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Chinese History - The war between Chu and Han

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The war between Chu 楚 and Han 漢

period before (Qin)
next period (Han)
Map see below

In the year 209 BC, several leaders rose against the suppressive government of Qin. But only two of them, Xiang Yu 項羽 (Xiang Ji 項籍), a descendant of the Chu general Xiang Yan 項燕, and a local official named Liu Bang 劉邦 "Duke of Pei" 沛公 were able to gain substantive power. Between the years 206 and 202, a war of decision took place and left the way free for Liu Bang, the founder of Han Dynasty.
The events of these years were recorded in an often cited, but lost annal book with the title "Spring and Autumn of Chu and Han" Chu Han Chunqiu 楚漢春秋.
The first table gives an overview of the rebels against Qin from 209 to 206:
Chu 楚
Chen She, Chu Yinwang 楚隱王陳涉, and his opponent Xiang Qiang 襄彊 as kings of Chu, later Jing Gou 景駒 and Xin, Chu Huaiwang 楚懷王心 called Yidi 義帝 "Righteous Emperor", a grandson of the last king of Chu (enthroned by Xiang Liang). Xiang Yu divides Chu into four kingdoms: West Chu 西楚, Hengshan 衡山, Linjiang 臨江, and Jiujiang 九江. 吳廣
Xiang 項
Xiang Liang, Lord Wuxin 武信君項梁; his son Xiang Yu 項羽 becomes ruler of Lu 魯
Zhao 趙
Wu Chen 武臣 king of Zhao; later Xie 趙王歇; Xiang Yu divides Zhao into Zhao and Dai 代.
Qi 齊
Tian Dan 田儋 king of Qi; later Tian Jia 田假 and his opponent Tian Shi 田市; other oppenents are Tian An 田安 and Tian Rong 田榮. Xiang Yu divides Qi into the kingdoms of Linzi 臨淄, Jibei 濟北 and Jiaodong 膠東.
(Han 漢)
Liu Bang, Duke of Pei 沛公, becomes Marquis Wuan 武安侯. Xiang Yu divides this area into the kingdoms of Han 漢, Yong 雍, Sai 塞 and Di 翟.
Yan 燕
Han Guang 韓廣 king of Yan, then of Liaodong 遼東; killed by Zang Tu 臧荼; Xiang Yu divided this area into the kingdoms of Yan and Liaodong.
Wei 魏
Wei Jiu 魏咎 Suicide.
Wei Bao 魏豹; this territory is divided into the kingdoms of Wei and Yin 殷.
Han (Hann) 韓
(Ji) Cheng, King of Hann 韓王成 (姬成) Killed by Xiang Yu. 208-
Zheng Chang 鄭昌 Surrenders to Liu Bang. Han is divided into Han and Henan 河南.
Xiang Yu kills the last king of Qin, sacks the capital Xianyang 咸陽 and installs new kingdoms under his rule as Hegemonial King of West-Chu (Xi-Chu Bawang) 西楚霸王. The following table covers the years from 206 to 202. There are two persons of the same name: King Hann Xinn 韓王信 and the general Hann Xin 韓信 (called Marquis Huaiyin 淮陰侯).
Chu 楚 (Qin 秦) Capital: Zhu 邾 (near modern Huangzhou 黃州/Hubei)
Chu Huaiwang 楚懷王 (Qin Yidi 秦義帝) Killed by Xiang Yu.206-205
Xichu 西楚 (Chu 楚)
Capital: Pengcheng 彭城 (modern Xuzhou 徐州/Jiangsu)
Hegemonial King (bawang 霸王) Xiang Yu 項羽 Defeated by Liu Bang.206-202
Hengshan 衡山 Capital: Zhu 邾 (near modern Huangzhou 黃州/Hubei)
Wu Rui 吳芮 (Lord of Fan 番君) Reapproved by Liu Bang in 202.206-202
Linjiang 臨江 (Xiang 項) Capital: Jiangling 江陵 (modern Shashi 沙市/Hubei)
Gong Ao 共敖206-204
Gong Xiang 共驩 (Gong Wei 共尉) Dethroned by Liu Bang.204-202
Jiujiang 九江 Capital: Liu 六 (modern Liuan 六安/Anhui)
Ying Bu 英布 (Jing Bu 黥布) Surrenders to Liu Bang. Reinstalled in 203.206-204
Zhao 趙 (Changshan 常山) Capital: Xiangguo 襄國 (modern Xingtai 邢台/Hebei)
King Zhang Er 張耳 Surrenders to Liu Bang. Reinstalled in 203.206-205
Zhao Xie 趙歇-----Destroyed by Han.205
Dai 代 Capital: Dai 代 (modern Weixian 蔚縣/Hebei)
Zhao Xie 趙歇 (hitherto King of Zhao) Transferred to Zhao.206-205
Chen Yu 陳餘 (Lord of Cheng'an 成安君) Destroyed by Liu Bang.205-204
Qi 齊 (Linzi 臨菑) Capital: Linzi 臨菑 (modern Linzi 臨淄/Shandong)
Tian Du 田都 Surrenders to Xiang Yu.206
Tian Rong 田榮 Installed by Xiang Yu, killed.206-205
Tian Jia 田假 (former King of Qi) Installed, later killed by Xiang Yu.205
Tian Guang 田廣 Destroyed by Liu Bang.205-203
Han Xin 韓信 Installed by Liu Bang.203-202
Jibei 濟北 Capital: Boyang 博陽 (modern Taian 泰安/Shandong)
Tian An 田安 Destroyed by Liu Bang.206
Jiaodong 膠東 Capital: Jimo 即墨 (modern Guxian 古峴/Shandong)
Tian Shi 田市 (hitherto King of Qi) Destroyed by Qi.206
Han (Hàn) 漢
Capital: Nanzheng 南鄭 (modern Hanzhong 漢中/Shaanxi)
Liu Bang 劉邦 (Duke of Pei 沛公) Future Emperor of Han.206-(195)
Yong 雍 Capital: Feiqiu 廢丘
(southeast of modern Xi'an 西安/Shaanxi)
Zhang Han 章邯 Destroyed by Liu Bang.206-205
Sai 塞 Capital: Liyang 櫟陽 (east of modern Fuping 富平/Shaanxi)
Sima Xin 司馬欣 Surrenders to Liu Bang.206
Di/Zhai 翟 Capital: Gaonu 高奴 ()
Dong Yi 董翳 Surrenders to Liu Bang.206
Yan 燕 Capital: Ji 薊 (modern Beijing)
Zang Tu 臧荼 Defeated by Liu Bang.206-203
Liaodong 遼東 Capital: Wuzhong 無終 (east of modern Beijing)
Han Guang 韓廣 (hitherto King of Yan) Destroyed by Zang Tu.206
Wei 魏 (Xi-Wei 西魏) Capital: Pingyang 平陽 (near modern Linfen 臨汾/Shanxi)
Wei Bao 魏豹 (hitherto King of Wei) Surrenders to Han, reinstalled as King of Wei; destroyed by Liu Bang.206-205
205
Yin 殷 Capital: Chaoge 朝歌 (modern Qixian 淇縣/Henan)
Sima Ang 司馬卬 Surrenders to Liu Bang.206-205
Han (Hán, Hann) 韓 Capital: Yangzhai/Yangdi 陽翟 (modern Yuxian 禹縣 /Henan)
Han Cheng 韓成 Executed by Xiang Yu.206
Zheng Chang 鄭昌 Dethroned by Liu Bang.206-205
(Ji) Xin, King of Han 韓王信 (姬信) Enthroned as King of Dai205-202
Henan 河南 Capital: Luoyang 洛陽 (modern Luoyang/Henan)
Shen Yang 申陽 Surrenders to Liu Bang.206-205

Green are the kingdoms surrendering to Han, the red kingdoms were destroyed by Han. Qi has conquered Jiaodong and Jibei, Yan conquered Liaodong. The decisive battle was in Gaixia 垓下 (near modern Huaiyang 淮陽/Henan).
The third table shows the fate of the few non-relative kings (yixing wang 異姓王) that were installed by Han Gaozu (Liu Bang) in 202 when he became Emperor of Han.

Jiujiang 九江 (Huainan 淮南)

King Ying Bu 英布, installed in 203; rebelled and killed in 196.

Chu 楚

Hann Xin (1) 韓信, installed in 203 as King of Qi 齊, in 202 transferred to Chu; rebelled and executed in 196.

Zhao 趙

King Zhang Er 張耳, installed in 203; followed by his son Zhang Ao 張敖 in 201; Ao is dethroned in 199.

Taiyuan 太原 (Hann 韓)

King Hann Xin 韓信 (2, King Xin of Hann), installed in 201; rebelled and escaped in the same year.

Yan 燕

Zang Tu 臧荼, replaced by King Lu Wan 盧綰, installed in 202; rebelled and escaped in 196.

Liang 梁

King Peng Yue 彭越, installed in 202; rebelled and killed in 197.

Changsha 長沙

King Wu Rui 吳芮, installed in 202; followed by son Wu Chen 吳臣 (Changsha Chengwang 長沙成王) in 201; followed by son Wu Hui 吳回 (Changsha Aiwang 長沙哀王) in 193; followed by son Wu Ruo 吳若 (Changsha Gongwang 長沙共王) in 186; followed by son Wu Chan 吳產 (Changsha Jingwang 長沙靖王) in 178; died without heir in 157.


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