Zhou Dynasty
This article is about the specific polity Zhou Dynasty and therefore only includes events related to its territory and not to its possessions or colonies. If you are interested in the possession, this is the link to the article about the nation which includes all possessions as well as all the different incarnations of the nation.
If you are looking for the page with the statistics about this polity you can find it here:All Statistics
Was a Chinese dynasty that succeded the Shang Dynasty. The dynasty existed for almost a millenium, but in its late period the centralized power declined, which led to the creation of a multitude of petty kingdoms.
Establishment
January 1045 BC: Battle of Muye: The Zhou army, led by Ji Fa, defeated the defending Shang army at Muye and captured the Shang capital Yin, ending the Shang dynasty. This victory led to the establishment of the Zhou dynasty.
January 1045 BC: The polity originated before the western Zhou period.
January 1045 BC: Guan was established soon after the founding of the Zhou dynasty as an appanage for Zhou King Wu's younger brother.
Chronology
Interactive Chronologies with maps are available in the section Changes Navigation
The Zhou dynasty conquered the Shang dynasty.
Was a civil war, instigated by an alliance of discontent Zhou princes, Shang loyalists, vassal states and other non-Zhou peoples against the Western Zhou government.
January 1041 BC: After the fall of the Shang dynasty, King Wu of Zhou had appointed his brothers Guanshu, Caishu and Huoshu as the "Three Guards" of the East to secure the newly conquered Shang lands. After his death and his young son King Cheng's coronation, King Wu's brother Dan, the Duke of Zhou, declared himself regent and took over the court. This aroused the anger of the Three Guards who suspected Dan of usurpation and thus seceded in the Eastern Territories.
January 1040 BC: Aided by the military strategists Lü Shang, the loyalists exterminated the Shang loyalists in the second year of the rebellion after hard fighting that saw the complete destruction of Yin and the death of Prince Wu Geng. The Three Guards' main force was also defeated, and Guanshu Xian and Huoshu Chu were captured, while Caishu Du fled into exile or was banished.
2.1.Annexation of external allies of the Three Guards
After crushing the rebellion of the three guards the Duke of Zhou conquered the regions of Feng and Pugu, that were allied with the rebels.
January 1040 BC: The Duke of Zhou campaigned against the eastern rebel allies that were located beyond the Zhou kingdom's borders. Shortly after the Three Guards' defeat, the loyalists advanced into Shandong, with Duke of Zhou personally commanding the conquest of Feng and Pugu.
January 1039 BC: In the war's third year, the Zhou royal army led by King Cheng and Duke of Zhou conducted a punitive expedition against the Huai peoples and thereupon attacked Yan again, finally defeating it.
January 1044 BC: The polity originated before the western Zhou period.
January 1042 BC: The polity of Ji (祭) originated in Changyuan, Henan, and Zhengzhou, Henan, at the time of the early Zhou dynasty.
January 1042 BC: The polity originated before the western Zhou period.
January 1042 BC: The polity of Yuan (原) originated in Jiyuan, Henan, at the time of the early Zhou dynasty.
January 1042 BC: The polity of Eastern Guo originated in Xingyang, Henan, at the time of the early Zhou dynasty.
January 1042 BC: During the period of the early Zhou dynasty, the area of modern-day Yanling County (Henan) became the state of Yan (鄢).
January 1042 BC: The polity of Zou (鄒 or 邾) originated in Zoucheng, Shandong, at the time of the early Zhou dynasty.
January 1042 BC: The polity of Chunyu originated in Anqiu, Shandong, at the time of the early Zhou dynasty.
January 1039 BC: Change based on available maps for the Spring and Autumn period and Warring States period.
January 1038 BC: Change based on available maps for the Spring and Autumn period and Warring States period.
January 1038 BC: Regardless of Xu's involvement, the rebels eventually lost the war. The Huai River valley was consequently invaded and subjugated by the Zhou royal army in 1039 BC. To what extent Xu was also defeated during that campaign remains unclear.
January 1019 BC: Change based on available maps for the Spring and Autumn period and Warring States period.
January 1005 BC: The polity originated during the reign of king Cheng of Zhou.
January 1005 BC: Expansion of the Zhou Dynasty during the reign of king Cheng.
January 999 BC: Change based on available maps for the Spring and Autumn period and Warring States period.
January 956 BC: Around 957 BC, the Zhou dynasty lost a disastrous war against Chu. This defeat appears to have thrown the dynasty into chaos. Based on archaeological findings, Edward L. Shaughnessy even speculates that the Zhou dynasty was so weakened that it largely retreated to its capital area, leaving most of its empire to fend for itself.
January 899 BC: Change based on available maps for the Spring and Autumn period and Warring States period.
January 885 BC: Change based on available maps for the Spring and Autumn period and Warring States period.
January 805 BC: Change based on available maps for the Spring and Autumn period and Warring States period.
January 781 BC: Change based on available maps for the Spring and Autumn period and Warring States period.
January 770 BC: The polity is assumed to existed since the start of the Spring and Autumn period in 770 BC.
January 719 BC: Change based on available maps for the Spring and Autumn period and Warring States period.
January 618 BC: Change based on available maps for the Spring and Autumn period and Warring States period.
January 599 BC: Change based on available maps for the Spring and Autumn period and Warring States period.
January 591 BC: Change based on available maps for the Spring and Autumn period and Warring States period.
January 562 BC: Change based on available maps for the Spring and Autumn period and Warring States period.
January 512 BC: Change based on available maps for the Spring and Autumn period and Warring States period.
January 499 BC: Change based on available maps for the Spring and Autumn period and Warring States period.
January 380 BC: Change based on available maps for the Spring and Autumn period and Warring States period.
Disestablishment
January 248 BC: Territorial change based on available maps.
January 248 BC: Eastern Zhou was annexed by Qin in 249 BC.
January 248 BC: The Zhou Dynasty is disestablished.
Selected Sources
Cho-yun, H. (1999): The Spring and Autumn period In Cambridge History of Ancient China, Cambridge University Press, pp. 545-586
Five hegemons of Spring and Autumn period. Retrieved on March, 20th 2021 on https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Five_Hegemons.png
Gernet, J. (1996): A History of Chinese Civilisation, Cambridge (UK), p. 59
States of Zhou Dynasty, Wikipedia, 10 july 2017, https://de.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Datei:States_of_Zhou_Dynasty.png
States of Zhou Dynasty. Retrieved on March, 20th 2021 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:States_of_Zhou_Dynasty.png
夏征农; 陈至立, eds. (September 2009). 辞海：第六版彩图本 [Cihai (Sixth Edition in Color)] (in Chinese). 上海. Shanghai: 上海辞书出版社. Shanghai Lexicographical Publishing House. p. 2632.
鄢陵概况 [Yanling Overview]. 鄢陵人民政府网 (in Simplified Chinese). 2 May 2018. Retrieved 1 April 2024 on http://www.yanling.gov.cn/ylgk/001001/20180502/48bbc01a-1cf1-455e-b408-289d57d07c5d.html
