recaptured the city and arrested Yang, who was subsequently delivered to Chang'an and executed.

Meanwhile, Li Deyu came to believe that, and he informed Emperor Wuzong that, Wang Zai was not putting more pressure on Ze Prefecture for two reasons — because Shi Xiong had been falsely accused by Wang Zai's father Wang Zhixing previously and therefore there was an enmity between the two men (and therefore, Wang Zai was concerned that attacking Ze Prefecture harder would allow Shi to take the chance to capture Lu Prefecture); and that Wang Zai's biological son Wang Yanshi (王晏实), whom Wang Zhixing had adopted as a son and therefore was legally Wang Zai's brother, was the prefect of one of the Zhaoyi prefectures, Ci Prefecture (磁州, in modern Handan) and had been detained by Liu. Emperor Wuzong thus sent Wang Zai an edict in which he again ordered him to advance, and further pressured Wang Zai by moving Liu Mian, who was then the military governor of Yiwu, to Heyang.

Around the same time, Emperor Wuzong had begun to favor a Taoist monk, Zhao Guizhen (赵归真), despite the advisory officials' advice against it. Emperor Wuzong had to assure Li Deyu that he would not be affected in his policy decisions by Zhao. Meanwhile, Li Deyu was also gaining intelligence information from Zhaoyi officers who surrendered, and was directing Wang Zai, Wang Feng, and He Hongjing in their tactics.

By this point, the Zhaoyi soldiers at Xing, Ming, and Ci Prefectures had been tired out by the war and enraged with Liu Zhen's trusted officer Liu Xi (刘溪), who was collecting taxes even from the soldiers' family members, against the pleas by Liu Congjian's brother-in-law Pei Wen (裴问), whom Liu Zhen had put in charge of the three prefectures. Pei, also angered by Liu Xi and believing the situation to be hopeless, surrendered along with Wang Zhao (王钊) to Wang Yuankui and He Hongjing. At Li Deyu's urging, Emperor Wuzong quickly sent the imperially-commissioned military governor Lu Jun (卢均) to take over the three prefectures, before Wang Yuankui and He Hongjing could consider asking that the three prefectures be annexed to their circuits.

Upon the news of the three prefectures' surrender's arrival in Lu Prefecture, the people of Lu Prefecture became fearful. A group of officers, led by Liu Zhen's trusted officer Guo Yi (郭谊), persuaded Liu that the only way that the Liu clan could be saved was for him to allow them to kill him, present his head to the imperial government, and surrender. Liu thus allowed them to kill him without a fight — and Guo and his followers then nevertheless slaughtered the Liu clan and surrendered to the imperial government.

After the Zhaoyi campaign

Emperor Wuzong immediately inquired of Li Deyu what his opinion was as to how to deal with Guo Yi. Li Deyu argued that Guo was untrustworthy — having been a major advocate of Liu Zhen's resistance of the imperial regime and then eventually betraying Liu — and Emperor Wuzong agreed, despite misgivings by Du Cong, then also chancellor. Emperor Wuzong thus ordered Shi Xiong to enter Lu Prefecture and, under guise that he was going to distribute commissions to Guo and the other officers involved in Liu's death at a feast, had them rounded up and arrested. Guo and the other officers were subsequently delivered to Chang'an and executed. Also under Emperor Wuzong's orders, Shi exhumed Liu Congjian's body and had it publicly displayed then cut into pieces. For Li Deyu's contributions, Emperor Wuzong created him the Duke of Zhao and gave him the honorary title of Taiwei (太尉, one of the Three Excellencies). (Subsequently, Li Deyu requested a different creation because Li Jifu also carried the title of Duke of Zhao, and he was not Li Jifu's oldest son, suggesting that he would prefer the title of Duke of Wei. Emperor Wuzong agreed and change his title accordingly.)

After the Zhaoyi campaign, Li Deyu was becoming even more powerful in Emperor Wuzong's government, but he was also drawing resentment for his harshness. For example, after the end of the campaign, he had Emperor Wuzong issue an edict announcing that the family members of Li Xun, Wang Ya, and Jia Su, who had previously been sheltered by Liu Congjian and Liu Zhen after fleeing to Zhaoyi but whom Guo then executed, had been executed, referring to them as the family members of traitors. He further had the Zhaoyi officers who had previously surrendered list Liu Zhen's collaborators and were slaughtering them in large numbers, even though Lu Jun was arguing that too many people were being innocently killed. He further carried out reprisals against Li Zongmin and Niu Sengru, accusing them of having been in communications with Liu Congjian and Liu Zhen despite the lack of evidence — going as far as having Liu Congjian's secretary Zheng Qing (郑庆) claim that whenever Liu Congjian received letters from Li Zongmin or Niu, he would read them and burn them. Emperor Wuzong, believing Li Deyu's accusations, had Li Zongmin and Niu demoted and exiled several times, eventually with Niu being made the secretary general of Xun Prefecture (循州, in modern Huizhou, Guangdong), and Li Zongmin stripped of all offices and exiled to Feng Prefecture (封州, in modern Zhaoqing, Guangdong).

In 845, Li Shen, then the military governor of Huainan, accused one of his subordinates, the magistrate of Jiangdu (江都, in modern Yangzhou), Wu Xiang (吴湘), whose uncle Wu Wuling (吴武陵) had long had an adversarial relationship with Li Deyu, of embezzlement and forcibly marrying the daughter of a commoner, Yan Yue (颜悦). Many advisory officials pointed out that the evidence against Wu Xiang was weak, and Emperor Wuzong sent the censors Cui Yuanzao (崔元藻) and Li Chou (李稠) to review the case. Cui and Li Chou reported that Wu Xiang did embezzle funds, but that his father-in-law Yan was not a commoner, nor was the marriage forced. Li Deyu, despite Cui's and Li Chou's report, nevertheless had Wu Xiang executed, and further, retaliating against Cui and Li Chou for their contrary reports, had them demoted and exiled.

Also in 845, apparently with Li Deyu's support, Emperor Wuzong ordered a general reduction in Buddhist and other temples, including those of Zoroastrian, only leaving two temples each at Chang'an and Luoyang, while each circuit and five large prefectures were allowed to retain one temple each. All other temples were destroyed, and the monks and nuns ordered to return to civilian life. The temples' lands were confiscated, while the building material used for the buildings, statues, and bells were seized to build governmental properties and mint money. (This was the third of the Three Disasters of Wu — major persecutions against Buddhism in Chinese history.)

Later in 845, at Li Deyu's suggestion, Emperor Wuzong established a special treasury for the purpose of border defense, setting aside funds for that purpose. Also, when Emperor Wuzong wanted to create his favorite concubine Consort Wang empress, Li Deyu opposed on the grounds that Consort Wang was of low birth and was sonless, so Emperor Wuzong did not do so. It was said that by this point, as Du Cong and Cui Xuan were no longer chancellors, Li Deyu wielded all the chancellor powers, such that even the eunuchs and Emperor Wuzong were becoming displeased with him. When the imperial attendant Wei Hongzhi (韦弘质) suggested that Li Deyu, as chancellor, should not further be in control of the imperial treasury, Li Deyu submitted a defense of himself and had Wei demoted, further angering other officials.

In spring 846, Emperor Wuzong, suffering from the effects of alchemists' pills designing to lead to immortality, became seriously ill, and the eunuchs decided on having Emperor Wuzong's uncle (Emperor Muzong's younger brother) Li Yi the Prince of Guang, who had been considered to be unintelligent, succeed Emperor Wuzong, and thus issued an edict in Emperor Wuzong's name creating Li Yi crown prince and changing Li Yi's name to Li Chen. When Emperor Wuzong thereafter died, Li Chen became emperor (as Emperor Xuānzong), and during the period of mourning, Li Deyu served as regent.

During Emperor Xuānzongs reign

Emperor Xuānzong, however, was far from unintelligent, and had long resented Li Deyu's hold on power. On the day of his enthronement, Li Deyu served as the ceremonial presenter of the congratulatory notes from the imperial officials. After the ceremony was complete, Emperor Xuānzong stated to his attendants: "Was the person approaching me the Taiwei? Whenever he looked at me, my hairs were raised." The day after the mourning period was over, Emperor Xuānzong sent Li Deyu out of the capital to serve as the military governor of Jingnan Circuit (荆南, headquartered in modern Jingzhou, Hubei), continuing to carry the Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi title as an honorary title. It was said that given how long Li Deyu had been in power, it came as a complete shock to all involved that he would be sent out of the capital. Emperor Xuānzong subsequently also had a number of Li Deyu's associates sent out of the capital. Later in the year, the five former chancellors that Emperor Wuzong had exiled — Niu Sengru, Li Zongmin, Cui Gong, Yang Sifu, and Li Jue — were gradually moved closer to Chang'an (although Li Zongmin died before he could be moved). Li Deyu was subsequently made the defender of Luoyang, and no longer carried the honorary title of Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi. In 847, under the further accusations by Li Deyu's successor as chancellor, Bai Minzhong, Li Deyu was made a senior advisor to the crown prince — an entirely honorary title since there was no crown prince at the time — and ordered to have his office at Luoyang.

In fall 847, Wu Xiang's brother Wu Runa (吴汝纳) submitted a petition arguing that Wu Xiang was improperly executed and accusing Li Shen and Li Deyu of causing the improper execution. Emperor Xuānzong recalled Cui Yuanzao from exile and had him give an account of the case to the Office of the Imperial Censors, which subsequently submitted a report agreeing that Wu Xiang was improperly executed. As a result, Li Deyu was further demoted and exiled to be the military advisor to the prefect of Chao Prefecture (潮州, in modern Chaozhou, Guangdong). In fall 848, Li Deyu was further demoted to be the census officer at Yai Prefecture (崖州, in modern Haikou, Hainan), where Li Deyu died around the new year 850. It was said that his casket was allowed to be returned to be Chang'an and buried there only after intercession by the chancellor Linghu Tao — who had dreamed of Li Deyu's pleading with him to do so. However, Li Deyu's titles were only posthumously restored in 860, during the reign of Emperor Xuānzong's son Emperor Yizong, at the urging of the official Liu Ye.

Posthumous perception

The lead editor of the Old Book of Tang, the Later Jin chancellor Liu Xu, had this to say about Li Deyu:

On the island of Hainan, Li Deyu has been commemorated in the Temple of Five Lords since the time of the Ming Dynasty.

In fiction

Played by Lau Dan, a fictionalized version of Li Deyu was portrayed in 2009 Hong Kong's TVB television series, Beyond the Realm of Conscience.

Notes and references

• Old Book of Tang, vol. 174.

• New Book of Tang, vol. 180.

• Zizhi Tongjian, vols. 241, 243, 244, 245, 246, 247, 248.