Early Life
Zhang Jun was the son of Zhang Shi (張寔), the Jin governor of Liang Province (涼州, modern central and western Gansu) and the Duke of Xiping. In 320, Zhang Shi was assassinated by his guards Yan She (閻涉) and Zhao Ang (趙卬), who were followers of the magician Liu Hong (劉弘), who had falsely prophesized that he would be the ruler of Liang Province. Zhang Shi's brother Zhang Mao captured and executed Liu and his followers. Because Zhang Jun was still young (aged 13) at the time, Zhang Shi's subordinates requested that Zhang Mao take over the governorship. (Because Zhang Mao also declared a general pardon at the time, a power normally reserved for an emperor, this was often viewed as the date of Former Liang's independence from Jin.) Zhang Mao made Zhang Jun a general, and later in the year named him his heir. In 324, Zhang Mao died, and Zhang Jun succeeded him. Because Zhang Mao had previously been forced to submit to Han Zhao and was given the title the Prince of Liang, Zhang Jun carried that title as well, even though internally he used the Jin-vested title of Duke of Xiping.
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