Yuan Tan

Yuan Tan
袁譚
General of Chariots and Cavalry (車騎將軍)
(self-appointed)
In office
202 (202)–203 (203)
MonarchEmperor Xian of Han
Inspector of Qing Province (青州刺史)
In office
? (?)–202 (202)
MonarchEmperor Xian of Han
Personal details
BornUnknown
Diedc.February 205
Nanpi County, Hebei
Childrenone daughter
Parent
Relatives
OccupationGeneral, politician, warlord
Courtesy nameXiansi (顯思)
In this Chinese name, the family name is Yuan.

Yuan Tan (died c. February 205[1]), courtesy name Xiansi, was a Chinese military general, politician, and warlord who was the eldest son of Yuan Shao, a warlord who occupied much of northern China during the late Eastern Han dynasty.[2] After Yuan Shao's death, Yuan Tan engaged his younger brother, Yuan Shang, in a power struggle over their father's territories. He sought help from his father's rival, Cao Cao, and defeated Yuan Shang with Cao's help. However, the alliance between Yuan Tan and Cao Cao was eventually broken and Yuan was defeated and killed in the Battle of Nanpi by Cao Cao's troops.

  1. ^ Yuan Tan died during the Battle of Nanpi, which took place in the first lunar month of 205; the month corresponds to 7 Feb to 7 Mar 205 in the Julian calendar.
  2. ^ de Crespigny (2007), p. 1012.