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Dou Jiande

Type Figure Region China Time 603–621 Also known as King of Xia

Dou Jiande (603–621), leader of a peasant uprising in Hebei at the end of the Sui, founded the Xia regime at Mingzhou and held most of Hebei, winning…

Timeline

  1. c. 611–616Zhangnan · HebeiDou Jiande was born to a farming family in Zhangnan; during Emperor Yang of Sui's Daye era he enlisted in the army, later returning home to gather followers against the authorities, successively attaching himself to uprising leaders Sun Anzu and Gao Shida, and gradually rising to prominence through his bravery and strategy.
  2. 616–620Mingzhou · HandanAfter Gao Shida, Dou Jiande took command of the followers, repeatedly defeating Sui armies and holding more than ten prefectures of Hebei. He declared himself emperor at Mingzhou, taking Xia as the state name and the Dingchou era name, set up a full hierarchy of officials, released prisoners and relieved the poor, and won deep support among the people of Hebei.
  3. 621Hulao Pass · ZhengzhouWang Shichong was besieged in Luoyang and sought help; Dou Jiande led over a hundred thousand men westward to aid him, fighting the Tang Prince of Qin, Li Shimin, at Hulao. The Xia army was decisively defeated, Dou Jiande was captured, and the Xia state in Hebei collapsed with it.
  4. 621Chang'an · Xi'anDou Jiande was brought to Chang'an, where Emperor Gaozu of Tang beheaded him in the marketplace. His former subordinates Liu Heita and others soon rose again to contest Hebei.

Sources