The Southern Yan (; 398–410) was a

Xianbei The Xianbei (; ) were a Proto-Mongolic ancient nomadic people that once resided in the eastern Eurasian steppes in what is today Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, and Northeastern China. They originated from the Donghu people who splintered into the ...

-led dynastic state during the era of

Sixteen Kingdoms The Sixteen Kingdoms (), less commonly the Sixteen States, was a chaotic period in Chinese history from AD 304 to 439 when northern China fragmented into a series of short-lived dynastic states. The majority of these states were founded by ...

in China. Its territory roughly coincided with modern

Shandong Shandong ( , ; ; alternately romanized as Shantung) is a coastal province of the People's Republic of China and is part of the East China region. Shandong has played a major role in Chinese history since the beginning of Chinese civilizati ...

. Its founder

Murong De Murong De (; 336–405), name changed in 400 to Murong Beide (慕容備德), courtesy name Xuanming (玄明), formally Emperor Xianwu of (Southern) Yan ((南)燕獻武帝), was the founding emperor of the Xianbei-led Southern Yan dynasty of Chin ...

was a son of

Murong Huang Murong Huang (; 297–348), courtesy name Yuanzhen (元真), formally Prince Wenming of (Former) Yan ((前)燕文明王) was the founding monarch of the Xianbei-led Former Yan dynasty of China. When he first succeeded his father Murong Hui i ...

and brother of

Murong Jun Murong Jun (; 319–360), courtesy name Xuanying (宣英), formally Emperor Jingzhao of (Former) Yan ((前)燕景昭帝), was an emperor of the Former Yan. He was the dynasty's second ruler, but after first using the Jin dynasty-created title o ...

and

Murong Chui Murong Chui (; 326–396), courtesy name Daoming (道明), Xianbei name Altun (阿六敦), formally Emperor Chengwu of (Later) Yan ((後)燕成武帝) was a great general of the Xianbei-led Chinese Former Yan dynasty who later became the foundi ...

and therefore was an imperial prince during both

Former Yan The Former Yan (; 337–370) was a dynastic state ruled by the Xianbei during the era of Sixteen Kingdoms in China. Initially, Murong Huang and his son Murong Jun claimed the Jin dynasty-created title "Prince of Yan," but subsequently, in 352, ...

and

Later Yan Yan, known in historiography as the Later Yan (; 384 – 407 or 409) was a dynastic state of China ruled by the Xianbei people, located in modern-day northeast China, during the era of Sixteen Kingdoms. All rulers of the Later Yan declared them ...

. All rulers of the Southern Yan declared themselves "

emperors An emperor (from la, imperator, via fro, empereor) is a monarch, and usually the sovereignty, sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife (empress consort), ...

History

In the years after the

Battle of Canhe Slope Battle of Canhe Slope () refers to a battle in 395 where the Chinese/Xianbei state Later Yan, then ruling over northern and central China, had launched a punitive campaign against its former vassal Northern Wei, also of Xianbei extraction. Late ...

in 395, the

began to quickly collapse, losing most territory to the

Northern Wei Wei (), known in historiography as the Northern Wei (), Tuoba Wei (), Yuan Wei () and Later Wei (), was founded by the Tuoba (Tabgach) clan of the Xianbei. The first of the Northern and Southern dynasties#Northern dynasties, Northern dynasties ...

, uncle of Later Yan emperor Murong Bao, successfully defended some cities in the southern part of the state, including Yecheng and Huatai, and eventually claimed the imperial title in 398, forming Southern Yan. Murong De nearly captured and killed Murong Bao when the latter came to Huatai, unaware that his uncle had declared independence. Murong Bao managed to flee back north when he heard, and would continue to defend the remaining territory of Later Yan. Just a year later when Murong De was on campaign a traitor opened the gates of Huatai to Northern Wei forces, leaving Murong De stranded without any territory. He decided to attack Qing Province of the Jin Dynasty, which corresponds to modern central and eastern

. He took the province with ease and successfully reestablished Southern Yan. Murong De would rule for 6 more years after this, in which Southern Yan was peaceful and prosperous to live in. However Murong De was getting older and sicker and was without any living sons. However in 405 a nephew of his called

Murong Chao Murong Chao (; 385–410), courtesy name Zuming (祖明), was the last Emperor of China, emperor of the Xianbei-led Chinese Southern Yan, Southern Yan dynasty. He was the nephew of the founding emperor Murong De (Emperor Xianwu) who was trapped un ...

arrived in Guanggu (the capital of Southern Yan) having previously been a beggar in

Later Qin The Later Qin (; 384–417), also known as Yao Qin (), was a state ruled by the Qiang ethnicity of the Sixteen Kingdoms during the Jin dynasty (266–420) in China. The Later Qin is entirely distinct from the Qin dynasty, the Former Qin and the W ...

, and was almost immediately made heir. Murong De died that same fall and was succeeded by Murong Chao. Murong Chao’s mother and wife were still in Later Qin and Murong Chao agreed to become a vassal and give up his court musicians in return for their safe passage to Southern Yan. In 409 Murong Chao attacked the Jin for prisoners to be trained as new musicians. This prompted an invasion of Southern Yan by the Jin general Liu Yu. Liu Yu defeated the Southern Yan army at the

Battle of Linqu The Battle of Linqu was a battle fought in 409 between the Southern Yan and Eastern Jin dynasties during the Sixteen Kingdoms period of Chinese history. The battle ended in a decisive victory for the Eastern Jin, who went on to besiege the South ...

and then besieged Guanggu, eventually taking the city. Murong Chao was captured and executed and Southern Yan was annexed by Jin

Rulers of the Southern Yan

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Yan, Southern Dynasties in Chinese history Former countries in Chinese history 398 establishments 4th-century establishments in China 5th-century disestablishments in China

History

Rulers of the Southern Yan

See also

References