Zhao Kingdom or Zhao Principality ( zh, 趙國) was a kingdom or principality in early Imperial China, located in present-day

North China North China () is a list of regions of China, geographical region of the People's Republic of China, consisting of five province-level divisions of China, provincial-level administrative divisions, namely the direct-administered municipalities ...

. The kingdom was created in 203 BC and granted to Zhang Er (張耳), a follower of

Emperor Gaozu of Han Emperor Gaozu of Han (2561 June 195 BC), also known by his given name Liu Bang, was the founder and first emperor of the Han dynasty, reigning from 202 to 195 BC. He is considered by traditional Chinese historiography to be one o ...

. The kingdom covered five Qin-era commanderies, including Handan (邯鄲), Julu (鉅鹿), Qinghe (清河), Hejian (河間) and Changshan (常山). In 199 BC, however, because of a failed assassination attempt on the emperor by several of his ministers,

Zhang Ao Zhang Ao (died 182BC) was one of the feudal lords after the end of the Qin dynasty in 206BC. Life Born in the Kingdom of Zhao, he was the son of Zhang Er (張耳), a Zhao general and participated in his father's campaigns against the last armi ...

, son of Zhang Er, was demoted to marquess and this kingdom became extinct.

Liu Ruyi Liu Ruyi (208 – January 194BCAccording to volume 12 of ''Zizhi Tongjian'', Liu Ruyi was poisoned in the 12th month of the 1st year of Emperor Hui's reign. This corresponds to 31 Dec 195 BCE - 28 Jan 194 BCE in the proleptic Julian calendar.), ...

, a young son of Liu Bang (Emperor Gao of Han) and a favoured concubine, Consort Qi, was made Prince Yin of Zhao by Emperor Gao in around 198 BC. Shortly after the death of the emperor in 195 BC, Prince Yin of Zhao died as a result of poisoning in a plot instigated by the emperor's widow,

Empress Lü Lü Zhi (241 BC – 18 August 180 BC), courtesy name E'xu (娥姁) and commonly known as Empress Lü () and formally Empress Gao of Han (), was the empress consort of Emperor Gaozu of Han, Gaozu, the founding emperor of the Han dynasty. They h ...

, to ensure he would not become emperor. Ruyi was succeeded by

Liu You Liu You (, died 21 February 181 BC''dingchou'' day of the ''zheng'' month of the 7th year of Empress Lü's regency (after Emperor Hui's death), per vol.13 of ''Zizhi Tongjian'') was the sixth son of Emperor Gaozu of Han. He was made Prince of Huaiy ...

, son of Emperor Gaozu and Empress Lü. In 181 BC, his consort, a relative of Empress Lü, falsely accused You to be plotting a rebellion. Liu You was called back to the capital and killed. He was succeeded by Liu Hui (劉恢), who committed suicide the same year after his favorite concubine was poisoned by the Empress Lü. After Hui's death, Lü dissolved the kingdom. In 179 BC, Zhao was granted to

Liu Sui Liu Sui (; died 154 BC) was the son of Liu You. When Emperor Wen of Han ascended to the throne in 180 BC, Sui was made the Prince of Zhao in place of Lü Lu while other relatives were given other principalities to rule at the end of Lü Clan Distur ...

, son of Liu You. A year later, Hejian was created as a separate kingdom. Sui rebelled during the

Rebellion of the Seven States The Rebellion of the Seven States or Revolt of the Seven Kingdoms ( zh, s=七国之乱, t=七國之亂, p=Qī Guózhī Luàn) took place in 154 BC against the rule of Emperor Jing of Han dynasty by its regional semi-autonomous kings, to resist ...

and was defeated. Liu Pengzu (劉彭祖), a son of Emperor Jing was named the new Prince of Zhao. Thereafter, Zhao was reduced to a fraction of its former size and only covered Handan Commandery. Over the rest of

Western Han The Han dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China (202 BC9 AD, 25–220 AD) established by Liu Bang and ruled by the House of Liu. The dynasty was preceded by the short-lived Qin dynasty (221–206 BC) and a warring int ...

, more than 20 marquessates were created on the territories of Zhao. They were administered by neighboring commanderies, further reducing Zhao's territory. In 2 AD, Zhao administered only 4 counties, namely Handan, Yiyang (易陽), Bairen (柏人) and Xiangguo (襄國), with a population of 349,952, in 84,202 households. The kingdom was abolished during

Wang Mang Wang Mang (45 BCE6 October 23 CE), courtesy name Jujun, officially known as the Shijianguo Emperor (), was the founder and the only emperor of the short-lived Chinese Xin dynasty. He was originally an official and consort kin of the ...

's usurpation. After the restoration of the Han dynasty under

Emperor Guangwu Emperor Guangwu of Han (; 15 January 5 BC29 March AD 57), born Liu Xiu (), courtesy name Wenshu (), was a Chinese monarch. He served as an emperor of the Han dynasty by restoring the dynasty in AD 25, thus founding the Eastern Han dynasty. He ...

, the kingdom was granted to Liu Liang (劉良), the uncle of the emperor. His descendants held the kingdom until 213 AD when the kingdom was abolished and converted to Zhao Commandery (趙郡).''

Book of Later Han The ''Book of the Later Han'', also known as the ''History of the Later Han'' and by its Chinese name ''Hou Hanshu'' (), is one of the Twenty-Four Histories and covers the history of the Han dynasty from 6 to 189 CE, a period known as the Late ...

'', Chapter 14. The territory became the fief of

Cao Gan Cao Gan (214 – 14 September 261), also known as Cao Liang, was an imperial prince of the state of Cao Wei in the Three Kingdoms period of China. Life Cao Gan was a son of Cao Cao, a warlord who rose to prominence towards the end of the Han dy ...

after the establishment 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 ...

Dynasty, while during the early

Western Jin Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US * Western, New York, a town in the US * Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia * Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that ...

dynasty, it was

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 ...

's fief.

Kings of Zhao

*Zhang Er, King Jing of Zhao (趙景王), 203–202 BC *

, 202–199 BC *

, King Yin of Zhao (趙隱王), 197–194 BC *

, King You of Zhao (趙幽王), 194–181 BC *Liu Hui (劉恢), King Gong of Zhao (趙共王), 181 BC *

, 179–154 BC *Liu Pengzu (劉彭祖), King Su of Zhao (趙肅王), 153–92 BC *Liu Chang (劉昌), King Qing of Zhao (趙頃王), 92–73 BC *Liu Zun (劉尊), King Huai of Zhao (趙懷王), 73–68 BC *Liu Gao (劉高), King Ai of Zhao (趙哀王), 66 BC *Liu Chong (劉充), King Gong of Zhao (趙共王), 65–10 BC *Liu Yin (劉隱), 10–9 BC *Liu Liang (劉良), King Xiao of Zhao (趙孝王), 29–37 AD *Liu Xu (劉栩), King Jie of Zhao (趙節王), ?–81 *Liu Shang (劉商), King Qing of Zhao (趙頃王), 81–104 *Liu Hong (劉宏), King Jing of Zhao (趙靖王), 104–116 *Liu Qian (劉乾), King Hui of Zhao (趙惠王), 116–164 *Liu Yu (劉豫), King Huai of Zhao (趙懷王), 164–? *Liu She (劉赦), King Xian of Zhao (趙獻王), ?–? *Liu Gui (劉珪), ?–213

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kingdom Of Zhao Kingdoms of the Han dynasty

Kings of Zhao

See also

References