5,277
edits
Daxia: Difference between revisions
m
no edit summary
mNo edit summary |
mNo edit summary |
||
| Line 84: | Line 84: | ||
By 552 the state of Upper Jin was attacked and reduced to a northern sliver of land, allowing Cao's forces a new avenue of invasion that avoided Liao's eastern mountain range. General Jian Xin amassed a force of 600,000 men and invaded from the north, sweeping aside the outnumbered armies of Liao in two bloody engagements. He marched all the way to the capital in Gimying and stormed it after a brief siege. King Wei of Liao was deposed by Jian Xin in favor of the king's 7 year old nephew and Liao deprived of most of its territory and its treasury carried away in wagons to Cao's court. Both Liao and the Jin remnant would continue to exist in a diminished state until 641 and 643 respectively. | By 552 the state of Upper Jin was attacked and reduced to a northern sliver of land, allowing Cao's forces a new avenue of invasion that avoided Liao's eastern mountain range. General Jian Xin amassed a force of 600,000 men and invaded from the north, sweeping aside the outnumbered armies of Liao in two bloody engagements. He marched all the way to the capital in Gimying and stormed it after a brief siege. King Wei of Liao was deposed by Jian Xin in favor of the king's 7 year old nephew and Liao deprived of most of its territory and its treasury carried away in wagons to Cao's court. Both Liao and the Jin remnant would continue to exist in a diminished state until 641 and 643 respectively. | ||
===Imperial Period=== | ===Imperial Period=== | ||
By the year 639, the State of Cao had either absorbed all the other kingdoms or relegated them to the status of vassals. Such was the case of Liao which had once encompassed all the western areas but was now reduced to a tenuous hold of Gimying and its environs. In the spring of 641, King Cao Kun accused Lord Shifeng of Liao of plotting to rise in rebellion. Lord Shifeng was arrested and then boiled alive in the square of Gimying, his wives and children were forced to take poison and all their servants castrated. Two years later pro Cao courtiers staged a palace coup and deposed Lord Ziao of Jin, inviting Cao Kun to rule. With the royal lines of Liao and Jin thus extinguished and its lands under control, Cao Kun could claim absolute supremacy. | By the year 639, the State of Cao had either absorbed all the other kingdoms or relegated them to the status of vassals. Such was the case of Liao which had once encompassed all the western areas but was now reduced to a tenuous hold of Gimying and its environs. In the spring of 641, King Cao Kun accused Lord Shifeng of Liao of plotting to rise in rebellion. Lord Shifeng was arrested and then boiled alive in the square of Gimying, his wives and children were forced to take poison and all their servants castrated. Two years later pro Cao courtiers staged a palace coup and deposed Lord Ziao of Jin, inviting Cao Kun to rule. With the royal lines of Liao and Jin thus extinguished and its lands under control, Cao Kun could claim absolute supremacy. | ||
| Line 91: | Line 91: | ||
The Shang dynasty was the ruling dynasty of Corumm for 211 years (645–856) after the formal end of the Seven Kingdoms period. The Shang dynasty was by and large an era of progress and stability in the first half of the dynasty's rule, until the Cai Rong Rebellion and the decay of central power in the latter half of the dynasty. The first Shang emperors became revered examples to be emulated by their successors and the dynasty set the foundations for the growth of the Corummese state for centuries afterwards. | The Shang dynasty was the ruling dynasty of Corumm for 211 years (645–856) after the formal end of the Seven Kingdoms period. The Shang dynasty was by and large an era of progress and stability in the first half of the dynasty's rule, until the Cai Rong Rebellion and the decay of central power in the latter half of the dynasty. The first Shang emperors became revered examples to be emulated by their successors and the dynasty set the foundations for the growth of the Corummese state for centuries afterwards. | ||
=====Administrative reforms===== | =====Administrative reforms===== | ||
The Shang built upon administrative and government reforms first implemented in Cao. The first Corummese legal code was produced by Shang, containing 2000 articles that covered everything from criminal punishments to the exact measurements of facial hair worn by government bureaucrats. The Shang implemented a system of four ministries that handled the military, finances, justice and administration, all overseen by a grand secretariat that reported to the Emperor. The capital was moved to the centrally located city of Dagu, later known as Mirzak in the post-imperial period. The Shang emperors introduced the practice of employing eunuchs alongside scholars for government administration, as their loyalty to the imperial figure was perceived to be beyond question, a costly mistake for later emperors. | The Shang built upon administrative and government reforms first implemented in Cao. The first Corummese legal code was produced by Shang, containing 2000 articles that covered everything from criminal punishments to the exact measurements of facial hair worn by government bureaucrats. The Shang implemented a system of four ministries that handled the military, finances, justice and administration, all overseen by a grand secretariat that reported to the Emperor. The capital was moved to the centrally located city of Dagu, later known as Mirzak in the post-imperial period. The Shang emperors introduced the practice of employing eunuchs alongside scholars for government administration, as their loyalty to the imperial figure was perceived to be beyond question, a costly mistake for later emperors.[[File:Cao Zhi.jpg|thumb|200px|left|Cao Kun, First Emperor of Shang.]] | ||
=====Northward Expansion===== | =====Northward Expansion===== | ||
Following nomad attacks on the northern commanderies in 676, the First Emperor dispatched the eunuch Ma Fuyeng to establish a fort on the northern approaches of the Hexi Corridor to deter further attack. This strategic fortress was dubbed Yang Daopian and from there Ma Fuyeng exerted a tenuous hold on the southern marshes of Xingkai and check the power of the nomad Degei confederation. In 679 the Degei raided and subsequently destroyed the settlements that had started to form around Yang Daopian. Lacking the means to properly breach the fortress, the Degei settled in their tents to wait for hunger to overcome the defenders. On hearing news of the siege, the Emperor raised a 60,000-man army and rushed to the Hexi Corridor. Degei scouts mistakenly assumed the vanguard of the imperial army to be the whole force that was sent against them, causing them to confidently enter the mountainous corridor. By the time they realized the actual size of the enemy force, retreat was no longer an option. Seeing the bulk of the besieging force leaving, Ma Fuyeng's forces rushed out the gates and stormed the nomad camp, overrunning the few defenders left. Trapped in the narrow pass between two forces, the Degei desperately fought to break out but were decisively defeated. The Emperor forced the Degei chiefs to prostrate themselves before him and imposed upon them the humiliating Treaty of Daopian. The treaty stipulated the Degei would become tributaries of Shang, they would migrate beyond the Urus river and settle there, leaving southern Xingkai for Shang colonization and they would provide 8,000 cavalrymen to serve in Shang armies. | Following nomad attacks on the northern commanderies in 676, the First Emperor dispatched the eunuch Ma Fuyeng to establish a fort on the northern approaches of the Hexi Corridor to deter further attack. This strategic fortress was dubbed Yang Daopian and from there Ma Fuyeng exerted a tenuous hold on the southern marshes of Xingkai and check the power of the nomad Degei confederation. In 679 the Degei raided and subsequently destroyed the settlements that had started to form around Yang Daopian. Lacking the means to properly breach the fortress, the Degei settled in their tents to wait for hunger to overcome the defenders. On hearing news of the siege, the Emperor raised a 60,000-man army and rushed to the Hexi Corridor. Degei scouts mistakenly assumed the vanguard of the imperial army to be the whole force that was sent against them, causing them to confidently enter the mountainous corridor. By the time they realized the actual size of the enemy force, retreat was no longer an option. Seeing the bulk of the besieging force leaving, Ma Fuyeng's forces rushed out the gates and stormed the nomad camp, overrunning the few defenders left. Trapped in the narrow pass between two forces, the Degei desperately fought to break out but were decisively defeated. The Emperor forced the Degei chiefs to prostrate themselves before him and imposed upon them the humiliating Treaty of Daopian. The treaty stipulated the Degei would become tributaries of Shang, they would migrate beyond the Urus river and settle there, leaving southern Xingkai for Shang colonization and they would provide 8,000 cavalrymen to serve in Shang armies. | ||
| Line 103: | Line 103: | ||
=====Chen-Rusana Wars===== | =====Chen-Rusana Wars===== | ||
The territory of modern Rusana was divided in three kingdoms at the time, Ghanim being the closest to Corumm. In 860 Chen general Qu Hou advanced into Ghanim's territory at the head of a 40,000 army and 6000 Degei cavalry, pursuing an estimated 20,000 Shang loyalists under Bi Liao. Too outnumbered to stand his ground, Bi Liao sought to evade battle at every turn and sent messengers to the local ruler asking for support. Bi Liao's messengers painted Qu Hou's incursion as an invasion aimed at Ghanim rather than a punitive expedition solely aimed at the Shang remnants. Seeing the sizable Chen army continue to make its way westward, Farukh agreed to join forces with the Shang to oppose it. Farukh mustered 13,000 men, consisting mostly of lightly armored footmen with the exception of the kings own 1500 strong infantry bodyguard armed in heavy mail. He also brought forth twenty war elephants. The joint Ghanim-Shang force moved to intercept Qu Hou's army and the two forces came into contact at the Battle of Horoz Plain. | The territory of modern Rusana was divided in three kingdoms at the time, Ghanim being the closest to Corumm. In 860 Chen general Qu Hou advanced into Ghanim's territory at the head of a 40,000 army and 6000 Degei cavalry, pursuing an estimated 20,000 Shang loyalists under Bi Liao. Too outnumbered to stand his ground, Bi Liao sought to evade battle at every turn and sent messengers to the local ruler asking for support. Bi Liao's messengers painted Qu Hou's incursion as an invasion aimed at Ghanim rather than a punitive expedition solely aimed at the Shang remnants. Seeing the sizable Chen army continue to make its way westward, Farukh agreed to join forces with the Shang to oppose it. Farukh mustered 13,000 men, consisting mostly of lightly armored footmen with the exception of the kings own 1500 strong infantry bodyguard armed in heavy mail. He also brought forth twenty war elephants. The joint Ghanim-Shang force moved to intercept Qu Hou's army and the two forces came into contact at the Battle of Horoz Plain. | ||
[[File:CDA.jpg|thumb| | [[File:CDA.jpg|thumb|300px|Chen Army at Horoz Plain.]] | ||
Altough numerically inferior, Bi Liao decided to give battle due to the fact the Degei cavalry appeared to have deserted Qu Hou and he expected his elephant squadron and the king's heavy cavalry to give him the decisive edge. Unbeknown to him the Degei had separated on purpose from the main army shortly after entering Ghanim and shadowed them at a distance, and were now rushing to approach his army from the rear. At the onset of the battle Farukh's elephants were sent charging against Qu Hou's center, nearly buckling it until concentrated volleys of fire arrows and rudimentary rockets caused the elephants to panic and turn back just as Bi Liao's infantry was charging, crashing into them and throwing their lines into a panic. Liao now tried frantically to rally his panicking men to face the Corummese charge while Farukh led his elite bodyguard forwards to buy the main force time to reorganize. As Liao's men slowly managed to bring the elephants down while losing ground to Hou's advance, the Degei nomad cavalry arrived at the battle, releasing several volleys that killed and wounded hundreds of men before charging into the rear of Bi Liao. This charge broke the morale of the joint army and sent it into panicked fleeing. Bi Liao was killed by Degei horsemen while trying to escape and his severed head was presented to Qu Hou, while King Farukh was captured and forced to prostrate before Qu Hou. In the aftermath of the battle the kingdom of Ghanim retained its independence but was was forced into becoming a tributary of the Chen dynasty, handing over both the infant Shang pretender, the king's own heir as a hostage and the fertile plains around Lake Doyeon to the Chen. The fate of the child emperor of the Shang is unclear after this, the most common theory being that he was asphixiated with a pillow on his way back to the Chen court. | Altough numerically inferior, Bi Liao decided to give battle due to the fact the Degei cavalry appeared to have deserted Qu Hou and he expected his elephant squadron and the king's heavy cavalry to give him the decisive edge. Unbeknown to him the Degei had separated on purpose from the main army shortly after entering Ghanim and shadowed them at a distance, and were now rushing to approach his army from the rear. At the onset of the battle Farukh's elephants were sent charging against Qu Hou's center, nearly buckling it until concentrated volleys of fire arrows and rudimentary rockets caused the elephants to panic and turn back just as Bi Liao's infantry was charging, crashing into them and throwing their lines into a panic. Liao now tried frantically to rally his panicking men to face the Corummese charge while Farukh led his elite bodyguard forwards to buy the main force time to reorganize. As Liao's men slowly managed to bring the elephants down while losing ground to Hou's advance, the Degei nomad cavalry arrived at the battle, releasing several volleys that killed and wounded hundreds of men before charging into the rear of Bi Liao. This charge broke the morale of the joint army and sent it into panicked fleeing. Bi Liao was killed by Degei horsemen while trying to escape and his severed head was presented to Qu Hou, while King Farukh was captured and forced to prostrate before Qu Hou. In the aftermath of the battle the kingdom of Ghanim retained its independence but was was forced into becoming a tributary of the Chen dynasty, handing over both the infant Shang pretender, the king's own heir as a hostage and the fertile plains around Lake Doyeon to the Chen. The fate of the child emperor of the Shang is unclear after this, the most common theory being that he was asphixiated with a pillow on his way back to the Chen court. | ||
=====The Four Great Impostors===== | =====The Four Great Impostors===== | ||
| Line 111: | Line 111: | ||
Alarmed by the rapid rise of Tengu and the rapid defection of the northwest provinces to him, the weakening Chen dynasty appointed a certain nobleman named Da Beipan, who would later found the Zhong dynasty, to the post of Titanic Captain of the West to deal with the rebellion. Da Baipan mustered and trained his imperial forces of roughly 130,000 men for six months before moving his army into Tengu's territory. Da Baipan proceeded to invest the walled city of Sho Battai, attempting to storm the city twice but being repulsed. Settling on starving the city out, he was confident that Tengu's army was smaller than his own and would not approach to give him battle. This would prove to be a mistaken assumption as Tengu's 200,000 strong army force marched its way towards Sho Battai barely two months into the siege. Despondent at being so outnumbered and with the possibility of being pinned against Sho Battai's walls, Da Baipan abandoned the siege and began making his way back to Zhong territory. | Alarmed by the rapid rise of Tengu and the rapid defection of the northwest provinces to him, the weakening Chen dynasty appointed a certain nobleman named Da Beipan, who would later found the Zhong dynasty, to the post of Titanic Captain of the West to deal with the rebellion. Da Baipan mustered and trained his imperial forces of roughly 130,000 men for six months before moving his army into Tengu's territory. Da Baipan proceeded to invest the walled city of Sho Battai, attempting to storm the city twice but being repulsed. Settling on starving the city out, he was confident that Tengu's army was smaller than his own and would not approach to give him battle. This would prove to be a mistaken assumption as Tengu's 200,000 strong army force marched its way towards Sho Battai barely two months into the siege. Despondent at being so outnumbered and with the possibility of being pinned against Sho Battai's walls, Da Baipan abandoned the siege and began making his way back to Zhong territory. | ||
[[File:Zhong Army .jpg|thumb|Zhong army charges the field at Sashun]] | |||
Overtaken at the Catun Fields, the vanguard of Tengu's army clashed with the imperial force, badly mauling it and sending it running from the field. After this defeat, Da Baipan offered a ten year truce with Tengu, swearing that the Chen dynasty would pay indemnities to him. More concerned at the time with consolidating his rule than territorial expansion, Tengu accepted the truce and allowed Baipan's army to leave unmolested. Knowing his failure would cost him his life and even after the Catun Fields defeat, in posession of one of the largest imperial field armies, Da Baipan turned traitor and began marching his army to the imperial capital to overthrow the Chen dynasty, taking his place as the third Great Impostor of the period. | Overtaken at the Catun Fields, the vanguard of Tengu's army clashed with the imperial force, badly mauling it and sending it running from the field. After this defeat, Da Baipan offered a ten year truce with Tengu, swearing that the Chen dynasty would pay indemnities to him. More concerned at the time with consolidating his rule than territorial expansion, Tengu accepted the truce and allowed Baipan's army to leave unmolested. Knowing his failure would cost him his life and even after the Catun Fields defeat, in posession of one of the largest imperial field armies, Da Baipan turned traitor and began marching his army to the imperial capital to overthrow the Chen dynasty, taking his place as the third Great Impostor of the period. | ||