Zhao (state) - Fall of Zhao

Fall of Zhao

By the end of the Warring States Period, Zhao was the only state strong enough to oppose the powerful Qin state. An alliance with Wei begun in 287 BC against Qin ended in defeat at Huayang in 273 BC. The struggle then culminated in the bloodiest battle of the whole period, the Battle of Changping in 260 BC. The troops of Zhao were completely defeated by Qin. Although the forces of Wei saved Handan from a follow-up siege by the victorious Qin, Zhao would never recover from the huge loss of men in the battle.

In 229 BC, invasions led by the Qin general Wang Jian were opposed by Li Mu and his subordinate officer Sima Shang (司馬尚) until 228 BC. According to some accounts, King Qian of Zhao, ordered the execution of Li Mu and relieved Sima Shang from his duties, due to faulty advice from disloyal court officials and Qin infiltrators.

In 228 BC, Qin captured King Youmiu and conquered Zhao. Prince Jia, the stepbrother of King Qian, was proclaimed king at Dai and led the last Zhao forces against the Qin. The regime lasted until 222 BC when the Qin army captured him and defeated his forces at Dai.

In 154 BC, an unrelated Zhao (赵), headed by Liu Sui (劉遂), the Prince of Zhao kingdom, participated in the unsuccessful Revolt of the Seven Kingdoms (七国之乱) against the newly installed second Emperor of the China's centralist Han Dynasty.