生平

早年经历

北魏孝明帝末年，先前因平定六镇之乱迅速崛起的尔朱荣计划向南扩张势力，与天光密谋协商，并让他掌管并州和肆州的兵马。武泰元年二月癸丑（528年3月31日），孝明帝突然暴毙身亡，时人怀疑是胡太后的宠臣郑俨所为。尔朱荣计划南下洛阳掌控朝政，先派天光、亲信奚毅和奴仆王相前往与当时在洛阳任官的尔朱世隆秘密商讨皇帝的废立问题，天光乃与元子攸（后来的孝庄帝）会面，将尔朱荣的想法告诉他，元子攸便同意了尔朱荣的计划。于是尔朱荣藉口匡定朝廷，诛杀郑俨、徐纥为孝明帝报仇，率军向洛阳进发，仍以天光摄行肆州，镇守后方。尔朱荣另立长乐王元子攸为帝，是为孝庄帝，进入洛阳后发动了河阴之变。建义初年，加授天光抚军将军、肆州刺史，长安县开国公，食邑一千户。同年九月（528年10月），尔朱荣前往讨伐称齐帝的变民首领葛荣，命天光镇守晋阳，对他说：「我本人不能在的地方，只有你在能让我放心。」

永安年间，加侍中、金紫光禄大夫、北秀容川第一酋长，又转为卫将军。永安二年三月壬戌（529年4月4日），孝庄帝命大将军元天穆讨伐称汉王的变民首领邢杲，诏天光以原官使持节、假镇东将军、都督，隶属元天穆军，同年四月辛丑（5月13日），邢杲在济南被击破，投降后被押送洛阳斩首。不久后，南梁将领陈庆之趁著北魏主力讨伐邢杲时，护送先前投靠南梁的北海王元颢往北进攻，所向披靡，元颢遂在睢阳称帝，改年号为孝基。孝庄帝为了逃避元颢的攻势，放弃洛阳逃走，元天穆与天光闻讯后跟南下的尔朱荣在河内会合，尔朱荣离开晋阳后，并州、肆州人心不安，尔朱荣乃命天光以原官兼尚书仆射，为并肆云恒朔燕蔚显汾并九州行台，前往并州安抚整顿，天光到了并州后，部属兵力、整顿军纪，各部才安定下来。返回京师后，迁骠骑将军、加散骑常侍，改封广宗郡公，增邑一千户，仍为左卫将军。

平定陇西

西讨万俟丑奴

建义元年七月（528年8月），变民首领万俟丑奴在高平登极称帝，叛变败走的萧宝夤也在不久前前往投靠，朝廷非常担心，永安三年（530年），尔朱荣命天光使持节、督二雍（北雍州和南雍州）二岐（岐州和南岐州）诸军事，加授骠骑大将军、雍州刺史，授贺拔岳使持节、假卫将军、左大都督，以征西将军侯莫陈悦为右大都督，同时作为天光的助手，讨伐万俟丑奴。天光以前就跟贺拔岳认识，得知要跟他同行非常开心，有事常上门访问讨论。

起初天光刚出发时，只有配备军士一千人，其他的则动员洛阳以西的兵马供他指挥。当时位于东雍州的赤水蜀变民阻断了道路，孝庄帝诏侍中杨侃先行前往抚慰，并要求他们提供战马，虽然杨侃前往安抚，但变民军仍迟疑不定。天光抵达潼关后，因军队不足两千人，踌躇不前，贺拔岳说：「这些蜀贼只是一些鼠辈而已，你就如此迟疑，以后如果遇到大敌，该怎么应战啊。」天光说：「今天的事，全交给你去办！」，于是贺拔岳在渭水北与蜀军作战，大破赤水蜀变民军，获得两千匹战马，还将蜀兵其中的壮士编入军队之中。抵达雍州以后，又徵收民马，合计有一万馀匹，军威大振，但是军士人数太少，没有继续前进，尔朱荣得知后大怒，派遣骑兵参军刘贵乘坐驿马至大营谴责天光，打他一百棍，尔朱荣又加派两千人增援天光。

同年三月（530年4月），万俟丑奴亲率部众包围岐州，派他的大行台尉迟菩萨和仆射万俟仵从武功南渡渭水，攻击北魏的营垒。天光遣贺拔岳率一千骑兵增援，大破尉迟菩萨军，生擒尉迟菩萨，取得他军队所有的马匹，获得骑兵三千，步兵万馀人，军用物资也全数被贺拔岳夺取。万俟丑奴得到消息后放弃岐州逃回安定，在平亭（今泾川县北）设置营地。天光这时才离开雍州前往岐州，与贺拔岳合军。四月（530年5月），天光行军至汧水和渭水之间，对外宣称说：「天气要变热了，不是征讨的好时候，等到秋天凉爽之时，再做进一步打算。」每次万俟丑奴的间谍被抓到时，天光都加以安慰，然后放他回去。万俟丑奴相信了这项情报，派遣军队至细川附近四散耕田，派太尉侯伏侯元进领兵五千，在险要之处设置营地，且耕且守，在他的附近以一千人为一个单位扎营。天光知道他们的人员布置之后，严密戒备。某一天吃晚饭的时候，天光暗中先派轻骑兵去背后断路，以免敌军逃跑，然后全军进发。天快要亮的时候，围攻侯伏侯元进的大营，攻克，生擒侯伏侯元进，将所有抓到的俘虏全都放回，其他还没陷落的各营听到后马上望风投降。天光昼夜不停地赶往安定城下，万俟丑奴任命的泾州刺史侯几长贵献出城池投降。万俟丑奴放弃平亭逃走，打算投奔到高平，天光派贺拔岳以轻骑兵赶忙追捕他，隔天与万俟丑奴在平凉的长平坑遭遇，当时变民军还没有集中排好阵型，鲜卑人侯莫陈崇立刻单枪匹马冲入变民军中，在马上生擒万俟丑奴，于是大声宣布战果，变民军霎时间奔走逃命，而北魏军的骑兵也越来越多，变民军遂完全崩溃。天光隔天领军围逼高平，城中军民便抓住萧宝夤向天光投降。

扫平王庆云

万俟丑奴败亡后，东自泾州、豳州，西到灵州的所有变民军全向北魏投降，只有万俟丑奴任命的行台万俟道洛拒绝投降，率军六千人逃往深山。当时高平大旱，天光因为缺少草料，退到城东五十里处扎营牧马，遣都督长孙邪利率两百人行原州事，镇守州城。万俟道洛与城中居民秘谋，袭杀长孙邪利和他率领的两百人。天光与贺拔岳、侯莫陈悦赶往，万俟道洛出城应战，失利，率领部众西入牵屯山，以险自守，天光收回城池后也招降万俟道洛，但没有成功。尔朱荣责备天光损失长孙邪利一名将领，又不能捉到万俟道洛，遣使打了他一百棍，降为散骑常侍、抚军将军、雍州刺史，把他的爵位降为侯爵。天光再向驻扎在牵屯山上的万俟道洛攻击，万俟道洛战败，逃入陇山，投奔另一个在略阳的变民军首领王庆云，王庆云认为万俟道洛骁勇善战，非常高兴，认为帝王大业可图，于是在水洛城（位于今甘肃省庄浪县东南）自称皇帝，设置百官，以万俟道洛为大将军。

天光想要前去讨伐，但孝庄帝频频下诏阻止，尔朱荣也写信说陇中地势险要，加上天气炎热，等到冬天再行动，但是天光知道王庆云可以制伏，于是准备进军。七月，天光率众进入陇山地区，抵达水洛城下，王庆云和万俟道洛出城应战，天光一箭射中万俟道洛的手臂，万俟道洛连忙丢掉弓向后撤退，天光便趁势攻克水洛城东，变民军遂聚集守卫水洛城西，但城中缺水，变民军饥渴难耐，有投降的人告诉天光说王庆云等想要突围逃走，天光恐怕他们逃走，就遣使告诉王庆云说：「到了现在这种地步，你可以早日投降，如果不敢马上决定，今晚可以跟大家讨论讨论，明天早上再作答覆。」王庆云等想要稍微休息，等待夜晚时趁机突围，就跟天光说：「请等到明天。」天光对变民军使节说：「我知道你们需要喝水，我向后稍稍撤退，让你们汲取河水饮用。」变民军十分开心，不再考虑逃走。于是天光秘密叫军队制作木头做的长枪，枪长七尺，到黄昏的时候，布置人马，在城池周围放置木枪组成的拒马，在道路上更加倍放置，又使人埋伏于拒马之中，防止变民军逃跑，最后还命令人制作长梯放在洛水城北。当天晚上，王庆云、万俟道洛果然骑马率军突围，夜色黑暗，马匹撞到木枪后纷纷伤亡倒地，这时拒马中的伏兵趁机突袭，便将两人同时擒获，其馀部众从城南出来后，遇到木枪无法前进，北魏军士用长梯登上城北，变民军进退两难，束手无策，只好投降。天光等把变民军的武器全部收走后，将他们全部坑杀，死亡人数有一万七千人之多，他们的家属也被分配给出征的官兵，于是三秦地区、河州、渭州、瓜州、凉州、鄯州都前来归顺。天光驻军略阳，孝庄帝下诏恢复他以前的官位和爵位，又加侍中、仪同三司，增邑至三千户。

另立新帝

秦州城城民密谋杀害刺史骆超，骆超发觉后投奔天光，南秦州人城民谋杀刺史辛琛显，辛琛显也逃走投奔天光，天光派兵前往这两座城，把两场叛乱都平定了下来。贺拔岳在平凉大破万俟丑奴的时候，变民军将领夏州人宿勤明达投降天光，后来叛变向北而去，聚集部众，进攻以前投降北魏的叱干麒麟，叱干麒麟向天光求救，天光派贺拔岳前去支援，还没到的时候，宿勤明达就奔往东夏州，正好此时贺拔岳收到孝庄帝已经袭杀了尔朱荣的消息，不再追击，回军泾州等待天光，天光跟侯莫陈悦也东下到陇山与贺拔岳会师，准备直扑洛阳。孝庄帝诏侍中杨侃前往安抚天光，天光与贺拔岳密谋让孝庄帝逃出洛阳，另立新君，于是上疏说：「臣实在没有叛变之心，只不过盼望见陛下一面，以申诉尔朱家的冤屈。」又让他的下属上疏说：「天光密谋不轨，希望陛下加紧防备。」孝庄帝只好进封天光为广宗王。

十月壬申（530年12月5日），尔朱兆和尔朱世隆共同推举长广王元晔当皇帝，大赦，改元建明。元晔也封天光为陇西王。后来天光听闻尔朱兆等进入洛阳活捉孝庄帝，以轻骑前去向尔朱世隆等见面，不久便返回雍州。尔朱世隆等认为元晔血缘疏远又没有声望，打算推举广陵王元恭作皇帝，遣使向天光报告，关西大行台郎中薛孝通也建议天光：「广陵王是高祖（北魏孝文帝元宏）的侄子，从以前就有声望，沉默不说话，一直这个样子持续了很久，若能奉他为天下之主，一定符合天心民意。」天光便与尔朱世隆等逼元晔退位，拥立元恭登基，是为北魏节闵帝，天光也因此被加授开府仪同三司、兼尚书令、关西大行台，后来又被封为大将军。

隔年天光前往夏州，遣将讨伐先前降而复叛的宿勤明达，普泰元年四月癸亥（531年5月25日），生擒宿勤明达，将他押送洛阳斩首。

先前参与诛杀尔朱荣计划的杨侃逃回华阴，天光透过杨侃的岳父韦义远，跟他盟誓，承诺会赦免杨侃，杨侃出来晋见天光后，天光把他诛杀，后来更派军突袭在华阴杨侃的叔叔杨桩的家，不管老少通通杀死，财产全部没收，节闵帝闻后惆怅惋惜很久，说不出话来，朝野知道后没有人不悲痛愤怒。

兵败身死

高欢起事

普泰元年六月庚申（531年7月21日），高欢正式在信都（今河北省衡水市冀州区）起兵反抗尔朱氏，当时流民首领纥豆陵伊利和费也头部族领袖万俟受洛干据有黄河以西的地区，没有归附朝廷，天光知道高欢起兵反抗后担心不已，就不把军事重心放在纥豆陵伊利等人身上，只稍微派兵防备而已。同年八月丙午（9月5日），尔朱仲远和尔朱度律出军讨伐高欢，九月庚辰（10月9日），中央任命天光为大司马，但天光并没有出军协助。十月壬寅（10月31日），高欢拥立的勃海郡太守元朗在信都城西登极称帝，改元中兴，史称北魏后废帝。高欢利用反间计击败了尔朱氏的联军，十一月庚辰（12月8日），高欢领兵攻打邺城，相州刺史刘诞固守城池，中兴二年正月壬午（532年2月8日），攻克邺城，生擒刺史刘诞，同年三月丁丑（4月3日），元朗率百官进入邺城。经过一连串事件后，高欢反抗军的势力逐渐转强。

遭叛被斩

早有叛心的骠骑大将军斛斯桩游说尔朱世隆徵召天光共赴洛阳，讨伐高欢。尔朱世隆眼看高欢的势力日渐增长，加上斛斯桩的劝说下，屡次徵召天光，但天光都不接受，尔朱世隆便派斛斯桩前往劝告，斛斯桩对天光说：「高欢作乱，只有大王你可以解决平定，怎么可以眼睁睁看著宗族被消灭呢？」天光不得已只好东下，向雍州刺史贺拔岳询问策略，贺拔岳说：「大王家跨据三方（天光在关西，尔朱兆在晋阳，尔朱仲远在山东），兵强马壮，高欢那种乌合之众，怎么有办法与你们匹敌！只要你们同心协力，绝对无往不利，但假如骨肉间互相猜疑，则求生存都来不及了，哪里还有能力制服他人！依下官所见，不如先镇守关中以巩固根本，分出一些精锐部队前去与联军会师，这样进可克敌，退可以自保。」天光不从。中兴二年闰三月壬寅（532年4月28日），天光自长安发军，留弟弟尔朱显寿留守，与其他尔朱氏的军队在邺城集结，号称有二十万人，在洹水两岸扎营。

闰三月壬戌（5月18日），高欢在韩陵以寡敌众大败尔朱氏的联军，天光和尔朱度律想撤回洛阳，先前早有叛心的斛斯桩抓住机会，对都督贾显度和贾显智说：「现在不先抓住尔朱家的人，我们就会死无葬身之地！」晚上就在桑树下结盟，约定加倍速度先回洛阳。斛斯桩欺骗尔朱世隆派遣到北中（黄河大桥北岸的桥头堡）的外兵参军阳叔渊，控制了天光他们返回洛阳的必经之路，太昌元年四月甲子朔（5月20日），斛斯桩屠杀尔朱氏的党羽，回来的天光和尔朱度律想要进攻，正巧碰到大雨昼夜不停，士兵跟马匹都疲惫不堪，弓湿弦软也无法使用，只好向西，在雷波津（黄河大桥以西）被人生擒，两人都被送去给高欢，高欢再将两人送回洛阳，于是天光和尔朱度律一同在洛阳被斩首，年三十七。

评价

魏收：「尔朱专恣，分裂天下，各据一方。天光有定关西之功，差不酷暴，比之兆与仲远为不同矣。」出自《魏书‧卷七十五‧列传第六十三》

注释

可参考的文献

• 《魏书‧卷七十五‧列传第六十三》

• 《北史‧卷四十八‧列传第三十六》

• 《资治通鉴‧卷一百五十二至一百五十五》

Under Erzhu Rongs command

Erzhu Tianguang's father was a cousin of Erzhu Rong, who was a Northern Wei general and the chief of the ethnic Xiongnu Qihu (契胡) tribe. In Erzhu Tianguang's youth, he was described to be resolute and capable in archery and horseriding. Erzhu Rong considered him a close confidant, and often discussed military matters with him. In 528, after Emperor Xiaoming was poisoned by his mother Empress Dowager Hu, it was after consulting with Erzhu Tianguang that Erzhu Rong set out to attack the capital Luoyang to overthrow Empress Dowager Hu. As he did, he entrusted one of his home provinces, Si Province (肆州, roughly modern Xinzhou, Shanxi) to Erzhu Tianguang, and after Erzhu Rong killed Empress Dowager Hu and made Emperor Xiaozhuang emperor, Erzhu Tianguang was created the Duke of Chang'an. In 528, when Erzhu Rong set out to destroy the rebel Emperor of Qi, Ge Rong (葛荣), he entrusted his entire home base, including Bing Province (并州, roughly modern Taiyuan, Shanxi) to Erzhu Tianguang as well, remarking, "Only you can make me feel secure about places where I am not at."

In 529, Erzhu Tianguang was one of the generals under the command of Erzhu Rong's close associate Yuan Tianmu (元天穆) when Yuan Tianmu attacked and defeated the rebel general Xing Gao (邢杲). At the same time, however, Yuan Hao the Prince of Beihai, who also claimed the throne, was attacking Luoyang with the support of rival Liang Dynasty, and Yuan Tianmu was unable to stop Yuan Hao. Emperor Xiaozhuang fled Luoyang, and Yuan Tianmu and Erzhu Tianguang also fled north with their troops, joining with Erzhu Rong. Erzhu Rong sent Erzhu Tianguang back to Bing and Si Provinces to secure them, before he himself advanced south and defeated Yuan Hao. After Yuan Hao's defeat, Emperor Xiaozhuang created Erzhu Tianguang the greater title of Duke of Guangzong.

In 530, with Moqi Chounu, who had claimed imperial title by that point, attacking and seizing parts of the Guanzhong region, Erzhu Rong was initially going to send the general Heba Yue (贺拔岳) to command an army against Moqi. However, Heba Yue declined to be in command, believing that he would draw suspicions even if were victorious, and instead offering to serve under a member of the Erzhu clan. Erzhu Rong therefore put Erzhu Tianguang in command of the army, with Heba and Houmochen Yue (侯莫陈悦) as Erzhu Tianguang's lieutenants. Erzhu Tianguang was given a relatively small army, and initially the campaign against Moqi appeared hopeless, but with Erzhu Tianguang himself and Heba both being capable generals, they scored initial victories and then misled Moqi into believing that they would rest several months before taking further action. Instead, they made a surprise attack against Moqi, capturing him in battle, and then captured Moqi's capital Gaoping (高平, in modern Guyuan, Ningxia) and Moqi's prime minister Xiao Baoyin. Erzhu Tianguang's follow-up campaign against Moqi Chounu's general Moqi Daoluo (万俟道洛), however, was initially unsuccessful, and Erzhu Rong, in anger, had Emperor Xiaozhuang demote his rank and title to marquess. Erzhu Tianguang, however, was eventually able to force Moqi Daoluo to flee to another rebel general, Wang Qingyun, and then defeated and captured both Moqi Daoluo and Wang.

Involvement in the campaign against Emperor Xiaozhuang

With the Guanzhong region and the surrounding provinces pacified, Erzhu Tianguang was put in charge of those provinces, with his headquarters at Chang'an. His title was restored to duke.

Late in 530, Emperor Xiaozhuang, apprehensive that Erzhu Rong would eventually seized the throne, ambushed him in the palace and killed him. Erzhu Rong's cousin Erzhu Shilong and nephew Erzhu Zhao rebelled, declaring Erzhu Rong's wife Princess Beixiang's nephew Yuan Ye the Prince of Changguang emperor. However, Erzhu Tianguang initially took no corresponding action; rather, when Emperor Xiaozhuang sent his official Zhu Rui (朱瑞) to try to persuade Erzhu Tianguang to join his side, Erzhu Tianguang deliberately made ambiguous gestures, trying to instead encourage Emperor Xiaozhuang to abandon Luoyang and flee, rather than to directly confront the emperor. Both Emperor Xiaozhuang and Yuan Ye conferred princely titles on Erzhu Tianguang, and Erzhu Tianguang eventually accepted Yuan Ye's bestowment of the Prince of Longxi title, but did not make further threatening gestures against Emperor Xiaozhuang. Around the new year 531, Erzhu Zhao made a surprise attack on Luoyang and captured it and Emperor Xiaozhuang, and only then did Erzhu Tianguang go to Luoyang to meet with Erzhu Zhao and Erzhu Shilong, but soon returned to his post at Chang'an.

While Erzhu Tianguang was still at Luoyang, however, he suggested to Erzhu Shilong, who had become concerned that Yuan Ye's lineage was too far from the recent emperors' to be a proper candidate for the throne, to make Emperor Xianwen's grandson Yuan Gong the Prince of Guangling emperor. In spring 531, Erzhu Shilong took such action, forcing Yuan Ye to yield the throne to Yuan Gong, who took the throne as Emperor Jiemin.

Defeat and death

Erzhu Tianguang continued to control the western provinces, and in summer 531 he attacked the rebel general Suqin Mingda (宿勤明达) and captured him, taking Xia Province (夏州, roughly modern Yulin, Shanxi), which Suqin controlled, under his own control, while delivering Suqin to Luoyang to be executed. However, when the general Gao Huan rebelled at Xindu (信都, in modern Hengshui, Hebei) later in the summer, Erzhu Tianguang abandoned his planned campaigns against the rebel generals Gedouling Yili (纥豆陵伊利) and Moqi Shouluogan (万俟受洛干), who controlled the modern central and western Gansu, and prepared for possible action in the east, although he did not immediately intervene in the campaign between Gao and his fellow Erzhu clan members, even after Gao defeated Erzhu Zhao in battle late in 531.

In 532, hoping to force Erzhu Tianguang to come to his clan members' aid so that they could be destroyed together, the generals Husi Chun and Heba Sheng (贺拔胜, Heba Yue's brother) persuaded Erzhu Shilong to put pressure on Erzhu Tianguang to act against Gao Huan. Soon, Erzhu Tianguang took his army to converge with Erzhu Zhao, and Erzhu Shilong's brothers Erzhu Dulü (尔朱度律) and Erzhu Zhongyuan (尔朱仲远) at the important city Yecheng, which Gao had taken earlier in 532. Despite numerical advantage, however, Gao defeated them, and Erzhu Zhao fled back to Jinyang (晋阳, in modern Taiyuan, Shanxi), while Erzhu Zhongyuan fled back to Huatai (滑台, in modern Anyang, Henan). Erzhu Tianguang and Erzhu Dulü retreated toward Luoyang, but Husi rebelled at this time, seizing the fortress of Beizhong (北中, just north of Luoyang across the Yellow River), and when Erzhu Dulü and Erzhu Tianguang failed to recapture Beizhong, they were forced to flee, and they were captured and delivered to Husi, who in turn delivered them, as well as the heads of Erzhu Shilong and Erzhu Shilong's brother Erzhu Yanbo (尔朱彦伯) (whom Husi had earlier captured and executed) to Gao. Gao had Erzhu Tianguang and Erzhu Dulü executed.

The official history of Northern Wei, the Book of Wei, written during the succeeding Northern Qi (whose imperial family was Gao Huan's descendants), was largely highly critical of the Erzhus, but remarked that Erzhu Tianguang was, unlike the other Erzhu clan members, neither corrupt nor violent, and praised him for his recapturing the western provinces for Northern Wei.