Wang Yanhan
| Wang Yanhan | |||||
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| Reign | December 30, 925 (de facto) or November 13, 926 (as King of Min) – January 14, 927 | ||||
| Born | unknown | ||||
| Died | January 14, 927 | ||||
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| Dynasty | Min | ||||
| Full name | |
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Wang Yanhan (王延翰) (died January 14, 927), courtesy name Ziyi (子逸), was a ruler of the Chinese Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period state Min. He ruled briefly after the death of his father Wang Shenzhi (Prince Zhongyi) without a regal title, but later declared himself king. Just two months after declaring himself king, he was overthrown and killed in a revolt by his adoptive brother Wang Yanbing and younger biological brother Wang Yanjun. Wang Yanjun took over the state thereafter.
Perhaps because of the briefness of his reign and his eventual fate, little is known about Wang Yanhan's person prior to his reign, including who his mother was or when he was born. It is known that he was the oldest son of Wang Shenzhi the Prince of Min, and that, at least by 925, he was carrying the title of deputy military governor of Weiwu Circuit (威武, headquartered in modern Fuzhou, Fujian) — as his father Wang Shenzhi, at that time, had, among his titles, the title of military governor (Jiedushi) of Weiwu, as a vassal of Later Tang. It was said that Wang Yanhan was handsome, tall, and studious.
When Wang Shenzhi fell ill in summer 925, he had Wang Yanhan take over the affairs of the state. When Wang Shenzhi died later in 925, Wang Yanhan took over the state, but initially did not declare any regal titles, but instead only the title of acting military governor of Weiwu. (A rumor at that time — later claimed to be true by Wang Yanhan's adoptive brother Wang Yanbing — was that Wang Shenzhi was poisoned by Wang Yanhan's wife Lady Cui, but it cannot be known whether the rumor was true.)
An immediate crisis that Wang Yanhan had to deal with in the aftermaths of Wang Shenzhi's death was that at the same time, one Chen Ben (陳本), from Ting Prefecture (汀州, in modern Longyan, Fujian) rose against his rule, gathered 30,000 men, and sieged Ting Prefecture. Wang sent his general Liu Yong (柳邕) with 20,000 men to attack Chen. By spring 926, Liu had defeated and killed Chen, ending his rebellion.
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