King Youmiao

King Youmiao of Zhao (Chinese: 趙幽繆王; r. 235–228 BCE), personal name Zhao Qian, was a king of the Zhao state. The younger son of King Daoxiang and Queen Daochang, King Youmiao was nevertheless able to succeed to the Zhao throne before his elder brother Zhao Jia due to his mother Chang Hou's intervention. He inherited a country that was in danger of being conquered by the Qin state, as it had been since a defeat at the Battle of Changping in 260 BCE. The state of Zhao, however, was able to survive thanks to the services of General Li Mu, who successfully repelled Qin attempts at exploiting the situation. The Qin devised a scheme to get rid of him; through bribing a close confidante of King Youmiao, the courtier Guo Kai (郭開), Li Mu was arrested and executed on suspicion of treason. Without Li Mu, Zhao's defenses were unable to resist the might of Qin. In 228 BCE, Qin forces under the leadership of Wang Jian captured the Zhao capital of Handan. King Youmiao surrendered and was then exiled to Fangling (modern-day northwestern Hubei). Zhao Jia then took the throne as King of Dai (代王) and reigned over a rump state in Zhao's far north. In King Youmiao's 1st Year, 235 BC, Zhao fortified the city of Bairen (柏人). In his 2nd Year, 234 BC, Qin General Huan Yi (桓齮) attacked Zhao at Wucheng (武城), defeating and killing Zhao general Hu Zhe (扈輒), and beheading 100,000 people. In his 3rd Year, 233 BC, Qin general Huan Yi attacked Chili (赤麗) and Yi'an (宜安), Zhao general Li Mu lead an army to repel them at Feixia (肥下), he was successful in defeating Huan Yi, Li Mu was made Lord of Wu'an (武安君). In his 4th Year, 232 BC, Qin launched a...