Sima Daozi - As Emperor An's Regent

As Emperor An's Regent

Sima Daozi, as regent, greatly trusted Wang Guobao and his cousin Wang Xu (王緒) because of their flattery, and his regency quickly developed a reputation for being corrupt and incompetent. Wang Gong, whom Emperor Xiaowu entrusted with the armies of the northeastern part of the empire, considered starting a rebellion to overthrow Wang Guobao and Wang Xu. In 397, Wang Guobao and Wang Xu suggested to Sima Daozi that the armies that Wang Gong and Yin Zhongkan were in charge of be reduced; Wang Gong and Yin, who was in command of the western provinces, in response, mobilized their forces and declared that Wang Guobao and Wang Xu should be executed. Sima Daozi, in fear, forced Wang Guobao to commit suicide and executed Wang Xu. Wang Gong and Yin then retreated. From this point on, Sima Daozi trusted no one but his teenage heir apparent, Sima Yuanxian, and entrusted the capital guards to Sima Yuanxian. He also gave military commands to his distant relatives Sima Shangzhi (司馬尚之) the Prince of Qiao and Sima Shangzhi's brother Sima Xiuzhi, as well as Wang Yu (王愉), in 398.

The giving of a military command to Wang Yu oddly drew a reaction from Wang Gong and Yin—as Wang Yu's command included four commanderies originally under the command of Yu Kai (庾楷), who became angry and managed to persuade Wang Gong and Yin that Sima Daozi's intention was to act against them as well. They therefore rose again, but Sima Daozi was able to persuade Wang Gong's general Liu Laozhi (劉牢之), who was in command of the elite Beifu Forces (北府兵), to suddenly turn against Wang Gong, capturing and executing him. Yin, hearing of Wang Gong's death, was in fear but considered proceeding anyway—and Sima Daozi, under suggestion by Huan Xuan's cousin Huan Xiu (桓脩), managed to cause dissension between Yin and his generals Huan Xuan and Yang Quanqi (楊佺期) by offering Huan and Yang key posts; although Huan and Yang nominally remained Yin's allies, Yin was forced to withdraw his troops, and from that point on no longer posed a major threat, as his domain had now been divided into three, with Huan and Yang each given a third.

In late 398, the magician Sun Tai (孫泰), a friend of Sima Yuanxian's, who had gathered great following due to his magic, was exposed as planning a plot to take over the central government, and Sima Daozi ordered Sima Yuanxian to trap Sun Tai and execute him. Sun Tai's nephew Sun En fled to Zhoushan Island and planned revenge.

In summer 399, Sima Yuanxian, wanting even greater power, took an opportunity when his father was very drunk to have Emperor An issue an edict transferring Sima Daozi's authorities to Sima Yuanxian. When Sima Daozi awoke from his stupor, he was enraged, but after that point his power became extremely limited, even though he nominally remained regent.

Later in 399, Sun En launched his rebellion and captured most of the eastern empire for a while, until Liu Laozhi led his Beifu Forces and defeated Sun, forcing him to flee back to Zhoushan. Still, the only region remaining under central government control was now laid waste.

In 401, Sima Yuanxian, apprehensive of Huan Xuan (who had by then defeated and executed Yin and Yang, taking over the entire western empire), declared Huan a renegade and launched a campaign against him. However, he relied on Liu's troops, and Liu, not trusting his good intentions, again turned sides and joined Huan, and in 402 the capital Jiankang fell to Huan's forces. Sima Yuanxian was captured and executed, while Sima Daozi was exiled to Ancheng (安成, in modern Ji'an, Jiangxi). Around the new year 403, an official sent by Huan Xuan, pursuant to Huan Xuan's instructions, poisoned Sima Daozi to death.