Sima Jiong
| This article is part of the War of the Eight Princes series. |
|
|---|---|
| Eight Princes | |
| Sima Liang | |
| Sima Wei | |
| Sima Lun | |
| Sima Jiong | |
| Sima Ai | |
| Sima Ying | |
| Sima Yong | |
| Sima Yue | |
| Other key figures | |
| Emperor Hui | |
| Emperor Huai | |
| Empress Yang Zhi | |
| Jia Nanfeng | |
| Yang Xianrong | |
| Sima Yu | |
| Yang Jun | |
| Wei Guan | |
| Zhang Hua |
Sima Jiong (司馬冏) (died 302), courtesy name Jingzhi (景治), formally Prince Wumin of Qi (齊武閔王), was a Jin Dynasty (265-420) imperial prince who briefly served as Emperor Hui's regent after overthrowing the usurper Sima Lun in 301. He was the fourth of the eight princes commonly associated with the War of the Eight Princes.
Sima Jiong was the son of Sima You, Prince Xian of Qi, the younger brother of Jin Dynasty's founder Emperor Wu, making him Emperor Hui's cousin. Sima You's abilities were so highly regarded by both his father Sima Zhao and the officials that, at times, he was considered as the proper heir, first for Sima Zhao, then for Emperor Wu. After Emperor Wu therefore exiled him from the capital Luoyang in 282, he died in 283. Sima Jiong, as the oldest son of his wife, inherited his post, and complained to Emperor Wu about doctors' misdiagnosis. (The doctors, who had thought that they would gain Emperor Wu's favor if they informed him that Prince You was healthy (so that he could indeed go to his principality, had minimized the illness that Prince You was suffering.)
As an imperial prince, Sima Jiong had a sizable number of troops under his command. When Sima Lun overthrew Emperor Hui's domineering wife Empress Jia Nanfeng in 300 after she murdered Emperor Hui's crown prince Sima Yu, Sima Jiong was a participant of the coup, but did not receive great rewards afterwards. He therefore resented Sima Lun. Sima Lun, seeing his resentment, tried to appease him by giving him an important military command—of Xuchang (許昌, in modern Xuchang, Henan).
After Sima Lun usurped the throne in 301, he became concerned about Sima Jiong and also Emperor Hui's brother Sima Ying the Prince of Chengdu and distant cousin Sima Yong the Prince of Hejian, each of whom had strong independent commands. He sent his close associates to serve as their assistants. Prince Jiong refused and declared a rebellion to restore Emperor Hui. Prince Ying, Sima Ai the Prince of Changshan (Emperor Hui's brother), and Sima Xin (司馬歆) the Duke of Xinye (the son of a granduncle of Emperor Hui) all declared support for Prince Jiong. Prince Yong initially sent his general Zhang Fang (張方) with intent to support Sima Lun, but then heard that Princes Jiong and Ying had great forces, and so declared for the rebels instead. Sima Jiong's forces initially were stuck in a stalemate against Sima Lun's, but after a major victory Sima Ying's forces scored against another win of Sima Lun's troops, Sima Lun's troops collapsed, and Sima Jiong and Sima Ying's forces approached Luoyang. Sima Lun was captured by officials in Luoyang who declared for the rebellion as well, and forced to issue an edict returning the throne to Emperor Hui. He was then forced to commit suicide. Sun and other associates of Sima Lun were executed.
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