An Lushan Rebellion

The An Lushan Rebellion was a rebellion against the Tang dynasty of China. The rebellion’s overt phase began on 16 December 755, when general An Lushan mobilized his army and marched to Fanyang, and ended when his Yan dynasty fell on 17 February 763 (although the effects lasted past this). This event is also known (especially in Chinese historiography) as the An–Shi Rebellion or An–Shi Disturbances, as it continued after An Lushan’s death under his son An Qingxu, his deputy and successor Shi Siming, and Shi’s son and successor Shi Chaoyi, or as the Tianbao Rebellion, as it began in the 14th year of that era.
The rebellion spanned the reigns of three Tang emperors against the rival Yan Dynasty before it was finally quashed. Besides the Tang dynasty loyalists, others involved were anti-Tang forces, especially those in An Lushan’s base area in Hebei and Sogdian forces or influences, among others. The rebellion and subsequent disorder resulted in a huge loss of life and large-scale destruction. It significantly weakened the Tang dynasty and led to the loss of the Western Regions. The Tang dynasty hired 4,000 mercenaries from Abbasid territories and the Uyghur Khaganate intervened for the Tang dynasty against An Lushan.