King of Wu

King of Wu
King of Wu
Hanyu Pinyin	Wúwáng
Wade–Giles	Wu Wang

The King of Wu or Prince of Wu was a title referring to Chinese rulers of the area originally controlled by the

wang

is written identically in Chinese, but it is common in English to distinguish between the scions of the imperial dynasties (translated "prince") and the dynasties of independent lords (translated "king").

History

According to

Meicun in modern Wuxi), then at Gusu (within modern Suzhou) and Helu City (present-day Suzhou). It was established independently but became a vassal to the Zhou dynasty after its conquest of the Shang dynasty. It became independent again during the Spring and Autumn period, but was annexed by the Yue state

in 473 BC.

The title was somewhat infelicitous for the early

unsuccessful revolt in 154 BC. Therefore, the early princes are sometimes counted as "kings" as well. After the rebellion, the Wuyue region was divided up among different princes and the title was abolished until it was recreated during the Three Kingdoms era when Cao Cao recommended Sun Ce to be Marquis of Wu in 197. Sun Quan was created as King of Wu in 220 as a vassal ruler of Cao Wei. He later declared himself an independent king in 222 and proclaimed as emperor of the Eastern Wu

in 229.

The Prince of Wu title was recreated during the

Southern Wu as King of Wu until Yang Pu

declared himself an emperor.

During the

Red Turban Rebellion, Zhu Yuanzhang declared himself King of Wu during the late phases of against the Yuan, just prior to his establishment of the Ming dynasty. His fifth son, Zhu Su, received the title as Prince of Wu after he became emperor in 1370. The title was vacated in 1378 after Zhu Su's title changed to Prince of Zhou. In 1399, Zhu Yuntong was recreated as Prince of Wu, but he was strip of the title after Jianwen Emperor was deposed by Yongle Emperor

due to his relationship. The title became extinct since then.

Titleholders

Wu state

Shoumeng (585–561 BC)
Zhufan (560–548 BC)
Yuji (547–544 BC)
Yumei (543–527 BC)
Liao
(526–515 BC)
Helü (515–496 BC), cousin, rose to power via assassination, employed Sun Tzu

Fuchai (495–473 BC)

Western Han dynasty

Liu Pi (195–154 BC) led the Rebellion of the Seven States

Eastern Wu dynasty

Sun Quan (220–229), vassal king of Cao Wei between 220 and 222, and independent afterward.

Tang dynasty

Li Yuangui (625–636), 14th son of Emperor Gaozu, later Prince of Huo.
Li Ke (636–653), 3rd son of Emperor Taizong, also a crown prince, famed for rebellion and was ordered to commit suicide.
Southern Wu
kingdom.

Yang Wu dynasty

Yang Wo (886–908), eldest son of Yang Xingmi.
Yang Longyan (897–920), second son of Yang Xingmi.
Yang Pu (900–938), fourth son of Yang Xingmi, declared himself emperor.

Ming dynasty

Zhu Yuanzhang
(1364–1368)
Zhu Su (1361–1425), 5th son of Hongwu Emperor, created as Prince of Wu in 1370 and changed to Prince of Zhou in 1378.
Zhu Yuntong (1378–1402), 3rd son of Zhu Biao, grandson of Hongwu Emperor, brother of Jianwen Emperor, created as Prince of Wu in 1399.