Sima Bao's father Sima Mo the Prince of Nanyang was a younger brother of Sima Yue the Prince of Donghai, who was regent for Emperor Hui and Emperor Huai.
10 Facts About Sima Bao
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At the time of his father's death, Sima Bao was at Shanggui.
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Sima Bao was known for his generosity and openness, and the people of the province, whether Han, Di, or Qiang, were said to be open to his leadership.
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Sima Bao was said to be impotent, and therefore had no children.
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Sima Bao entered into an alliance with Zhang Gui, the governor of Liang Province, and Zhang's domain, largely untouched by wars, often supplied Sima Bao's.
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Sima Bao then considered taking the imperial title for himself.
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In 319, he stopped short of that goal, by declaring himself the Prince of Jin, the same title that the founding emperor Emperor Wu's father Sima Bao Zhao had taken during his stint as Cao Wei's regent.
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Sima Bao believed that Zhang Gui's son and successor Zhang Shi would support him, but Zhang decided not to commit, believing that Sima Rui the Prince of Langye, who had claimed the imperial title in 318 after Emperor Min had been executed by Han, might be the more appropriate emperor.
9.
Zhang and Yang Ci, because Sima Bao was sonless, supported a male member of the Sima clan, Sima Zhan to be Sima Bao's heir.
10.
Chen, still bearing some loyalty to Sima Bao and believing that he had been murdered, attacked and killed Sima Zhan.