Zhou Dynasty - Kings

Kings

The rulers of the Zhou dynasty were titled Wang (王) like the Shang rulers before them. The position is normally translated into English as "king", although sometimes the later title of "emperor" is also used. In addition to these rulers, King Wu's immediate ancestors – Danfu, Jili, and Wen – are also referred to as "Kings of Zhou", despite having been nominal vassals of the Shang kings under the titles "Duke" (公) or "Count of the West" (西伯).

NB: Dates in Chinese history before the first year of the Gonghe Regency in 841 BC are contentious and vary by source. Those below are those published by the PRC's official Xia–Shang–Zhou Chronology Project.

Personal name Posthumous name Reign period
發 Fa 周武王 King Wu of Zhou 1046 BC–1043 BC
誦 Song 周成王 King Cheng of Zhou 1042 BC–1021 BC
釗 Zhao 周康王 King Kang of Zhou 1020 BC–996 BC
瑕 Xia 周昭王 King Zhao of Zhou 995 BC–977 BC
滿 Man 周穆王 King Mu of Zhou 976 BC–922 BC
繄扈 Yihu 周共王/周龔王 King Gong of Zhou 922 BC–900 BC
囏 Jian 周懿王 King Yi of Zhou 899 BC–892 BC
辟方 Pifang 周孝王 King Xiao of Zhou 891 BC–886 BC
燮 Xie 周夷王 King Yi of Zhou 885 BC–878 BC
胡 Hu 周厲王/周剌王 King Li of Zhou 877 BC–841 BC
共和 Gonghe Regency 841 BC–828 BC
靜 Jing 周宣王 King Xuan of Zhou 827 BC–782 BC
宮湦 Gongsheng 周幽王 King You of Zhou 781 BC–771 BC
End of Western Zhou / Beginning of Eastern Zhou
宜臼 Yijiu 周平王 King Ping of Zhou 770 BC–720 BC
林 Lin 周桓王 King Huan of Zhou 719 BC–697 BC
佗 Tuo 周莊王 King Zhuang of Zhou 696 BC–682 BC
胡齊 Huqi 周釐王 King Xi of Zhou 681 BC–677 BC
閬 Lang 周惠王 King Hui of Zhou 676 BC–652 BC
鄭 Zheng 周襄王 King Xiang of Zhou 651 BC–619 BC
壬臣 Renchen 周頃王 King Qing of Zhou 618 BC–613 BC
班 Ban 周匡王 King Kuang of Zhou 612 BC–607 BC
瑜 Yu 周定王 King Ding of Zhou 606 BC–586 BC
夷 Yi 周簡王 King Jian of Zhou 585 BC–572 BC
泄心 Xiexin 周靈王 King Ling of Zhou 571 BC–545 BC
貴 Gui 周景王 King Jing of Zhou 544 BC–521 BC
猛 Meng 周悼王 King Dao of Zhou 520 BC
丐 Gai 周敬王 King Jing of Zhou 519 BC–476 BC
仁 Ren 周元王 King Yuan of Zhou 475 BC–469 BC
介 Jie 周貞定王 King Zhending of Zhou 468 BC–442 BC
去疾 Quji 周哀王 King Ai of Zhou 441 BC
叔 Shu 周思王 King Si of Zhou 441 BC
嵬 Wei 周考王 King Kao of Zhou 440 BC–426 BC
午 Wu 周威烈王 King Weilie of Zhou 425 BC–402 BC
驕 Jiao 周安王 King An of Zhou 401 BC–376 BC
喜 Xi 周烈王 King Lie of Zhou 375 BC–369 BC
扁 Bian 周顯王 King Xian of Zhou 368 BC–321 BC
定 Ding 周慎靚王 King Shenjing of Zhou 320 BC–315 BC
延 Yan 周赧王 King Nan of Zhou 314 BC–256 BC

Nobles of the Ji family proclaimed Duke Hui of Eastern Zhou as King Nan's successor after their capital, Chengzhou, fell to Qin forces in 256 BC. Ji Zhao, a son of King Nan led a resistance against Qin for five years. The dukedom fell in 249 BC. The remaining Ji family ruled Yan and Wei until 209 BC.

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