Western Wei: Map & History
Wei, known in historiography as the Western Wei, was an imperial dynasty of China that followed the disintegration of the Northern Wei.
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Wei, known in historiography as the Western Wei, was an imperial dynasty of China that followed the disintegration of the Northern Wei. One of the Northern dynasties during the era of the Northern and Southern dynasties, it ruled the western part of northern China from 535 to 557 AD. As with the Northern Wei dynasty that preceded it, the ruling family of the Western Wei were members of the Tuoba clan of the Xianbei.
Modern Countries Once Part of Western Wei
At its mapped extent, Western Wei covered territory in 1 present-day country. The period shown is when the mapped borders include that country, and the note says how much of it.
States and Provinces
Largest Present-Day Cities in Its Territory
Each opens on the live map inside Western Wei's borders of that time.
Derived by testing mapped cities against this polity's dated territorial polygons, so the list is indicative and follows the borders in the source dataset.
Western Wei in Depth
History
After the Xianbei general Yuwen Tai killed the Northern Wei emperor Yuan Xiu, he installed Yuan Baoju as emperor of Western Wei while Yuwen Tai would remain as the virtual ruler. Although smaller than the Eastern Wei in territory and population, Western Wei was able to withstand the attacks from the eastern empire, most notably at the Battle of Shayuan in 537. Due to its better economical conditions, Western Wei was even able to conquer the whole western part of the Liang empire in the south and occupied the territory of modern Sichuan. In 557 Yuwen Tai's nephew Yuwen Hu deposed Emperor Gong and placed Yuwen Tai's son Yuwen Jue on the throne, ending Western Wei and establishing Northern Zhou.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Western Wei (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Western Wei: Key Facts
| Capital | Chang'an |
|---|---|
| Founded | 535 CE |
| Dissolved | 557 CE |
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Facts from Wikidata Q1143164 (CC0).
Western Wei Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Expansion to peak recorded area of 865,987 km² in 558 CE.
Western Wei: Frequently Asked Questions
When did Western Wei exist?
Western Wei is dated to 534 CE – 560 CE, in the Early Middle Ages era.
What was the capital of Western Wei?
The capital of Western Wei was Chang'an.
How large was Western Wei at its peak?
At its peak in 558 AD Western Wei covered about 865,987 km².