Alp Tigin vs Li Cunxu

Alp Tigin rebelled against the Samanid ruler Mansur I after being passed over for a governorship. He marched from Nishapur to Ghazni, defeating Samanid forces along the way, and established his own rule in eastern Afghanistan.

Alp Tigin fortified Ghazni and organized a military state based on slave soldiers (ghilman). He established a stable administration that attracted scholars and merchants, turning Ghazni into a major regional power center.

Li Cunxu inherited the title Prince of Jin from his father Li Keyong. He continued the struggle against Later Liang, consolidating the Jin state as a major power in northern China.

Li Cunxu's Jin army defeated the Later Liang forces under Zhu Wen at Baixiang. This victory established Jin as the dominant military power in the north and marked a turning point in the war.

Li Cunxu led a successful campaign against Later Liang, capturing its capital Kaifeng and ending the dynasty. He then proclaimed himself emperor, founding the Later Tang dynasty.

Li Cunxu declared himself emperor of the Later Tang dynasty, claiming legitimacy as the restorer of the Tang lineage. He established his capital at Luoyang and reunified much of northern China.

Li Cunxu faced a mutiny by his own troops at Xingyuan during a campaign against the Khitans. He was killed in the fighting, leading to the collapse of Later Tang and the rise of Later Jin.