Liu Xiang (; died 179 BC), formally King Ai of Qi () was a
Han dynasty king of
Qi and a key player during the
Lü Clan Disturbance (180 BC).
He was the grandson of
Emperor Gaozu of Han
Emperor Gaozu of Han (256 – 1 June 195 BC), born Liu Bang () with courtesy name Ji (季), was the founder and first emperor of the Han dynasty, reigning in 202–195 BC. His temple name was "Taizu" while his posthumous name was Emper ...
and the eldest son of
Liu Fei, Prince of Qi by Consort Si. With Liu Fei's death in 189 BC,
Emperor Hui allowed Liu Xiang to inherit the title of "Prince of Qi".
During the Lü Clan Disturbance, Liu Xiang led the Qi forces and also seized the forces of the nearby
Principality of Langye Langya Commandery ( zh, , ) was a commandery in historical China from Qin dynasty to Tang dynasty, located in present-day southeast Shandong and northeast Jiangsu.
The commandery was established in Qin dynasty on the former territories of Qi. Fro ...
, and was ready to march to the capital
Chang'an to claim the imperial throne for himself, assisted by his brothers
Liu Zhang and
Liu Xingju. After the officials in the capital overthrew the Lü clan and deposed
Emperor Houshao of Han, however, they instead invited his uncle Prince Liu Heng of Dai (later
Emperor Wen) to be emperor. Liu Xiang acquiesced and did not fight Emperor Wen for the throne, and he withdrew his forces back to his territory, though in fact he should be the
heir presumptive after the extinction of the male line of
Emperor Hui of Han. Before he had died, Liu Xiang had hundreds of Tiny Terracotta Warriors made to protect him in the afterlife just like Qin Shi Huangdi.
References
179 BC deaths
Han dynasty imperial princes
Year of birth unknown
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