Three Kingdoms

The period of Chinese history, conventionally dated 220–280 CE, when the states of Wei, Shu, and Wu competed for control after the Han dynasty.

Cao Cao: A warlord and poet who dominated northern China in the final decades of the Han dynasty. His northern power laid the foundations for Wei, though he died before its formal founding.
Battle of Red Cliffs: A 208 CE battle in which an alliance of southern forces defeated Cao Cao’s army near the Yangtze River. The victory halted Cao Cao’s southern advance and made a lasting three-way division possible.
Han dynasty: A Chinese imperial dynasty that ruled from 202 BCE to 220 CE, interrupted by the Xin dynasty. The Three Kingdoms emerged from the dynasty’s weakening central government and final collapse.
Jin dynasty (266–420): A Chinese dynasty founded by the Sima family that reunified China in 280 CE. Jin conquered Wu, ending the Three Kingdoms period and restoring unified rule.
Liu Bei: A warlord who founded Shu Han and claimed descent from the Han imperial house. His claim to continue the Han dynasty became Shu’s central political justification.
Battle of Yiling: A 222 CE battle in which Eastern Wu defeated Liu Bei’s invading army. Wu’s victory secured its independence after Liu Bei tried to avenge the loss of Jing Province.
Yellow Turban Rebellion: A large religiously inspired uprising against the Han dynasty that began in 184 CE. Suppressing the rebellion empowered regional military commanders and weakened central authority.
Records of the Three Kingdoms: A third-century historical work by Chen Shou covering Wei, Shu, and Wu. It is the main surviving historical account of the period and its rulers.
Sun Quan: The ruler who established Eastern Wu in the lower Yangtze region and held power until 252. His state made the southern kingdom a durable rival to Wei and Shu.
Jing Province: A strategically important region in central China, contested by Wei, Shu, and Wu. Its control shaped Shu’s access to the north and drove conflict between Shu and Wu.

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