History

In the years after the Battle of Canhe Slope in 395, the Later Yan began to quickly collapse, losing most territory to the Northern Wei. Murong De, uncle of Later Yan emperor Murong Bao, successfully defended some cities in the southern part of the state, including Yecheng and Huatai, and eventually claimed the imperial title in 398, forming Southern Yan. Murong De nearly captured and killed Murong Bao when the latter came Huatai, unaware that his uncle had declared independence. Murong Bao managed to flee back north when he heard, and would continue to defend the remaining territory of Later Yan. Just a year later when Murong De was on campaign a traitor opened the gates of Huatai to Northern Wei forces, leaving Murong De stranded without any territory. He decided to attack Qing Province of the Jin Dynasty, which corresponds to modern central and eastern Shandong. He took the province with ease and successfully reestablished Southern Yan. Murong De would rule for 6 more years after this, in which Southern Yan was peaceful and prosperous to live in. However Murong De was getting older and sicker and was without any living sons. However in 405 a nephew of his called Murong Chao arrived in Guanggu (the capital of Southern Yan) having previously been a beggar in Later Qin, and was almost immediately made heir. Murong De died that same fall and was succeeded by Murong Chao. Murong Chao』s mother and wife were still in Later Qin and Murong Chao agreed to become a vassal and give up his court musicians in return for their safe passage to Southern Yan. In 409 Murong Chao attacked the Jin for prisoners to be trained as new musicians. This prompted an invasion of Southern Yan by the Jin general Liu Yu. Liu Yu defeated the Southern Yan army at the Battle of Linqu and then besieged Guanggu, eventually taking the city. Murong Chao was captured and executed and Southern Yan was annexed by Jin

Rulers of the Southern Yan

沿革

南燕朝廷人物主要來自後燕，後燕在396年遭北魏侵略後迅速丟失其大部分黃河以北的中原領地，如此後燕領土就被截為南北兩部分，北部幽冀地方為後燕皇帝慕容寶所控制，南部則由後燕殘餘力量佔據。397年，原後燕國都中山在慕容寶棄守後先後經歷兩位後燕宗室慕容詳及慕容麟統治，終為北魏攻陷，後燕在中原地區就僅餘范陽王慕容德所據守的鄴城。自中山敗走的慕容麟到鄴城依附慕容德，並表示北魏接著肯定會進攻鄴城，而鄴城雖然糧食充足但難以固守，加上人心不穩，根本無法和魏軍作戰，主張慕容德趁魏軍未到率眾前往由魯陽王慕容和據守的滑臺（今河南滑縣），以當地作為根據地徐圖後計。慕容德早前已收到慕容和作出的同類建議，又鑑於當時形勢，決定出發，並在398年到達滑臺，並自稱燕王，正式脫離後燕《資治通鑑·卷一百一十》。

但當時的南燕朝廷所有土地和兵力都少，尤其在399年南燕冠軍將軍苻廣據乞活堡叛變自立，並擊破北地王慕容鍾後，很多原本依附南燕朝廷的部眾都轉投苻廣，這逼使慕容德親征苻廣。此戰雖然成功誅滅苻廣，但其時留守滑臺的慕容和又遭其長史李辯殺害，並據城叛投北魏。北魏將領和跋控制滑臺後，先擊敗慕容德派往進攻的軍隊，後又擊敗桂陽王慕容鎮，這令陳留、穎川一帶人民大多都望風附魏。慕容雲帶著滑臺城中約二萬人的南燕餘部逃出與慕容德會合後，慕容德就從反攻滑臺、佔據彭城（今江蘇省徐州市）及攻取廣固三策中選出廣固為南燕新的根據地。當時廣固是由東晉所有，慕容德勸說幽州刺史闢閭渾投降不果，遂派北地王慕容鍾進攻他，自己則向南攻取了琅邪郡，獲得徐兗一帶共十多萬人民嚮度歸附。慕容德接著北攻梁父及莒縣，分別在兩地置兗州及徐州。慕容鍾傳檄諸郡招降並獲得成功，這令想堅守的闢閭渾陷入孤立，最終棄城逃走，在莒城被南燕軍所殺。慕容德於是成功佔領並定都廣固，並在400年稱帝《資治通鑑·卷一百一十一》。

405年，慕容德死，後主慕容超以皇太子身份即位。410年，東晉將領劉裕領兵進攻南燕，慕容超堅守廣固七個月後城破被誅。南燕歷兩代而滅亡。

行政規劃

南燕實際上只領有西晉時期青州及徐州部分土地，但其將全國領土分為五州管理《晉書·地理志下》：及苻氏敗後，刺史苻朗以州降。朝廷置幽州，以別駕闢閭渾為刺史，鎮廣固。隆安四年，為慕容德所滅，遂都之，是為南燕，復改為青州。德以并州牧鎮陰平，幽州刺史鎮發幹，徐州刺史鎮莒城，青州刺史鎮東萊，兗州刺史鎮梁父。慕容超移青州於東萊郡，後為劉裕所滅。

南燕皇帝列表