Background
Sima Yi, from whom the Sima clan began its rise to power, had managed to take control of Cao Wei due to the lack of a Cao nobility that had the means to contest the authority of the Sima Yi-controlled central government.
In 266, Sima Yan forced Cao Huan to abdicate and established the Jin Dynasty. Mindful of historical precedent, Sima Yan sought to bolster the power of the Sima clan by enfeoffing his uncles, cousins and sons. Big enfeoffments were entitled to an army of five thousand; intermediate enfeoffments an army of three thousand, and small enfeoffments an army of one thousand five hundred. As time passed, these princes and dukes were also given administrative powers over their lands, and also were granted the power to levy taxes and employ central officials.
Following the death of Sima Yan, e.g.Emperor Wu in 290,a complex power struggle began amongst the Sima clan. The new emperor, Emperor Hui, was developmentally disabled. Initially, the emperor's stepmother, Empress Dowager Yang, exerted the most power at court, and empowered her family, the Yang consort clan, with her father Yang Jun given the most power.
The emperor's wife, Empress Jia Nanfeng, who was not happy with being excluded from this state of affairs, enlisted the help of Sima Wei and Sima Liang. Sima Wei's troops entered Luoyang unilaterally and unopposed by the central government. In 291, Empress Jia issued an edict accusing Yang Jun of treason. Sima Wei's troops killed Yang Jun, the empress dowager was starved to death under house arrest, and 3000 members of the Yang clan were executed. Thus began the intervention of the princes in the affairs of the central government.
Read more about this topic: War Of The Eight Princes
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