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The Han-Zhao, or Former Zhao, was a dynastic state of China ruled by the Liu (Luandi) clan of Xiongnu ethnicity during the Sixteen Kingdoms period of Chinese history. In Chinese historiography, it was given two conditional state titles, the Northern Han for the state proclaimed in 304 by Liu Yuan, and the Former Zhao for the state proclaimed in 319 by Liu Yao. The reference to them as separate states should be considered misleading, given that when Liu Yao changed the name of the state from “Han” to “Zhao” in 319, he treated the state as having been continuous from the time that Liu Yuan founded it in 304; instead, he de-established his imperial lineage from the Han dynasty and claimed ancestry directly from Modu Chanyu.
Emperor Huai of Jin, personal name Sima Chi (司馬熾), courtesy name Fengdu (豐度), was an emperor of the Jin Dynasty (266–420).
Emperor Yuan of Jin, personal name Sima Rui (司馬睿), courtesy name Jingwen (景文), was an emperor of the Jin dynasty and the first emperor of the Eastern Jin. His reign saw the steady gradual loss of Jin territory in the north, but entrenchment of Jin authority south of the Huai River and east of the Three Gorges. For generations, Jin was not seriously threatened by the Wu Hu kingdoms to the north.
Liu Yao, courtesy name Yongming, was the final emperor of the Xiongnu-led Han-Zhao dynasty of China. He became emperor in 318 after most other members of the imperial Liu clan were massacred by Jin Zhun in a coup. However, the empire was soon divided in half, as the general Shi Le declared independence and established the Later Zhao dynasty. In a decisive battle in early 329, Shi captured and executed him, and while his sons Liu Xi the Crown Prince and Liu Yin the Prince of Nanyang continued to hold out for nearly a year, the Han-Zhao state fell later that year.
Yang Xianrong (羊獻容), posthumous name Empress Xianwen, was an empress—uniquely in the history of China, for two different dynastic empires and two different emperors. Her first husband was Emperor Hui of Jin, and her second husband was Liu Yao of Former Zhao. Also unique was that she was deposed four times and restored four times as empress of the Western Jin.
Liu Yuan (劉淵) (died 19 August 310), courtesy name Yuanhai (元海), also known by his posthumous name as the Emperor Guangwen of Han (Zhao) (漢(趙)光文帝) was the founding emperor of the Xiongnu-led Han-Zhao dynasty of China during the Sixteen Kingdoms period. Due to Tang dynasty naming taboo, he is referred to by his courtesy name as Liu Yuanhai (劉元海) in the Book of Jin.
Empress Shan was an empress of the Xiongnu-led Chinese Han-Zhao dynasty. She was the second wife of the founding emperor Liu Yuan. Her name can be rendered as Empress Dan.
Liu He, courtesy name Xuantai, was briefly the second emperor of the Xiongnu-led Chinese Han-Zhao dynasty. He reigned for seven days in 310.
Liu Cong (died 31 August 318), courtesy name Xuanming, nickname Zai, also known by his posthumous name as the Emperor Zhaowu of Han (Zhao), was an emperor of the Xiongnu-led Chinese Han-Zhao dynasty. He captured the Emperor Huai of Jin and the Emperor Min of Jin, and executed them back in Pingyang after forcing them to act as cupbearers. These raids finally forced the Jin dynasty to move its capital from Luoyang to Nanjing.
Empress Huyan, formally Empress Wuyuan was an empress of the Xiongnu-led Han-Zhao dynasty of China. She was the first wife of Liu Cong.
The Han-Zhao emperor Liu Cong, after his third wife Empress Liu E's death in 314, became involved in the unorthodox practice of creating multiple empresses, against the Chinese tradition of having one empress at one time. Several women therefore carried the empress titles during his late reign, either entirely simultaneously or in an overlapping manner, and four of them survived to the time of the brief reign of his son Liu Can in 318. Liu Can was said to have engaged in affairs with all of them, all of whom were described as younger than 20 in age. In addition to these empresses with formal titles, Liu Cong was said to have had several other consorts who also carried empress seals, but not official empress titles.
Empress Jin was briefly an empress of the Xiongnu-led Chinese Han-Zhao dynasty. Her husband was Liu Can.
Jin Zhun was an official and a member of the consort kin of the Xiongnu-led Han-Zhao dynasty of China who briefly usurped the throne in 318. Jin Zhun staged a coup d'état against the Han emperor and his son-in-law Liu Can and then massacred the Liu imperial family. He then proclaimed himself Heavenly King of Han and nominally submitted to the Eastern Jin dynasty as a vassal. His forces were subsequently squeezed in by the troops led by Liu Yao and Shi Le, and, facing probable defeat, his followers assassinated him. Liu Yao then succeeded Jin Zhun to the Han throne. Jin Zhun was probably an ethnic Xiongnu, although some sources claim that he was of Han descent.
Liu Xi, courtesy name Yiguang, was the crown prince and a son of Liu Yao, the final emperor of the Xiongnu-led Chinese Former Zhao dynasty, who was thrust into the leadership role after his father was captured by rival Later Zhao's forces, but was unable to resist Later Zhao and killed less than a year later.
Liu Yin (劉胤), courtesy name Yisun (義孫), was an imperial prince of the Chinese/Xiongnu state Han-Zhao, who, following his father Liu Yao's capture by rival Later Zhao, tried to maintain the state with his brother, the crown prince Liu Xi, but was unsuccessful and killed by Later Zhao.
Shi Le, courtesy name Shilong, also known by his posthumous name as the Emperor Ming of Later Zhao, was the founding emperor of the Jie-led Later Zhao dynasty of China. He was initially sold as a slave by Western Jin officials, but after attaining freedom, he helped start a rebellion and eventually became a powerful general for the Xiongnu-led Han-Zhao dynasty, conquering most of northern China in Han-Zhao's name but holding the territory under his own control. In 319, after a dispute with the Han-Zhao emperor Liu Yao, he broke away from Han and formed his own state, Later Zhao. In 321, he defeated Duan Pidi, the last remaining Jin power in northern China besides Murong Hui, and in 329 he captured Liu Yao and conquered the Han-Zhao, adding western China to his empire as well. For the next 21 years, the Later Zhao would dominate northern China.
Shi Hu, courtesy name Jilong (季龍), also known by his posthumous name as the Emperor Wu of Later Zhao (後趙武帝), was an emperor of the Jie-led Chinese Later Zhao dynasty. He was the founding emperor Shi Le 's distant nephew and adoptive brother, who took power in a coup after Shi Le's death from Shi Le's heir Shi Hong. Due to Tang dynasty naming taboo, he is referred to as Shi Jilong (石季龍) in the Book of Jin.
Murong Chao, courtesy name Zuming (祖明), was the second and last emperor of the Xianbei-led Chinese Southern Yan dynasty. He was the nephew of the founding emperor Murong De who was trapped under the rule of the Later Qin dynasty, but was welcomed to the Southern Yan after his uncle found out about his existence. Because Murong De had no surviving sons, Murong Chao inherited his throne after his death in 405. Initially considered able, Murong Chao turned out to be capricious and thoroughly unwilling to accept criticism once he became emperor, and after he provoked the Eastern Jin dynasty, the Eastern Jin general Liu Yu captured and killed him in 410, ending the Southern Yan. The Book of Jin described Murong Chao as a handsome man about 1.96 metres tall.
The Disaster of Yongjia occurred in 311 CE, when forces of the Xiongnu-led Han-Zhao dynasty captured and sacked Luoyang, the capital of the Western Jin dynasty. Han's army committed a massacre of the city's inhabitants, killing the Jin crown prince, a host of ministers, and over 30,000 civilians. They also burnt down the palaces and dug up the Jin dynasty's mausoleums. Though the Western Jin would survive for a few more years, this event is often seen as one of the worst disasters in Chinese history, as both the emperor and one of the ancient capitals fell to the hands of “barbarian” forces.
Huyan Yan was a Xiongnu military general and minister of Han-Zhao during the Sixteen Kingdoms period. He was an important figure during the Disaster of Yongjia in 311 and was also a supporter of Liu Yao following Jin Zhun's coup in 318.
References
- Book of Jin , vol. 102.
- Book of Wei , vol. 95.
- Zizhi Tongjian , vols. 87, 88, 89, 90.