Timeline of the Xiongnu

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Xiongnu Empire in 200 BC Asia 200bc.jpg
Xiongnu Empire in 200 BC

This is a timeline of the Xiongnu, a nomadic people that dominated the ancient eastern Eurasian steppes from 209 BC to 89 AD. The Xiongnu settled down in northern China during the late 3rd century AD following the Three Kingdoms period, and founded several states lasting until the Northern Liang was conquered by the Xianbei Northern Wei in 439 AD.

Contents

4th century BC

YearDateEvent
318 BCThe Xiongnu attack Qin in conjunction with the other Warring States [1]

3rd century BC

YearDateEvent
265 BC Zhao–Xiongnu War: Li Mu of Zhao draws the Xiongnu into an ambush and defeats them [2]
214 BC Qin's campaign against the Xiongnu : Meng Tian defeats the Xiongnu and conquers the Ordos region [3]
209 BC Modu Chanyu assumes power over the Xiongnu and defeats the Donghu people, who become the Wuhuan and Xianbei [4]
203 BC Modu Chanyu defeats the Yuezhi [5]
201 BC Battle of Baideng : Emperor Gaozu of Han's army is defeated by the Xiongnu [6]
Xin, King of Han defects to the Xiongnu [6]

2nd century BC

YearDateEvent
197 BCThe Xiongnu invade Dai Commandery with the help of Chen Xi and Han Xin [7]
196 BCThe Xiongnu invade Dai Commandery with the help of Han Xin [7]
195 BCThe Xiongnu invade You Province with the help of Lu Wan [8]
182 BCThe Xiongnu invade Longxi Commandery and Tianshui [9]
181 BCThe Xiongnu invade Longxi Commandery [7]
179 BCThe Xiongnu invade Yunzhong Commandery [7]
177 BCThe Xiongnu invade Ordos [10]
176 BCThe Xiongnu evict the Yuezhi in the west and gain hegemony over the Western Regions as well as the Wusun [11]
174 BC Modu Chanyu dies and is succeeded by his son Laoshang [11]
169 BCThe Xiongnu raid Han [7]
166 BCA 140,000 strong Xiongnu force invade near Chang'an [12]
160 BC Laoshang dies and is succeeded by his son Junchen [13]
158 BCA 30,000 strong Xiongnu force attacks Yunzhong Commandery and Dai Commandery [7]
148 BCThe Xiongnu attack Yan Province [7]
144 BCThe Xiongnu raid Yanmen Pass for horses [7]
142 BCThe Xiongnu attack Yanmen Pass [7]
133 BCJune Battle of Mayi : The Han army fails to ambush the Xiongnu [14]
129 BCHan forces (40,000) under Wei Qing, Gongsun Ao, Gongsun He, and Li Guang engage in combat with the Xiongnu [15]
128 BCThe Xiongnu attack Liaoxi and engage in combat with Han forces (40,000) under Wei Qing and Li Xi [16]
127 BCThe Xiongnu raid Liaoxi and Yanmen
Han forces under Wei Qing, Hao Xian, and Li Xi plunder the Xiongnu for livestock [15]
126 BC Junchen dies and is succeeded by his brother Yizhixie, who attacks Junchen's son Yudan, forcing him to flee to the Han [13]
The Xiongnu army (900,000) raids Han territory
124 BCHan forces (100,000) under Wei Qing attack the Xiongnu [15]
123 BCHan forces (100,000) under Wei Qing attack the Xiongnu [15]
122 BCThe Xiongnu raid Shanggu
121 BCHan forces under Huo Qubing, Zhao Ponu, Zhang Qian, and Li Guang attack the Xiongnu [15]
120 BCThe Xiongnu raid Youbeiping and Xingxiang, taking 1,000 captives
119 BCJune Battle of Mobei : Han generals Huo Qubing and Wei Qing defeat the Xiongnu [14]
116 BCThe Xiongnu raid Liang Province
114 BC Yizhixie dies and is succeeded by his son Wuwei Chanyu [13]
111 BCHan forces (25,000)) under Gongsun He and Zhao Ponu try to attack the Xiongnu but can't find them [15]
110 BC Emperor Wu of Han personally leads Han forces (180,000) against the Xiongnu but their chanyu decides to retreat [15]
105 BC Wuwei Chanyu dies and is succeeded by his son Er Chanyu [13]
103 BCHan forces (20,000) under Zhao Ponu attack the Xiongnu but are defeated [15]
102 BC Er Chanyu dies and is succeeded by his uncle Xulihu [13]
The Xiongnu raid Jiuquan and Zhangye, capturing several thousand people
101 BC Xulihu dies and is succeeded by his brother Chedihou Chanyu [13]

1st century BC

YearDateEvent
99 BC Battle of Tian Shan : Han forces (35,000) under Li Guangli and Li Ling are defeated by the Xiongnu [17]
97 BCHan forces (140,000) under Li Guangli attack the Xiongnu without results [15]
96 BC Chedihou Chanyu dies and is succeeded by his son Hulugu [13]
90 BCHan forces (79,000) under Li Guangli are defeated by the Xiongnu but another Han army (30,000) under Shang Qiucheng manages to force the Xiongnu to flee [17]
85 BC Hulugu dies and is succeeded by his son Huyandi [13]
78 BCThe Wuhuan pillage Xiongnu tombs [18]
71 BCThe Han, Wusun, Dingling, and Wuhuan coalition defeats the Xiongnu [19]
68 BC Huyandi dies and is succeeded by his uncle Xulüquanqu [13]
64 BCThe Xiongnu attack Jiaohe in the aftermath of the Battle of Jushi
60 BC Xulüquanqu dies and is succeeded by a lesser noble Woyanqudi [20]
58 BC Woyanqudi upsets traditional customs, causing a rebellion that defeats his army, so he kills himself and the Xiongnu split up into five warring factions [21]
55 BCThe Xiongnu coalesce into two groups, one under Zhizhi Chanyu and the other under his brother Huhanye [21]
51 BC Huhanye is defeated by Zhizhi Chanyu and flees to the Han [21]
50 BC Zhizhi Chanyu nominally submits to the Han [22]
48 BC Zhizhi Chanyu declares independence after seeing the Han favor his brother Huhanye, moves further west, and attacks Fergana and the Wusun [22]
43 BC Huhanye moves back to the north, starting the era of Western and Eastern Xiongnu. [22]
36 BC Battle of Zhizhi : Han forces defeat the Xiongnu and kill Zhizhi Chanyu [23]
31 BC Huhanye dies and is succeeded by his son Fuzhulei Ruodi [24]
20 BC Fuzhulei Ruodi dies and is succeeded by his brother Souxie [24]
12 BC Souxie dies and is succeeded by his half brother Juya [24]
8 BC Juya dies and is succeeded by his brother Wuzhuliu [24]

1st century

YearDateEvent
6A petty king in the area of the former Jushi Kingdom defects to the Xiongnu, who turned him over to the Han [25]
7The Han convince the Wuhuan to stop sending tribute to the Xiongnu, who immediately attack and defeat the Wuhuan [25]
10Some officers of the Protector General Dan Qin kill him and flee to the Xiongnu [26]
13 Wuzhuliu dies and is succeeded by his half brother Wulei [24]
18 Wulei dies and is succeeded by his half brother Huduershidaogao [24]
44Han forces under Ma Yuan are defeated by Xiongnu
45Xiongnu raid Changshan
46 Huduershidaogao dies and is succeeded by his son Wudadihou who dies the same year, dividing the Xiongnu into two factions between Punu Chanyu and Sutuhu [27]
50 Sutuhu and the Southern Xiongnu settle in Bing Province [28]
62The Northern Xiongnu raid Han territory but are repelled [29]
63The Xiongnu gain control of the Western Regions and start raiding Han [30]
73 Battle of Yiwulu : Han general Dou Gu defeats the Xiongnu and restores the Protectorate of the Western Regions [31]
75The Xiongnu attack Jushi and Chen Mu is killed by the locals [32]
83 Punu Chanyu dies and is succeeded by Youliu; the Northern Xiongnu start disintegrating as tribes defect to the south and neighboring tribes invade [33]
87The Xianbei kill the Xiongnu Chanyu Youliu [33]
89 Battle of the Altai Mountains : Han general Dou Xian defeats the Northern Chanyu and create Yuchujian as a puppet chanyu [34]
93The Xiongnu settle in southern Shaanxi [35]
94 Northern Xiongnu refugees numbering 200,000 rebel and name Fenghou, son of Tuntuhe, as their chanyu - they fail to defeat the Southern Xiongnu and flee across the Yellow River to take refuge at Zhuoye Mountain (Gurvan Saikhan Mountains) [36]
96Ten thousand Northern Xiongnu defect to the Han [37]

2nd century

YearDateEvent
104Fenghou offers to become a Han tributary but does not gain formal acceptance [37]
105Fenghou offers to become a Han tributary but is rejected [37]
109Southern Xiongnu rebel [38]
118Fenghou surrenders to the Han; his followers are resettled in Yingchuan Commandery [37]
123 Qizhijian of the Xianbei defeats the Southern Xiongnu in Wuyuan Commandery [39]
140The Xiongnu overrun the Tiger's Teeth encampment near Chang'an [40]
188The Xiuchuge clan ousts Qiangqu from power but their replacements fail to hold power; so ends the Southern Xiongnu [41]
189The wandering Xiongnu chanyu Yufuluo seeks aid from the Han dynasty unsuccessfully and becomes a mercenary [42]
194 Yufuluo dies and is succeeded by his brother Huchuquan [42]

3rd century

YearDateEvent
202 Huchuquan is defeated by Cao Cao's officer Zhong Yao and his Xiongnu tribes are settled in Taiyuan Commandery [42]
216The remnant Xiongnu in the Ordos region is pacified by Cao Wei [43]
28430,000 Xiongnu submit and settle in Xihe (in Shanxi [44]
286100,000 Xiongnu submit at Yongzhou [44]
290 Liu Yuan is appointed area commander-in-chief of the Five Regions of Xiongnu [44]

4th century

YearDateEvent
304 Former Zhao : Liu Yuan of the Xiongnu declares himself Prince of Han (漢) [45]
307 Former Zhao : Shi Le joins Liu Yuan [46]
308 Former Zhao : Liu Yuan takes Pingyang and declares himself emperor [46]
310 Former Zhao : Liu Yao, Shi Le and Wang Mi invade Luoyang, Xuzhou, Yuzhou, and Yanzhou [46]
Former Zhao : Liu Yuan dies and his successor Liu He is killed by Liu Cong, who takes over [46]
311 Former Zhao : Sima Yue dies and his funeral procession is ambushed by Shi Le, who annihilates the Jin army [46]
Disaster of Yongjia : Liu Yao and Wang Mi sack Luoyang and capture Emperor Huai of Jin [46]
Former Zhao : Liu Yao takes Chang'an [46]
Former Zhao : Wang Mi is killed by Shi Le [46]
312 Former Zhao : Jin retakes Chang'an after routing Liu Yao [46]
Former Zhao : Shi Le captures Xiangguo (襄國) (Xingtai, Hebei) [46]
Former Zhao : Liu Cong briefly takes Jinyang (southwest of Taiyuan, Shanxi) but is routed by Liu Kun [47]
313 Emperor Huai of Jin is killed by Liu Cong and is succeeded by Sima Ye (Emperor Min of Jin) [47]
316 Former Zhao : Emperor Min of Jin surrenders Chang'an to Liu Yao [47]
318 Emperor Min of Jin is killed by Liu Cong and is succeeded by Sima Rui (Emperor Yuan of Jin) [47]
Former Zhao : Liu Cong dies and his successor Liu Can is killed by Xiongnu general Jin Zhun, and is succeeded by Liu Yao [47]
319 Former Zhao : Jin Zhun is killed [47]
Former Zhao : Liu Yao moves to Chang'an and renames his state Zhao [47]
Former Zhao : Fu Hong joins Former Zhao [47]
Later Zhao : Shi Le defeats Jin general Zu Ti at Xunyi and declares himself Prince of [Later] Zhao [47]
320 Former Zhao : Juqu Zhi rebels and is defeated [47]

5th century

YearDateEvent
401 Northern Liang : Juqu Mengxun kills Duan Ye and declares himself Duke of Zhangye [48]
407 Xia : Helian Bobo declares himself Heavenly King [48]
418 Xia (Sixteen Kingdoms) : Helian Bobo takes Chang'an [48]
419 Xia (Sixteen Kingdoms) : Helian Bobo leaves Chang'an [48]
421 Northern Liang : Juqu Mengxun conquers Western Liang [49]
426 Northern Wei : Attacks Xia [50]
427 Northern Wei : Takes Chang'an and sacks the Xia capital, Tongwan [50]
428 Xia : Retakes Chang'an [50]
431 Xia : Conquers Western Qin and are in turn conquered by the Tuyuhun [50]
439 Northern Wei : Conquers Northern Liang; so ends the Sixteen Kingdoms [50]

Related Research Articles

Huchuquan was the last chanyu of the Southern Xiongnu during the late Eastern Han dynasty and Three Kingdoms period of China. He was a younger brother of the Xiongnu chanyu in exile, Yufuluo.

Chizhi Shizhu Hou, personal name Yufuluo (於夫羅), was a puppet chanyu of the Southern Xiongnu during the late Han Dynasty. In 188, he was appointed chanyu by the Han court following the murder of his father Qiangqu and would later gain the Xiongnu title of Chizhi Shizhu Hou.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Qiangqu</span> Chanyu of the Southern Xiongnu from 179 to 188

Qiangqu was the Western Wise Prince, successor to Huzheng, and chanyu of the Southern Xiongnu from 179 to 188 AD.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Huduershidaogao</span> Chanyu

Huduershidaogao, born Yu, was a chanyu of the Xiongnu Empire. The brother and successor of Wuzhuliu Chanyu, he reigned from 18 to 46 AD.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wudadihou</span> Chanyu of the Xiongnu Empire during 46 AD

Wudadihou was a chanyu of the Xiongnu Empire. The son and successor of Huduershidaogao, he reigned for a few months in 46 AD before dying. He was succeeded by his brother Punu.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Punu Chanyu</span> 1st century Chanyu of the Xiongnu Empire

Punu was a chanyu of the Xiongnu Empire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Youliu</span> Late 1st century Chanyu of the Xiongnu Empire

Youliu was a chanyu of the Xiongnu Empire. Although he was a descendant of his predecessor Punu, it is not known what their exact relationship was. He succeeded Punu at an uncertain date and was killed by the Xianbei in 87 AD.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yuchujian</span> 1st century Chanyu of the Xiongnu Empire

Yuchujian was a chanyu of the Xiongnu Empire. He succeeded his brother the Northern Chanyu upon his defeat in 91 AD by the Han dynasty. Yuchujian settled at Yiwu near modern Hami and surrendered to the Han dynasty. In 93 AD, Yuchujian rebelled and fled to the north. He was convinced to return by Ren Shang and Wang Fu but died on the way back.

Qiufu Youdi, born Mo, was the brother and successor of Sutuhu as the chanyu of the Southern Xiongnu. He participated in the expedition against the Northern Xiongnu in 49 AD and became chanyu in 56 AD. Qiufu Youti ruled for only one year before he died and was succeeded by his brother Yifayulüti.

Xitong Shizhu Houdi, born Shi (适), was the son of Sutuhu. He succeeded Yifa Yulüti in 59 AD and ruled until 63 AD. In 62 AD he helped the Han dynasty in repelling Northern Xiongnu from Wuyuan and Yunzhong commanderies. He was succeeded by his cousin Qiuchu Julinti.

Huxie Shizhu Houdi, born Chang, was the son of Xitong Shizhu Houdi. He succeeded Qiuchu Julindi in 63 AD and ruled until his death in 85 AD. He was succeeded by his cousin Yitu Yulüdi.

Yitu Yulüdi, born Xuan, was the son of Yifa Yulüdi. He succeeded Huxie Shizhu Houdi in 85 AD and ruled until his death in 88 AD. He was succeeded by his cousin Tuntuhe.

Wanshishizhudi, born Tan, was the son of Huxie Shizhu Houti. He succeeded Shizi in 98 AD and ruled until 124 AD. He was succeeded by his brother Wujihoushizhudi.

Wujihoushizhudi, born Ba, was the son of Huxie Shizhu Houti. He succeeded his brother Wanshishizhudi in 124 AD and ruled until 128 AD. He was succeeded by his brother Xiuli.

Xiuli, the Qute Ruoshi Zhujiu Chanyu, was the son of Huxie Shizhu Houti. He succeeded his brother Wujihoushizhudi in 128 AD and ruled until 142 AD.

Cheniu simplified Chinese: 车纽; traditional Chinese: 車紐; pinyin: Chēniǔ was chieftain of the Goulong clan and chanyu of the Southern Xiongnu from 142 to 143 AD.

Doulouchu was a Xiongnu prince of unknown relationship to the Southern Xiongnu dynastic line who was proclaimed chanyu by the Han dynasty in 143 AD. Toulouchu resided in the Southern Xiongnu capital of Meiji in Xihe Commandery. It is doubtful whether he wielded any real power over his nominal subjects. He died four years later in 147 AD and was succeeded by Jucheer.

Jucheer was a Xiongnu of unknown relationship to the royal dynastic lineage who succeeded Doulouchu in 147 AD. In 166 AD, Jucheer joined the Xianbei and Wuhuan in raiding Han territory. When the Wuhuan and Xiongnu were confronted by Han forces they immediately surrendered. Zhang Huan wanted to have Jucheer dismissed, but Emperor Huan of Han was unwilling to remove an established ruler and deemed Jucheer to be an innocent party forced into rebellion. Jucheer died in 172 AD and was succeeded by his son Tute Ruoshi Zhujiu.

Tute Ruoshi Zhujiu succeeded his father Jucheer as chanyu of the Xiongnu in 172 AD. In 177 AD, Tute and a contingent of horsemen took part in an expedition against the Xianbei. They were heavily defeated and only a quarter of their forces returned alive. Tute died in 178 AD and was succeeded by his son Huzheng.

Huzheng succeeded his father Tute Ruoshi Zhujiu as chanyu of the Xiongnu in 178 AD. He was killed by the Han Emissary Zhang Xiu in 179 AD. The title of chanyu passed to the Western Tuqi Prince Qiangqu.

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