Henei Commandery (河内 hé nèi) was located north of the Yellow River in present-day Henan Province, serving as a crucial buffer zone protecting Luoyang from the north. The commandery was controlled by various warlords throughout the Three Kingdoms period, including the Sima family, who used it as a power base. Sima Yi’s family held significant influence in Henei, which contributed to their rise to power.
Administrative context
Commanderies (郡 jùn) were the primary administrative divisions of the Han dynasty, each governed by a Grand Administrator (太守 tàishǒu). During the Three Kingdoms period, commanderies became semi-autonomous under warlord control, though the administrative structure remained largely intact.
References
- Chen Shou, Records of the Three Kingdoms (三国志)
- Fan Ye, Book of the Later Han (后汉书)
- de Crespigny, Rafe. A Biographical Dictionary of Later Han to the Three Kingdoms