Takeover and Usurpation By Huan Xuan
Huan Xuan initially tried to institute reforms of the imperial government, and the populace and governmental officials were pleased with changes he introduced, and he also tried to make peace with Sun En's brother-in-law Lu Xun (盧循), who replaced Sun En after Sun En committed suicide after a battlefield loss in 402, by offering Lu a commandery governorship. However, Huan Xuan soon took to living luxuriously and modifying laws at whim, and it was said that supplies to the imperial household were so reduced that even Emperor An almost suffered from hunger and cold.
In fall 403, Huan Xuan had Emperor An create him the Prince of Chu and give him the nine bestowments -- both signs of an impending usurpation. In winter 403, Huan Xuan had Emperor An issue an edict (an edict that, according to traditional historians, Huan Xuan had Sima Bao (司馬寶) the Prince of Linchuan force Emperor An to personally write, although this account appears doubtful, as Emperor An's handicap makes it unlikely that he could personally write this edict) giving the throne to Huan Xuan. Huan then took the throne as emperor of a new Chu state. He created Emperor An as the Prince of Pinggu, but kept the emperor and his brother Sima Dewen the Prince of Langye (now reduced in rank to Duke of Shiyang) under virtual house arrest.
In spring 404, Huan Xuan's general Liu Yu, seeing that Huan Xuan lacked actual talent or popular support, led an uprising of a coalition of generals against him, starting the uprising at Jingkou (京口, in modern Zhenjiang, Jiangsu) and reaching Jiankang within a few days. Huan Xuan fled, but took Emperor An and Sima Dewen with him, back to his old power base Jiangling (江陵, in modern Jingzhou, Hubei). Liu Yu declared the restoration of Jin, and by summer 404, forces under his confederates Liu Yi (劉毅), He Wuji (何無忌), and his brother Liu Daogui (劉道規) have reached the vicinity of Jiangling and defeated Huan Xuan's troops. Huan Xuan tried to flee again, but was killed by forces of the general Mao Qu (毛璩). Emperor An was declared to be restored at Jiangling by the officials Wang Kangchan (王康產) and Wang Tengzhi (王騰之). However, Huan Xuan's nephew Huan Zhen (桓振) soon surprised Wang Kangchan and Wang Tengzhi and captured Jiangling, taking Emperor An hostage, although ostensibly honoring him as the emperor. In spring 405, Jiangling fell to Liu Yi's forces, and Huan Zhen fled. Emperor An was welcomed back to Jiankang, but at this point on, Liu Yu was largely in control of the situation.
Read more about this topic: Emperor An Of Jin
Famous quotes containing the words takeover and/or usurpation:
“A poet is a combination of an instrument and a human being in one person, with the former gradually taking over the latter. The sensation of this takeover is responsible for timbre; the realization of it, for destiny.”
—Joseph Brodsky (b. 1940)
“The great constitutional corrective in the hands of the people against usurpation of power, or corruption by their agents is the right of suffrage; and this when used with calmness and deliberation will prove strong enough.”
—Andrew Jackson (1767–1845)