Early Reign
In early 318, Han Zhao's emperor Liu Cong executed Emperor Min, and three months later, news arrived in Jiankang. Sima Rui then declared himself emperor (as Emperor Yuan). At this time, the areas directly under his control were roughly south of the Yellow River and east of the Three Gorges, although pockets of Jin territory in the north—chief among which was You Province (幽州, modern Beijing, Tianjin, and northern Hebei), controlled by the ethnically Xianbei governor Duan Pidi (段匹磾) -- largely also recognized him as emperor. However, while technically recognizing him as emperor, Zhang Shi (張寔) the governor of Liang Province (modern central and western Gansu), whose domain would eventually evolve into Former Liang, chose not to use his era names and instead continued to use Emperor Min's era name of Jianxing—thus hinting non-recognition.
Late in 318, when the Han Zhao emperor Liu Can was overthrown by his official Jin Zhun, Jin Zhun initially indicated that he was submitting to Emperor Yuan's authority, and Emperor Yuan tried to take advantage by sending an army to assist Jin Zhun. However, long before the army could get there, Jin Zhun was defeated by the new Han Zhao emperor Liu Yao and the general Shi Le.
In 319, Duan Pidi's forces collapsed, and he fled to another governor still loyal to Jin—Shao Xu (邵續) the governor of Ji Province (冀州, modern central Hebei). However, both Shao and Duan were captured by Shi (who had by that point declared independence from Han Zhao, establishing Later Zhao) by 321, ending all resemblance of Jin rule in northern China—although the Xianbei chief Murong Hui the Duke of Liaodong was still in control of modern Liaoning and still considered himself a Jin vassal.
Read more about this topic: Emperor Yuan Of Jin
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