List of Themiclesian monarchs: Difference between revisions

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The ''[[Springs and Autumns of Six States]]'', writting around the 4th century CE, provides a long list of known monarchs of all the states in Themiclesia during the [[Hexarchy]].  Though accepted as historical canon, they have been considerably revised by unearthed texts and historical research.   
The ''[[Springs and Autumns of Six States]]'', writting around the 4th century CE, provides a long list of known monarchs of all the states in Themiclesia during the [[Hexarchy]].  Though accepted as historical canon, they have been considerably revised by unearthed texts and historical research.   


The ''Springs and Autumns'' provides a list of 32 "parriarchs" (徹先公), conventionally interpreted as leading figures in the lineage of the Tsjinh ruling house, but the first ten figures are usually considered mythological for several reasons.  First, their names recaptulate the ten-member {{wp|heavenly stem}} sequence in exact order, which stands in complete contrast with the 22 following names, where there are no sequences at all.  Second, the ''Springs and Autumns'' state that they were ten members in a single generation, which also seems extremely unusual in light of reconstructed succession orders, which saw, at most, five reign after each other.  Third, their names are never mentioned in the [[State cult of Themiclesia|cyclical sacrifice]] oracles, which record the list of venerated parriarchs almost unerringly.  Finally, anthropologists think the first ten rulers were imagined by later writers as a rationalization for the Tsjinh clan's original kinship structure, forgotten in later ages because it was either overthrown or fell into disuse, never written down in either case.
The ''Six States'' provides a list of 32 "patriarchs" (徹先伯), conventionally interpreted as leading figures in the lineage of the Tsjinh ruling house.  The first ten figures are conventionally thought to be mythological figures.  First, their names recapitulate the ten-member {{wp|heavenly stem}} sequence in order, which contrasts with the 22 following names, where there are no sequences at all.  Second, the ''Six States'' provides that they were ten members in a single generation, which the maximum elsewhere is five after each other.  Third, their names are never mentioned in the [[State cult of Themiclesia|cyclical sacrifice]] oracles, which record the list of venerated parriarchs almost unerringly.  Finally, anthropologists think the first ten rulers were imagined by later writers as a rationalization for the Tsjinh clan's original kinship structure, forgotten in later ages because it was either overthrown or fell into disuse, never written down in either case.


From the figure of High Prjang′, the lineage becomes far less problematic.  A considerable number of scholars think that High Prjang′ is the first historical figure in the Tsjinh lineage, though his whereabouts and activities "will almost certainly never be knonwn".  Some sources date him to the 8th or 9th century BCE, though others believe that even an approximate date cannot be established, since his biological relationship with the succeeding members of the list is yet uncertain.  The historical part of the lineage is reconstructed by comparison between oracular plates.  In the 19th century, the veracity of the earlier part of the lineage was placed under question, despite their similarity to oracular charges to lists of ancestors.  However, as more caches of oracular inscriptions were found, it was discovered that many lineages converge towards a common ancestry.  For example:
From the figure of High P.rjang′, the lineage becomes less problematic.  A considerable number of scholars think that High P.rjang′ is the first historical figure in the Tsjinh lineage, though his whereabouts and activities are unknown.  Some date him to the 8th or 9th century BCE, though others believe even an approximate date cannot be established, since his biological relationship with the succeeding members of the list is uncertain.  The historical part of the lineage is reconstructed by comparison between oracular plates.  In the 19th century, the veracity of the earlier part of the lineage was placed under question, despite their similarity to oracular charges to lists of ancestors.  However, as more caches of oracular inscriptions were found, it was discovered that many lineages converge towards a common ancestry.  For example:


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Revision as of 03:52, 1 February 2021

The following is a near-complete list of all monarchs who have ruled as sovereigns of Themiclesia.

Pre-treaty

Tsjinh parriarchs

The Springs and Autumns of Six States, writting around the 4th century CE, provides a long list of known monarchs of all the states in Themiclesia during the Hexarchy. Though accepted as historical canon, they have been considerably revised by unearthed texts and historical research.

The Six States provides a list of 32 "patriarchs" (徹先伯), conventionally interpreted as leading figures in the lineage of the Tsjinh ruling house. The first ten figures are conventionally thought to be mythological figures. First, their names recapitulate the ten-member heavenly stem sequence in order, which contrasts with the 22 following names, where there are no sequences at all. Second, the Six States provides that they were ten members in a single generation, which the maximum elsewhere is five after each other. Third, their names are never mentioned in the cyclical sacrifice oracles, which record the list of venerated parriarchs almost unerringly. Finally, anthropologists think the first ten rulers were imagined by later writers as a rationalization for the Tsjinh clan's original kinship structure, forgotten in later ages because it was either overthrown or fell into disuse, never written down in either case.

From the figure of High P.rjang′, the lineage becomes less problematic. A considerable number of scholars think that High P.rjang′ is the first historical figure in the Tsjinh lineage, though his whereabouts and activities are unknown. Some date him to the 8th or 9th century BCE, though others believe even an approximate date cannot be established, since his biological relationship with the succeeding members of the list is uncertain. The historical part of the lineage is reconstructed by comparison between oracular plates. In the 19th century, the veracity of the earlier part of the lineage was placed under question, despite their similarity to oracular charges to lists of ancestors. However, as more caches of oracular inscriptions were found, it was discovered that many lineages converge towards a common ancestry. For example:

Generations 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Lineage 1 P.rjang’ 'Rjut Njem Têng Krap Kje P.rjang’ 'Rjut K.rang Têng
Lineage 2 P.rjang’ 'Rjut Njem Têng Krap Kje K.rang Kwji' P.rjang’ 'Rjut
Lineage 3 P.rjang’ 'Rjut Njem Têng Krap Kje K.rang Kwji' P.rjang’ Sjin

In this case, lineages 1 and 2 would be said to converge at the sixth generation, and lineages 2 and 3 at the ninth, where the identity of their respective ancestors are considered too remote to be a sheer coincidence. The main lineage most similar to that recovered from historical documents is attested on over 54 separate instances, making the matter "virtually beyond question" in an age where there is very little evidence of mutual contact between diverging branches of the family, beyond a cultic context, or motivation to create a common ancestry. This conclusion is further buttressed by archaeological dating of the sites where these lineages are recovered.

There is a degree of variance between the oracular and Springs and Autumns record prior to the reign of Pêk. It begins to record historical events for Tsjinh state beginning in his reign. The motivation of this historiographic change is still unclear, but it seems connected to a century of instability in the lineage, changes to succession rules, and the nature of kingship. It has been argued by some that the author of the Springs and Autumns was not aware of a collegiate nature of kingship before Pêk's reign, thus the omission of certain figures found in the oracular record, which may still have been available in the 4th century.

Gen. Textual name Name Reign Bronze Oracle[1] Texts Oracular name Consort(s) Notes
1 Krap No No Yes Considered mythical by historians
'Rjut No No Yes
P.rjang’ No No Yes
Têng No No Yes
Mjet No No Yes
Kje' No No Yes
K.rang No No Yes
Sjin No No Yes
Njem No No Yes
Kwrji' No No Yes
2 P.rjang’ 高祖丙 No Yes Yes High P.rjang’ 高祖丙 Consort Krap 奭甲
3 'Rjut 祖乙 No Yes Yes High 'Rjut 高祖乙
No Yes No Njem 祖壬
4 Têng 大祖丁 No Yes Yes High Têng 高祖丁
No Yes No Krap 祖甲
No Yes No Former Kje' 先祖己
P.rjang’ 大祖丙 No Yes Yes 2nd Prjang 二祖丙
5 'Rjut 祖乙 7th c. BCE (?) Yes Yes Yes 'Rjut 祖乙
Former K.rang 祖庚 Gjên 6th c. BCE (?) Yes Yes Yes Former K.rang 先祖庚
6 Elder Brother Têng 大兄丁 Yes Yes No Long Têng 延祖丁
No Yes No Njem 祖壬
7 Krap 祖甲 No Yes Yes 2nd Krap 二祖甲 4
No Yes No 2nd Têng 二祖丁
Middle Brother P.rjang’ 中兄丙 Yes Yes Yes 3rd P.rjang’ 三祖丙
No Yes No Earlier Sjin 先祖辛
No Yes No Mjet 祖戊
8 No Yes No Later Sjin 後祖辛
P.rjang’ 小丙 Sngja Yes Yes Yes 4th Prjang 四祖丙
9 'Rjut 小乙 No Yes Yes 3rd 'Rjut 三祖乙
10 K.rang 小庚 No Yes Yes Later K.rang 後祖庚
4th c. (?) No Yes Yes 3rd Têng 三祖丁
11 Krap 次祖甲 Ser 4th c. (?) Yes Yes Yes 3rd Krap 三祖甲
Kje' 祖己 K.rjang 4th c. (?) Yes Yes Yes Later Kje' 後祖己
12 P.rjang’ 父丙 Gw(r)et Yes Yes Yes 5th P.rjang’ 五祖丙
13 Elder Brother 'Rjut 大兄乙 S(ts)rêng 4th c. No Yes Yes 4th 'Rjut 四祖乙
Elder P.rjang’ 伯丙 Pêk 295 – 260 Yes Yes Yes 6th Prjang 六祖丙
14 Elder Sjin 伯辛 Stsrorh 260 – 254 Yes Yes Yes 3rd Sjin 三祖辛
15 Elder Krap 惠伯甲 Ga′ 254 – 220 Yes Yes Yes 4th Krap 四祖甲
14 Complex Elder Têng 文伯丁 Ran 220 – 217 Yes Yes Yes 4th Têng 四祖丁
15 Elder K.rang 伯庚 K.rak 217 – 202 Yes Yes Yes 3rd K.rang 三祖庚
(16) Prince 公子 Rui 202 Yes No Yes Prince Rui 子雷 Six Princes' Quarrel
Prince 公子 Ghor 201 Yes No Yes Prince Ghor 子桓  
Prince 公子 Djêng 201 Yes No Yes Prince Têng 子成
Prince 公子 Gem 201 Yes No Yes Prince Gem 子含
Prince 公子 Tjebh 200 Yes No Yes Prince Tjebh 子摯
Prince 公子 N′onh 200 Yes No Yes Prince N′onh 子患
17 Bright Elder 昭伯 N′ubh 退 200 – 168 Yes Yes Yes Bright K.rang 昭祖庚
Tranquil Elder 平伯 P′rjang 168 – 154 Yes Yes Yes Tranquil Kwji 平祖癸
18 Content Elder K.rang 康伯庚 L′jek 154 – 140 Yes Yes Yes Content K.rang 康祖庚
19 Beautiful Elder 懿伯 Ron 140 – 82 Yes Yes Yes Beautiful ′Rjut 懿祖乙
20 Pious Elder 孝伯 Stjawh 82 – 65 Yes Yes Yes Pious Krap 孝祖甲
Careful Elder 釐伯 Mi 65 – 47 Yes Yes Yes Careful Sjin 釐祖辛
21 Quiet Elder 靜伯 Tong 47 – 20 Yes Yes Yes Quiet P.rjang 靜祖丙
Elder Ljak 20 – 19 Yes Yes Yes 5th ′Rjut 五祖乙
Prince 伯子 Trjoh 19 Yes No Yes Prince Trjoh 子宁
22 Stately Elder 穆伯 Njuk 19 – 3 Yes Yes Yes Stately Mjet 穆祖戊
Smart Elder 靈伯 Stsur 3 BCE – 14 CE Yes Yes Yes Smart ′Rjut 靈祖乙
23 Happy Elder 僖伯 K.ru 14 – 21 Yes Yes Yes Happy Kje' 僖祖己
Regal Elder 龏伯 Ga 21 – 25 Yes Yes Yes Regal Krap 龏祖甲
Strong Elder 莊伯 Ko 25 – 47 Yes Yes Yes Strong Sjin 莊祖辛
24 Stable Elder 定伯 Rjuk 祿 47 – 71 Yes Yes Yes Stable P.rjang' 定祖丙
25 Wise Elder 獻伯 Ger 71 – 105 Yes Yes Yes Wise 'Rjut 獻祖乙
26 Helpful Elder 襄伯 Kwang 105 – 113 Yes Yes Yes Helpful Njem 襄祖壬
Courteous Elder 敬伯 Sng′rja 113 – 140 Yes Yes Yes Krjangh Têng 敬祖丁
27 Loving Elder 懷伯 L′jui 140 – 145 Yes Yes Yes Loving Kwji' 懷祖癸
Astute Elder 慎伯 Ghwrang 145 – 188 Yes Yes Yes Astute P.rjang 慎祖丙
28 Immediate Elder 頃伯 Smrjangh 188 – 202 Yes Yes Yes Immediate P.rjang 頃祖丙
Righting Elder 匡伯 K.r′ang 202 – 217 Yes Yes Yes Rightful Têng 匡祖丁
29 Direct Elder 簡伯 Skrur 217 – 232 Yes Yes Yes Direct Kje' 簡祖己
30 Content King 康伯 Dzi 232 – 285 Yes Yes Yes Content Sjin 康祖辛
31 Sad King 哀伯 Hor 285 – 287 Yes Yes Yes Sad Kwji 哀祖癸
32 Safe King 安王 Rjep 287 – 312 Yes Yes Yes Safe King Krap 安王祖甲
Famous King 顯王 Trjon 312 – 315 Yes Yes Yes Famous King Sjin 顯王祖辛
33 Content King 康王 Kun 315 – 353 Yes Yes Yes Content King 'Rjut 康王祖乙
34 Strong King 莊王 Rje 353 – 367 Yes Yes Yes Strong King P.rjang 莊王祖丙
Famous King 桓王 L′jin 367 – 380 Yes Yes Yes Famous King 'Rjut 桓王祖乙
Tranquil King 平王 Sluih 380 – 391 Yes Yes Yes Tranquil King Têng 平王祖丁
35 Pious King 孝王 Regh 391 – 402 Yes Yes Yes Father Krap 父甲
36 Careful King 釐王 Kah 402 – 412 Yes Yes Yes Elder Brother Mjet 大兄戊
Late King 後主 Pjang 412 – 420 Yes No Yes

Modern timeline

See also

Notes

  1. Includes only those mentioned in sacrificial order