Sima Shi
Sima Shi (Chinese司马 师), style name Ziyuan (Chinese子 元; * by 208, † 255), was an official of the Wei Dynasty to the Three Kingdoms period in ancient China. In the year 249 he crashed his father Sima Yi the rulers of the Wei emperor Cao Fang, Cao Shuang. Thus began the Sima family to take over power in the Reich. Sima Shi succeeded his father after his death in 251, after a reign. He had the power firmly in control; when Cao Fang in 254 considered to overthrow Sima Shi, he deposed the emperor and rose instead Cao Mao emperor. After his death, power passed to his brother Sima Zhao about his son, Sima Yan Wei Emperor put down the final and the Jin Dynasty founded. He paid tribute to his uncle Sima Shi by posthumously as Emperor Jing of Jin (Chinese晋景帝) appointed him, with the temple name Shizong (Chinese世宗).
Life
Sima Shi's birth date is unknown. He was Sima Yi's eldest son; Sima Yi's mother was his wife Zhang Chunhua (Chinese张春华). In his youth, Sima Shi was known for his skill and intelligence. Because his father occupied a high position among officials who also managed his own rapid ascent.
Sima Shi was married to Xiahou Hui, who was a daughter of General Xiahou Shang. She bore him five daughters but no son. In the year 234 she was poisoned in mysterious circumstances; Sima Yan gave her after his accession, the posthumous title of Empress Jinghuai (Chinese景 怀 皇后). His second wife Wu (Chinese吴), the daughter of Wu Zhi (Chinese吴 质), it was sad. His third wife was Yang Huiyu. Because she also bare a son, Sima Shi adopted his nephew Sima You ( Chinese司马 攸), his brother's son Sima Zhao.
In 248 Sima Yi decided to overthrow the regent Cao Shuang. Jin Shu, according to which he dedicated his only son Sima Shi into the plans. The historian Sima Guang finds it strange that Sima Yi his second son Sima Zhao excluded, and there in his work Zizhi Tongjian expressed the opinion that Sima Yi have both dedicated. Sima Shi collected 3000 devoted men, with the help of the coup the next year without any difficulty.
As Sima Yi took over the regency for Emperor Cao Fang, he gave his eldest son with the title Marquis of Changpingxiang and made him his assistant. About Sima Shi's merits this time there is no record. When his father died two years later, he succeeded him as ruler. Shortly before his father had smothered an uprising of General Wang Ling (Chinese王凌), who had planned to raise the prince Cao Biao to the emperor. Sima Yi had put to death the families of Wang Ling and his co-conspirators.
Regency for Cao Fang
Sima Shi was an able politician and administrator, but he also wanted to put his military skills quickly demonstrated. In the year 252 he attacked the southern rival Wu, whose emperor Sun Quan had recently passed away. His successor Sun Liang was still young and was under the regency of Zhuge Kes, Sima Shi's army was able to inflict a major defeat. Sima Shi proved his wisdom by taking the blame for the defeat on himself and those promoted generals who had advised against the attack. By defeating Zhuge Ke a year later in Hefei, he was able to restore its reputation. Zhuge Ke, however, went to his pride based and died in the same year.
In the year 254 succeeded Sima Shi to expand his power at the expense of Cao Fang. The emperor had the Minister Li Feng (Chinese李丰) confided in, and Sima Shi suspected the two of having conspired against him. He interrogated Li Feng, and when he refused to disclose his confidences with the emperor, Sima Shi beat him with a heavy Theft to death. He accused him and his confidants Xiahou Xuan (Chinese夏侯玄) and Zhang Ji (Chinese张 缉) of treason and sent them along with their families to death. He even forced the emperor, his wife Empress Zhang Violate that was Zhang Ji's daughter. His brutality gave Sima Shi, the subordination of all civil servants.
But Cao Fang was furious at the death of Zhang Ji and Xiahou Xuan and conspired with his intimates. They beat him to seize Sima Zhao's troops as soon as it came to his official visit to the court before he take up his command at Chang'an. Cao Fang liked this plan, but he hesitated to carry it out. Nevertheless, Sima Shi found out about it. He sat Cao Fang from and degraded him to the Prince of Qi, but spared his life. With regard to the question of succession Sima Shi said the Empress Dowager Guo, Cao Fang stepmother that he had decided to Cao Ju (Chinese曹 据), who was a son of the first emperor Cao Wei - Pi. Empress Dowager Guo advised him of it but from, because in this way the succession of the second emperor Cao Rui will skipped. She suggested instead Cao Mao ago, the age of 13, still quite young, but was known for his intelligence and perhaps a counterweight to the power of the Sima family could be. Sima Shi had to give in and appointed Cao Mao emperor.
Regency for Cao Mao
The hope of the Empress Dowager Guo was not fulfilled, because Cao Mao made no effort to confront the growing power of the Sima family. The General Wuqiu Jian responded to the dismissal of Cao Fang with a riot (255 ) in the major eastern city Shouchun (Chinese寿春, in today Lu'an, Anhui ), endorsed by the General Wen Qin (Chinese文钦) joined. Sima Shi stifled the revolt with his armed forces, and Wuqiu Jian and his family were executed, while Wen Qin fled into the kingdom of Wu with his sons.
Despite the success of the campaign called for a price. Sima Shi was already ill before the uprising from an eye condition which had been operated until shortly before the campaign. He wanted so to entrust the leadership of the campaign his uncle Sima Fu, but at the urging of his generals, Zhong Hui and Fu Gu (Chinese傅 嘏) he himself took over the lead. Although he had a glorious victory, but in a raid by Wen Yuan (Chinese文 鸳), a son of Wen Qin, he rubbed at his eye stress, and it oozed out of his skull. His condition worsened rapidly, and less than a month later, he died. His brother Sima Zhao followed him.
Source studies
The most important source for the life of Sima Yi's are the Chronicles of the Three Kingdoms by Chen Shou (* 233, † 297 ), who served as an officer of the Shu Han to 263 and later the Jin Dynasty as a historian his views and experiences over time who resigned from the Three Kingdoms in writing.
In the 11th century the historian Sima Guang created with his Condensed Zeitenspiegel to help in the government an extensive historical work for the period from 403 BC to 959 AD During the period of the Three Kingdoms he used particularly of the chronicles of the Chen Shou.