Duke Wu of Jin

Duke Wu of Jin 晉武公
Ruler of the State of Jin
Reign	679–677 BCE
Predecessor	Marquis Min of Jin
Successor	Duke Xian of Jin
Ruler of the State of Quwo
Reign	716–679 BCE
Predecessor	Zhuang Bo of Quwo
Successor	Title Abolished
Father	Zhuang Bo of Quwo
Mother	unknown
Born	unknown
Died	677 BCE

Duke Wu of Jin (simplified Chinese: 晋武公; traditional Chinese: 晉武公; pinyin: Jìn Wǔgōng),Ancestral name is Ji(姬),Given name is Cheng (稱) and formerly known as Duke Wu of Quwo (Chinese: 曲沃武公; pinyin: Qūwò Wǔgōng), was the eighteenth ruler of the state of Jin. He was also the eighth ruler of Jin in the Spring and Autumn Period. He was also the last ruler of the state of Quwo before he gained the title as the duke of Jin.

Reign as Duke of Quwo

In 716 BCE, Zhuang Bo of Quwo died and his son Cheng, ascended the throne of Quwo and became Duke Qu of Quwo.

In 710, the eighth year of the reign of Marquis Ai of Jin, Marquis Ai of Jin invades a small state south of Jin called Xingting (陘廷). Xingting then made an alliance with Duke Wu of Quwo. In the spring of 709, they attacked Yi (翼), the capital of Jin. Then, he stayed in Xingting for a while. Then, he ordered his half uncle, Han Wan, to ride a chariot with Liang Hong (梁弘) by his right and chase Marquis Ai of Jin who escaped from Yi. They chased him around the bank of the Fen River (汾水) and at that night, they managed to capture Marquis Ai of Jin. The Jin people asked the son of Marquis Ai of Jin, to become the next ruler of Jin and he became Marquis Xiaozi of Jin. In 709, the first year of the reign of Marquis Xiaozi of Jin, Duke Wu of Quwo ordered Han Wan to kill Marquis Ai of Jin.

According to the Records of the Grand Historian, in 706, the fourth year of the reign of Marquis Xiaozi of Jin, Duke Wu of Quwo killed Marquis Xiaozi of Jin. King Huan of Zhou sent Guo Zhong (虢仲) to attack Duke Wu of Quwo so he went back to Quwo. Meanwhile, King Huan of Zhou put the uncle of Marquis Xiaozi of Jin, into the throne of Jin and he became Marquis Min of Jin.

According to the Zuo Zhuan, Duke Wu of Quwo killed Marquis Xiaozi of Jin on the winter of the seventh year of the reign of Duke Huan of Qi which was 705. The year after, King Huan of Zhou sent Guo Zhong (虢仲) to put Marquis Xiaozi of Jin into the throne and he became Marquis Min of Jin. Quwo failed to annex the state of Jin in this event.

In 678 BCE, in the 28th year of the reign of Marquis Min of Jin, Duke Wu of Quwo attacked and conquered Jin. Duke Wu of Quwo offered gifts to King Xi of Zhou. In the seventh year of the reign of Duke Zhuang Lu which is 677, King Xi of Zhou declared that Duke Wu of Quwo is the next ruler of the state of Jin and gave him the title of Duke Wu of Jin.

Reign as Duke of Jin

Not long after Duke Wu of Jin received the title he invaded the state of Zhouwang (周王國) and killed Guizhu (詭諸), one of their court officials. The official who held the power in the state of Zhouwang, Zhou Gongjifu (周公忌父) escaped to the State of Guo (虢國).

Duke Wu of Jin died two years after he received the title of Duke of Jin.

See also

• Spring and Autumn Period
• Zhou Dynasty

Duke Wu of Jin State of Jin
Regnal titles
Preceded by Zhuang Bo of Quwo	Ruler of Quwo 716–679 BCE	Succeeded by Title Abolished
Preceded by Marquis Min of Jin	Ruler of Jin 679–677 BCE	Succeeded by Duke Xian of Jin