Youliu (Chinese: 優留; fl. 84 AD - died 87 AD) was a chanyu of the Xiongnu Empire. Although he was a descendant of his predecessor Punu, it is not known what their exact relationship was. He succeeded Punu at an uncertain date and was killed by the Xianbei in 87 AD.[1]
| Youliu | |
|---|---|
| Chanyu | |
 Domain and influence of the Eastern Huns | |
| Reign | c. 84-87 AD |
| Predecessor | Punu Chanyu |
| Successor | Northern Chanyu |
| Died | 87 AD |
| Dynasty | Modu Chanyu |
Upon taking power, Youliu withdrew to distant defences in the face of pressure from the Xianbei, Southern Xiongnu, and Han dynasty.[1]
In 84 AD, Youliu attempted to negotiate trade with the Administrator of Wuwei Commandery, but the Southern Xiongnu plundered and kidnapped the traders.[1]
In 85 AD, Youliu threatened to resume raids on Han territory. As appeasement, the Han ordered the Southern Xiongnu to ransom prisoners taken from the north. However this only strengthened the Southern Xiongnu as it rewarded them for attacking northern trade caravans.[1]
In 87 AD, the Xianbei attacked Youliu and flayed him and his followers, taking the skins back with them as trophies. The Northern Xiongnu court fell into chaos and two contenders for the title of chanyu appeared. Although they were never named, one of them known as the Northern Chanyu was defeated in 89 AD at the Battle of the Altai Mountains by the Han general Dou Xian, effectively ending Xiongnu power in the steppes.[1]
Footnotes
editReferences
edit- Barfield, Thomas (1989), The Perilous Frontier: Nomadic Empires and China, Basil Blackwell
- Bichurin N.Ya., "Collection of information on peoples in Central Asia in ancient times", vol. 1, Sankt Petersburg, 1851, reprint Moscow-Leningrad, 1950
- Chang, Chun-shu (2007), The Rise of the Chinese Empire 1, The University of Michigan Press
- Cosmo, Nicola Di (2002), Ancient China and Its Enemies, Cambridge University Press
- Cosmo, Nicola di (2009), Military Culture in Imperial China, Harvard University Press
- Crespigny, Rafe de (2007), A Biographical Dictionary of Later Han to the Three Kingdoms, Brill
- Loewe, Michael (2000), A Biographical Dictionary of the Qin, Former Han, and Xin Periods, Brill
- Taskin B.S., "Materials on Sünnu history", Science, Moscow, 1968, p. 31 (In Russian)
- Whiting, Marvin C. (2002), Imperial Chinese Military History, Writers Club Press