King Jia of Dai

Who is King Jia of Dai?

King Jia of Dai, or perhaps more accurately Prince of Dai was the last ruler of the state of Zhao during the waning days of the Warring Kingdoms period of China. His realm was merely a rump state that covered a fraction of the former Zhao territories.

Zhao Jia was the eldest son of King Daoxiang of Zhao, but because the concubine Chang Hou had found favour with King Daoxiang, upon succession the throne was passed on to Zhao Jia's younger brother, who became King Youmiu of Zhao.

Qin forces captured the Zhao capital of Handan in 228 BCE and captured King Youmiu. It is likely that Zhao Jia was not in Handan at the time, for shortly afterwards he led several hundred clan members towards Dai province, then at the northeastern extreme of the Zhao kingdom. There, having been proclaimed King by his courtiers, King Jia allied himself with King Xi of Yan against Qin forces, which were poised to invade Yan after Jing Ke's failed assassination attempt on King Zheng of Qin.

At the Battle of Yi River in 226 BCE, the combined forces of Yan and Zhao were defeated by Qin forces, with King Xi of Yan fleeing to Liaodong province. Seeing this, King Jia urged King Xi to kill Jing Ke's patron, Prince Dan of Yan, in an attempt to appease the King of Qin. This, combined with the commencement of Qin wars against Wei and Chu, delayed the conquest of Dai for some years.