Southern Yan: Map & History
Yan, known in historiography as the Southern Yan, was a dynastic state of China ruled by the Murong clan of the Xianbei during the era of Sixteen Kingdoms.
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Yan, known in historiography as the Southern Yan, was a dynastic state of China ruled by the Murong clan of the Xianbei during the era of Sixteen Kingdoms. Its founder Murong De was a son of Murong Huang and brother of Murong Jun and Murong Chui, and therefore was an imperial prince of both the Former Yan and Later Yan dynasties.
Modern Countries Once Part of Southern Yan
At its mapped extent, Southern Yan covered territory in 1 present-day country. The period shown is when the mapped borders include that country, and the note says how much of it.
States and Provinces
Largest Present-Day Cities in Its Territory
Each opens on the live map inside Southern Yan's borders of that time.
Derived by testing mapped cities against this polity's dated territorial polygons, so the list is indicative and follows the borders in the source dataset.
Southern Yan in Depth
History
Murong De was the son of Murong Huang, the founder of the Former Yan dynasty. He was an accomplished military general for the Former Yan, then the Di-led Former Qin after they conquered Yan in 370, and finally the Later Yan, a restoration of the Former Yan founded by his brother, Murong Chui. Under Later Yan, De was trusted by Chui as a key advisor in his administration, and after Chui's son, Murong Bao, ascended the throne in 396, he was made to overlook the southern empire from Ye.
However, soon after Bao's succession, the Northern Wei launched a large-scale invasion of Later Yan. The Central Plains was quickly overran by Wei, and Murong Bao was forced to abandon his capital, Zhongshan (中山, in modern Baoding, Hebei) and evacuate to Longcheng in Liaoning.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Southern Yan (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Southern Yan: Key Facts
| Founded | 398 CE |
|---|---|
| Dissolved | 410 CE |
Preceded by
Succeeded by
- Eastern Jin dynasty
Facts from Wikidata Q1329439 (CC0).
Southern Yan Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Expansion to peak recorded area of 152,855 km² in 408 CE.
Southern Yan: Frequently Asked Questions
When did Southern Yan exist?
Southern Yan is dated to 402 CE – 409 CE, in the Classical Antiquity era.
What was the capital of Southern Yan?
The capital of Southern Yan was Huatai (398–399), Guanggu (399–410).
How large was Southern Yan at its peak?
At its peak in 408 AD Southern Yan covered about 152,855 km².