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Sima Yue
Sima Yue (司馬越) (died 23 April 311), courtesy name Yuanchao (元超), formally Prince Xiaoxian of Donghai (東海孝獻王), was a Western Jin imperial prince and regent for Emperor Hui and Emperor Huai. He was the last of eight princes commonly associated with the War of the Eight Princes.
A distant relative of Emperor Hui of Jin, Sima Yue entered the conflict after he betrayed the Prince of Changsha, Sima Ai, taking the emperor for himself and waging war against the Prince of Chengdu, Sima Ying and the Prince of Hejian, Sima Yong. By late 306, he was victorious and established himself as paramount authority behind Emperor Hui and then Emperor Huai of Jin. However, due to the repercussions of the civil wars, he presided over an empire rife with rebellions and famines. Sima Yue controlled Emperor Huai and his court with an iron fist while he campaigned for many years against the Han-Zhao dynasty and their rebel allies, but in 311, he became overwhelmed with stress after Emperor Huai's plot to depose him came to light. He soon died of illness, and without his leadership, Han forces annihilated the Jin imperial army before sacking the capital Luoyang and capturing Emperor Huai in the Disaster of Yongjia.
Sima Yue was the eldest son of Sima Tai (司馬泰; posthumously known as Prince Wenxian of Gaomi (高密文献王)), who was a son of Sima Yi's brother Sima Kui (司馬馗), making Yue a second cousin of Jin's founding emperor Emperor Wu. Sima Yue's mother was a grand-daughter of the Wei official Yang Jun (杨俊). In February 266, after Emperor Wu established the Jin dynasty, Sima Tai was named Prince of Longxi on 9 February. As the eldest son, Yue's first title was "Heir to the Princedom of Longxi" (陇西世子). It was in this capacity that he was made a teacher who taught the classics to the crown prince Sima Zhong; other such teachers include Yang Miao (杨邈) and Sima Yao (司马繇), son of Sima Zhou. His wife Lady Pei was a younger sister of Pei Dun, son of Pei Kang, elder brother of Pei Kai; Pei Kang was an ancestor of the historians Pei Songzhi and Pei Ziye.
Sima Yue also took part in Jia Nanfeng's coup against Emperor Hui's first regent Yang Jun, and was made a marquis, with a fiefdom of 5000 households. On 30 September 291, he was created the Prince of Donghai. During the early parts of the War of the Eight Princes, he held a number of offices in the capital Luoyang.
In early 304, when the regent Sima Ai the Prince of Changsha (Emperor Hui's half-brother) was battling the forces of Sima Ying the Prince of Chengdu (also Emperor Hui's half-brother) and Sima Yong the Prince of Hejian (grandson of Emperor Hui's great-granduncle Sima Fu, Prince Xian of Anping [安平献王]), even though Sima Ai was fighting off the overwhelming force that Sima Ying and Sima Yong had, Sima Yue became convinced that a victory was impossible, and he seized Sima Ai and delivered him to Sima Yong's general Zhang Fang, who executed Sima Ai cruelly by burning him to death. Sima Ying controlled the government remotely, with Sima Yue being one of the generals who stayed in Luoyang to execute Sima Ying's orders.
As Sima Ying continued to remotely control the government from his stronghold of Yecheng (鄴城, in modern Handan, Hebei) as both regent and crown prince, the officials in Luoyang tired of the situation. Later in 304, Sima Yue led them in a rebellion against Sima Ying's forces, and he took Emperor Hui with him on the campaign. After some initial hesitation, Sima Ying fought and defeated Sima Yue's forces, forcing Sima Yue to flee. Emperor Hui was captured and taken to Yecheng. Subsequently, however, Sima Ying was defeated by Wang Jun, the commander of the forces of You Province (幽州, modern Beijing, Tianjin, and northern Hebei) and fled to Luoyang without his troops. Sima Yong then seized control of the government and Emperor Hui, deposing Sima Ying from his position as crown prince in February 305 and replacing him with another half-brother of Emperor Hui's, Sima Chi the Prince of Yuzhang. Later, Yong further had Zhang forcibly move Emperor Hui and Crown Prince Chi to Chang'an, under his firm control.
Sima Yue decided to act against Sima Yong. In fall 305, he declared a rebellion with the stated intention of returning Emperor Hui to Luoyang. The warlords of the empire were forced to take sides, but eventually they generally fell into line behind Sima Yue because they were disgusted with Zhang's cruelty. The battles were initially largely indecisive, but in early 306, after Sima Yue had some minor victories over Sima Yong's forces, Sima Yong panicked and killed Zhang, seeking peace with Sima Yue. Sima Yue refused, and by later that year was able to force Sima Yong to abandon both Emperor Hui and Chang'an. Sima Yue welcomed Emperor Hui back to the capital Luoyang in June. In January 307, Emperor Hui was poisoned to death, and historians generally agreed that the poisoning was done at Sima Yue's orders, but the motive was unclear. Crown Prince Chi ascended to the throne as Emperor Huai.
Emperor Huai, in contrast with the developmentally disabled Emperor Hui, was intelligent and astute, and he sought to revive the war-ravaged empire, but Sima Yue maintained a tight grip on authority and would not allow the emperor much actual power. On 18 May 307, he left Luoyang and set up headquarters at Xuchang (許昌, in modern Xuchang, Henan), but continued to control the government remotely. He also gave his younger brothers various titles and military appointments. Sima Teng, the second brother, was appointed Prince of Xincai, and was made Chief Controller of Si and Ji Provinces, while being garrisoned at Ye. Sima Lüe, the third brother, was made General who Attacks the South, Chief Controller of Jing Province and was garrisoned at Xiangyang. Sima Mo, the youngest brother, was appointed Grand General who Conquers the West and Chief Controller of Qin, Yong, Liáng and Yi provinces. He was garrisoned at Chang'an. Later that year, on 25 August, at the urging of his wife Princess Pei, he issued an order that appeared insignificant at the time but would turn out to be important later on—making Sima Rui the Prince of Langye in charge of Yang Province (揚州, modern Zhejiang and southern Jiangsu and Anhui), at the post of Jianye (建業, in modern Nanjing, Jiangsu); this was the post from which Sima Rui would later, after the fall of Luoyang and Chang'an to Han-Zhao, claim the Jin imperial title.
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Sima Yue
Sima Yue (司馬越) (died 23 April 311), courtesy name Yuanchao (元超), formally Prince Xiaoxian of Donghai (東海孝獻王), was a Western Jin imperial prince and regent for Emperor Hui and Emperor Huai. He was the last of eight princes commonly associated with the War of the Eight Princes.
A distant relative of Emperor Hui of Jin, Sima Yue entered the conflict after he betrayed the Prince of Changsha, Sima Ai, taking the emperor for himself and waging war against the Prince of Chengdu, Sima Ying and the Prince of Hejian, Sima Yong. By late 306, he was victorious and established himself as paramount authority behind Emperor Hui and then Emperor Huai of Jin. However, due to the repercussions of the civil wars, he presided over an empire rife with rebellions and famines. Sima Yue controlled Emperor Huai and his court with an iron fist while he campaigned for many years against the Han-Zhao dynasty and their rebel allies, but in 311, he became overwhelmed with stress after Emperor Huai's plot to depose him came to light. He soon died of illness, and without his leadership, Han forces annihilated the Jin imperial army before sacking the capital Luoyang and capturing Emperor Huai in the Disaster of Yongjia.
Sima Yue was the eldest son of Sima Tai (司馬泰; posthumously known as Prince Wenxian of Gaomi (高密文献王)), who was a son of Sima Yi's brother Sima Kui (司馬馗), making Yue a second cousin of Jin's founding emperor Emperor Wu. Sima Yue's mother was a grand-daughter of the Wei official Yang Jun (杨俊). In February 266, after Emperor Wu established the Jin dynasty, Sima Tai was named Prince of Longxi on 9 February. As the eldest son, Yue's first title was "Heir to the Princedom of Longxi" (陇西世子). It was in this capacity that he was made a teacher who taught the classics to the crown prince Sima Zhong; other such teachers include Yang Miao (杨邈) and Sima Yao (司马繇), son of Sima Zhou. His wife Lady Pei was a younger sister of Pei Dun, son of Pei Kang, elder brother of Pei Kai; Pei Kang was an ancestor of the historians Pei Songzhi and Pei Ziye.
Sima Yue also took part in Jia Nanfeng's coup against Emperor Hui's first regent Yang Jun, and was made a marquis, with a fiefdom of 5000 households. On 30 September 291, he was created the Prince of Donghai. During the early parts of the War of the Eight Princes, he held a number of offices in the capital Luoyang.
In early 304, when the regent Sima Ai the Prince of Changsha (Emperor Hui's half-brother) was battling the forces of Sima Ying the Prince of Chengdu (also Emperor Hui's half-brother) and Sima Yong the Prince of Hejian (grandson of Emperor Hui's great-granduncle Sima Fu, Prince Xian of Anping [安平献王]), even though Sima Ai was fighting off the overwhelming force that Sima Ying and Sima Yong had, Sima Yue became convinced that a victory was impossible, and he seized Sima Ai and delivered him to Sima Yong's general Zhang Fang, who executed Sima Ai cruelly by burning him to death. Sima Ying controlled the government remotely, with Sima Yue being one of the generals who stayed in Luoyang to execute Sima Ying's orders.
As Sima Ying continued to remotely control the government from his stronghold of Yecheng (鄴城, in modern Handan, Hebei) as both regent and crown prince, the officials in Luoyang tired of the situation. Later in 304, Sima Yue led them in a rebellion against Sima Ying's forces, and he took Emperor Hui with him on the campaign. After some initial hesitation, Sima Ying fought and defeated Sima Yue's forces, forcing Sima Yue to flee. Emperor Hui was captured and taken to Yecheng. Subsequently, however, Sima Ying was defeated by Wang Jun, the commander of the forces of You Province (幽州, modern Beijing, Tianjin, and northern Hebei) and fled to Luoyang without his troops. Sima Yong then seized control of the government and Emperor Hui, deposing Sima Ying from his position as crown prince in February 305 and replacing him with another half-brother of Emperor Hui's, Sima Chi the Prince of Yuzhang. Later, Yong further had Zhang forcibly move Emperor Hui and Crown Prince Chi to Chang'an, under his firm control.
Sima Yue decided to act against Sima Yong. In fall 305, he declared a rebellion with the stated intention of returning Emperor Hui to Luoyang. The warlords of the empire were forced to take sides, but eventually they generally fell into line behind Sima Yue because they were disgusted with Zhang's cruelty. The battles were initially largely indecisive, but in early 306, after Sima Yue had some minor victories over Sima Yong's forces, Sima Yong panicked and killed Zhang, seeking peace with Sima Yue. Sima Yue refused, and by later that year was able to force Sima Yong to abandon both Emperor Hui and Chang'an. Sima Yue welcomed Emperor Hui back to the capital Luoyang in June. In January 307, Emperor Hui was poisoned to death, and historians generally agreed that the poisoning was done at Sima Yue's orders, but the motive was unclear. Crown Prince Chi ascended to the throne as Emperor Huai.
Emperor Huai, in contrast with the developmentally disabled Emperor Hui, was intelligent and astute, and he sought to revive the war-ravaged empire, but Sima Yue maintained a tight grip on authority and would not allow the emperor much actual power. On 18 May 307, he left Luoyang and set up headquarters at Xuchang (許昌, in modern Xuchang, Henan), but continued to control the government remotely. He also gave his younger brothers various titles and military appointments. Sima Teng, the second brother, was appointed Prince of Xincai, and was made Chief Controller of Si and Ji Provinces, while being garrisoned at Ye. Sima Lüe, the third brother, was made General who Attacks the South, Chief Controller of Jing Province and was garrisoned at Xiangyang. Sima Mo, the youngest brother, was appointed Grand General who Conquers the West and Chief Controller of Qin, Yong, Liáng and Yi provinces. He was garrisoned at Chang'an. Later that year, on 25 August, at the urging of his wife Princess Pei, he issued an order that appeared insignificant at the time but would turn out to be important later on—making Sima Rui the Prince of Langye in charge of Yang Province (揚州, modern Zhejiang and southern Jiangsu and Anhui), at the post of Jianye (建業, in modern Nanjing, Jiangsu); this was the post from which Sima Rui would later, after the fall of Luoyang and Chang'an to Han-Zhao, claim the Jin imperial title.