Sima Xin

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Sima Xin 司馬欣
King of Sai (塞王)
Tenure	206 BC
Born	Unknown
Died	204 BC Sishui Town, Xingyang, Henan

Sima Xin (died 204 BC) was a military general of the Qin dynasty. He surrendered to Xiang Yu after the Battle of Julu in 207 BC. In 206 BC, following the collapse of the Qin dynasty, he was conferred the title of "King of Sai" by Xiang Yu and given part of the lands in Guanzhong as his fief when the latter split the former Qin Empire into the Eighteen Kingdoms.

Life

In 209 BC,

serving as his deputies, to quell the rebels.

In 207 BC, Zhang Han attacked the insurgent Zhao kingdom and besieged Zhao forces at Julu. Xiang Yu of the Chu kingdom came to Zhao's aid and defeated the Qin army at the Battle of Julu, despite having a smaller force. Zhang Han sent Sima Xin to the capital Xianyang to request for reinforcements. However, the eunuch Zhao Gao deceived Qin Er Shi and the emperor refused to send aid. Sima Xin escaped from Zhao Gao's assassins along the return journey and reported to Zhang Han that the state power of Qin had fallen into the hands of the eunuch. Zhang Han pondered over the situation and realised that even if he defeated the rebels, Zhao Gao would later frame him for treason and have him executed. Hence, he surrendered to Xiang Yu.

After the fall of the Qin Dynasty in 206 BC, Xiang Yu divided the former Qin Empire into the

) attacked the Three Qins and defeated Zhang Han. Sima Xin and Dong Yi surrendered to Liu Bang.

In 205 BC, during the Chu–Han Contention, Liu Bang was defeated by Xiang Yu at the Battle of Pengcheng. Sima Xin and Dong Yi defected to Xiang Yu's side. The following year, Liu Bang attacked Xiang Yu at the Battle of Chenggao. Liu Bang lured Cao Jiu (曹咎), the defending general, to pursue and attack him. The Chu army fell into an ambush at the Si River and was defeated by Liu Bang's forces. Cao Jiu, Dong Yi and Sima Xin committed suicide.

The

Notes

1. ^ Dubs (1938), pp. 71, 92 and n. 1.

References

• Sima Qian. Records of the Grand Historian, volumes 7, 8.
• Ban Gu et al. Book of Han, volumes 1, 31.
• Dubs, Homer H. (1938): The History of the Former Han Dynasty by Pan Ku, Vol. I. Baltimore, Waverly Press.

Chinese royalty
Preceded by None	King of Sai 206 BC	Succeeded by None