Sima Mao ( zh, , s=司马楙, t=司馬楙; died 14 July 311), courtesy name Kongwei (孔伟), was the youngest son of

Sima Wang Sima Wang (205 – 16 August 271), courtesy name Zichu, posthumously known as Prince Cheng of Yiyang (义阳成王), was an imperial prince and military general of the Jin dynasty of China. He previously served in the state of Cao Wei during the ...

, Prince Cheng of Yiyang, and a grandson of

Sima Fu Sima Fu () (180 – 3 April 272), courtesy name Shuda, posthumously known as Prince Xian of Anping, was an imperial prince and statesman of the Jin dynasty of China. He previously served as an official in the state of Cao Wei during the Three Ki ...

, Prince Xian of Anping and a younger brother of

Sima Yi Sima Yi (; ; 179 CE7 September 251 CE), courtesy name Zhongda, was a Chinese military general, politician, and regent of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of China. He formally began his political career in 208 under th ...

, regent of the

Cao Wei Wei () was one of the major Dynasties in Chinese history, dynastic states in China during the Three Kingdoms period. The state was established in 220 by Cao Pi based upon the foundations laid by his father Cao Cao during the end of the Han dy ...

state during the

Three Kingdoms The Three Kingdoms of Cao Wei, Shu Han, and Eastern Wu dominated China from AD 220 to 280 following the end of the Han dynasty. This period was preceded by the Eastern Han dynasty and followed by the Jin dynasty (266–420), Western Jin dyna ...

era. Besides his heritage, Sima Mao was best known for his friendship with his second cousin

Sima Yao Emperor Xiaowu of Jin (; 362 – 6 November 396), personal name Sima Yao (), courtesy name Changming (), was an emperor of the Eastern Jin Dynasty in China. During his reign, Jin saw his dynasty survive a major attempt by Former Qin to destroy ...

, despite the great difference in their ages, as well as his support for some of Emperor Hui's regents during the

War of the Eight Princes The War of the Eight Princes, Rebellion of the Eight Kings, or Rebellion of the Eight Princes ( zh, t=八王之亂, s=八王之乱, p=bā wáng zhī luàn, w=pa wang chih luan) was a series of coups and civil wars among kings/princes (Chinese: '' ...

. Eventually, Sima Mao died during the

Disaster of Yongjia The Disaster of Yongjia (simplified Chinese: 永嘉之乱; traditional Chinese: 永嘉之亂) occurred in 311 CE, when forces of the Han-Zhao dynasty captured and sacked Luoyang, the capital of the Western Jin dynasty. The Han's army committed a m ...

in July 311.

Background and life under Emperor Wu

Sima Mao was born to Sima Wang in an unknown year as the youngest of four sons. His first recorded post was as a military officer under either

Sima Shi Sima Shi () (208 – 23 March 255), courtesy name Ziyuan, was a military general and regent of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of China. In February 249, he assisted his father Sima Yi in overthrowing the emperor Cao Fang's regent Cao S ...

Sima Zhao Sima Zhao () (; 211 – 6 September 265), courtesy name Zishang (子上), was a Chinese military general, politician, and regent of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of China. Sima Zhao capably maintained control of Wei, whi ...

, who like their father Sima Yi were also regents of the Cao Wei state. When his second cousin

Sima Yan Emperor Wu of Jin (; 236 – 16 May 290), personal name Sima Yan (), courtesy name Anshi (安世), was a grandson of Sima Yi, nephew of Sima Shi and son of Sima Zhao. He became the first emperor of the Jin dynasty after forcing Cao Huan, ...

(son of Sima Zhao) usurped the throne from

Cao Huan Cao Huan () (246 – 302/303), courtesy name Jingming, was the fifth and last emperor of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period. On 4 February 266, he abdicated the throne in favour of regent Sima Yan (later Emperor Wu of the J ...

in February 266, Sima Mao, together with his elder brother Sima Hong (司马洪; father of

Sima Wei Sima Wei (司馬瑋) (271 – 26 July 291), courtesy name Yandu (彥度), formally Prince Yin of Chu (楚隱王), was an imperial prince during the Western Jin dynasty and was the second of the eight princes commonly associated with the War of t ...

), father, uncles and grandfather, were made princes on 9 February. Sima Mao's title was the Prince of Dongping and his fief consisted of 3097 households. Sima Wang died in August 271, while Sima Fu died in April the following year. Sima Hong died on 7 March 276.

During Emperor Hui's reign

In May 290, Emperor Wu died. Emperor Wu's successor, Emperor Hui was

developmentally disabled Developmental disability is a diverse group of chronic conditions, comprising mental or physical impairments that arise before adulthood. Developmental disabilities cause individuals living with them many difficulties in certain areas of life, espe ...

; his reign saw a series of regents who ruled on his behalf. During the regency of Yang Jun, father of Emperor Wu's second empress

Empress Yang Zhi Yang Zhi (楊芷) (259 – 6 March 292), courtesy name Jilan (季蘭), nickname Nanyin (男胤), formally Empress Wudao (武悼皇后, literally "the martial and fearful empress") was an empress of the Jin dynasty. She was Emperor Wu's second ...

, Sima Mao supported Yang. This caused Mao great trouble when Yang was overthrown in April 291. Mao was supposed to be executed, but due to his friendship with Sima Yao, he was spared. This friendship turned out to be a double-edged sword; when Sima Yao was removed from his post on 12 May, Mao was also implicated and forced to his fiefdom. While at his fiefdom, Sima Mao was recorded to engage in business; he was also extravagant and enjoyed privileges beyond what his rank entitled him to. Sima Mao's turn of fortune came in 300, after

Sima Lun Sima Lun () (born before 250 – poisoned June 5, 301), courtesy name Ziyi (), was titled the Prince of Zhao () and the usurper of the Jin dynasty from February 3 to May 31, 301. He is usually not counted in the list of Jin emperors due to h ...

the Prince of Zhao overthrew Empress

Jia Nanfeng Jia Nanfeng (257 – 13 May 300), nicknamed Shi (峕), was a Chinese empress consort. She was a daughter of Jia Chong and the first wife of Emperor Hui of the Jin dynasty and also a granddaughter of Jia Kui. She is commonly seen as a villain ...

in May and became Emperor Hui's regent. Mao supported Lun; when a coalition of Jin imperial princes formed against Lun in 301, Mao was made General of the Guards and supervisor of Lun's troops. However, Lun was overthrown in May, and Sima Mao was again implicated and relieved of his positions. Sima Mao's fortunes again turned in November, when his friend Yao was recalled to the Jin court; he was made General who Pacifies the East and Chief Controller of Xuzhou, and sent to garrison Xiapi. In August 305,

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 Jin dynasty (266–420), Western Jin imperial prince and regent for Emperor Hui of Jin, Emperor Hui and Emper ...

sent out a proclamation throughout the regions east of Luoyang calling for a campaign against

Sima Yong Sima Yong (司馬顒) (before 274 - late January 307), courtesy name Wenzai (文載), was a Jin dynasty imperial prince and briefly a regent for Emperor Hui. He was the seventh of eight princes commonly associated with the War of the Eight Pri ...

, Mao's cousin. He cited that Yong's general

Zhang Fang Zhang Fang (died February 306) was a military general of the Jin dynasty (266–420). He was the influential general of the Prince of Hejian, Sima Yong during the War of the Eight Princes who helped him in subduing the Prince of Changshan, Sima ...

had forcibly moved Emperor Hui to

Chang'an Chang'an (; zh, t=長安, s=长安, p=Cháng'ān, first=t) is the traditional name of the city now named Xi'an and was the capital of several Chinese dynasties, ranging from 202 BCE to 907 CE. The site has been inhabited since Neolithic time ...

and aimed to bring him back to Luoyang. Sima Yue's brothers and several other prominent governors such as Wang Jun and Sima Xiao all joined him, which greatly disturbed Yong. Yue also began handing out new appointments to his allies without the emperor's consent, but when he tried to transfer the Inspector of Yu province, Liu Qiao and Sima Mao, who declared himself Inspector of Yan province, Qiao and Mao defected to Yong's side in September, with Liu Qiao accusing Yue of overstepping his authority. In Ji province, Sima Xiao received some elite

Xianbei The Xianbei (; ) were an ancient nomadic people that once resided in the eastern Eurasian steppes in what is today Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, and Northeastern China. The Xianbei were likely not of a single ethnicity, but rather a multiling ...

and

Wuhuan The Wuhuan (, < Eastern Han Chinese: *''ʔɑ-ɣuɑn'', <

Liu Kun Liu Kun (; born December 1956) is a Chinese politician who served as the Minister of Finance from 2018 to 2023. Previously he served as director of Budgetary Affairs Commission of the National People's Congress, vice minister of Finance, and vi ...

launched a successful counterattack on Yong and Liu Qiao's forces in January 306, killing Shi Chao at Xingyang. Xiao's forces then routed Sima Mao at Linqiu (廩丘, in present-day

Puyang Puyang is a prefecture-level city in northeastern Henan province, People's Republic of China. Located on the northern shore of the Yellow River, it borders Anyang in the west, Xinxiang in the southwest, and the provinces of Shandong and Hebei ...

Henan Henan; alternatively Honan is a province in Central China. Henan is home to many heritage sites, including Yinxu, the ruins of the final capital of the Shang dynasty () and the Shaolin Temple. Four of the historical capitals of China, Lu ...

) and forced him to flee back to his fief in Dongping. Then, they won a great victory over Liu Qiao at

Qiao Commandery Bozhou () is a prefecture-level city in northwestern Anhui province, China. It borders Huaibei to the northeast, Bengbu to the southeast, Huainan to the south, Fuyang to the southwest, and Henan to the north. Its population was 4,996,844 at the ...

, causing his army to collapse.

During Emperor Huai's reign and death

Emperor Hui died in January 307 and was succeeded by his half-brother Emperor Huai. Sima Mao was made Prince of Jingling during the reign of Emperor Huai, although the exact date or year is unknown. Mao still did not support

, who was Emperor Huai's regent, and also Emperor Hui's last regent. In 310, Mao tried to attack Sima Yue's general He Lun (何伦), but was defeated. Blamed by Emperor Huai for the failure, Sima Mao fled Luoyang, and he was relieved of his posts. He avoided Luoyang until Yue's death in April 311.( ��嘉四年��陵王楙白帝遣兵袭何伦，不克；帝委罪于楙，楙逃窜，得免。) ''Zizhi Tongjian'', vol.87 However, Sima Yue's death led to a further weakening of Jin imperial authority, which accumulated to the Disaster of Yongjia in July, where Mao was killed.

References

* Fang, Xuanling: ''

Book of Jin The ''Book of Jin'' is an official Chinese historical text covering the history of the Jin dynasty (266–420), Jin dynasty from 266 to 420. It was compiled in 648 by a number of officials commissioned by the imperial court of the Tang dynasty, ...

'' (''Jin Shu''). * Sima, Guang: ''Comprehensive Mirror in Aid of Governance'' (''

Zizhi Tongjian The ''Zizhi Tongjian'' (1084) is a chronicle published during the Northern Song dynasty (960–1127) that provides a record of Chinese history from 403 BC to 959 AD, covering 16 dynasties and spanning almost 1400 years. The main text is ...

'') {{DEFAULTSORT:Sima, Mao Year of birth unknown 311 deaths Jin dynasty (266–420) imperial princes