Dou Xiaball

Dou Xiaball, simply Xiaball, later known as Handongball, was a short-lived state tacitly declared by agrarian leader Dou Jiande (竇建德) in Mingzhouball during the Sui-Tang Transition .
At its apogee, Dou Xiaball controlled most of Hebeiball. In 621, Dou Xiaball was anschlussed by Tangball. After Dou was executed however, his soldiers reorganised their rebellion under the leadership of former general Liu Heita (劉黑闥), renaming Dou Xiaball to Handongball. Dou Xiaball's reincarnation lasted a year before being anschlussed by Tangball again in 623.
==History==
===Background===
Despite Suiball's achievements, its populace grew increasingly restless as Suiball continued to conscript more men into perilous wars against Goguryeoball. Agrarian revolts became so organised and frequent enough, that, by 614, Suiball's forces could not reliably defeat them."Emperor Yang of Sui." Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 1 December 2023‎, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emperor_Yang_of_Sui
The nonperformance of Suiball's army marked the rise of various prominent local warlords, like Dou Jiande, Dou Xiaball's first leader. Dou was a native of Wucheng, Shandongball.Liu Xu, et al. Old Book of Tang. vol. 55, Biography 5. Prior to rebelling against Suiball, Dou was known for his generosity and sympathy. Suiball, suspicious of Dou's involvement in local rebellions, executed Dou's family in 616, which finally provoked Dou into rebellion.Ouyang Xiu, et al. New Book of Tang. vol. 85, Biography 10.
===Rebellion===
In 616, Suiball attempted to pacify Dou but encountered difficulties due to his antics. The same year, Suiball defeated Dou's armies but let Dou escape, underestimating the resolve of Dou's faction. Nothwithstanding his setbacks, Dou claimed the title of Prince of Changle and recuperated by fall of 617. Dou's armies, which had grown to 100,000 soldiers, decisively defeated a contingent of Suiball's army in Hebeiball.
In 618, Dou modified his title to Prince of Xiaball. Soon after, Dou attacked and abolished Wang Yanball. In 619, Yuwen Huaji (宇文化及) declared his own state of Xuball after performing a coup against Suiball's emperor. Dou still nominally viewed himself as a subject of Suiball, and thus attacked and anschlussed Xuball.Ouyang Xiu, et al. New Book of Tang. vol. 85, Biography 10.
===Independence===
Later in 619, Suiball was usurped by warlord Wang Shichong (王世充), who declared a new empire of Zhengball. Dou broke relations with Wang, attacking South against Tangball and Zhengball.
Although Dou Jiande never claimed emperorship, Dou began exhibiting signs of becoming an imperial claimant in 619. By then, Dou Xiaball's clay had been experiencing relative peace compared to other regions, but its prosperity began to decline in 620 due to ill-advised executions.
===Initial Defeat===
In 621, Zhengball was attacked by Tangball during the Battle of Hulao. Dou Xiaball reasoned that if Zhengball fell, it would be Tangball's next target, and thus came to the aid of Zhengball. Despite reinforcement, Dou Jiande was captured by Tangball's army during the incursion, and Dou Xiaball's armies mostly dispersed or surrendered to Tangball.Sima Guang, et al. Zizhi Tongjian, vol. 183.
===Second Wind===
In August of 621, Dou Jiande was executed by Tangball, which provoked Dou Xiaball's former armies into rebellion again. Liu Heita, a former general of Dou Xiaball, was chosen to lead the faction. In 622, Liu recaptured most of Hebeiball for Dou Xiaball again, claiming the title of Prince of Handongball (漢東王), essentially renaming his faction to Handongball.Liu Xu, et al. Old Book of Tang. vol. 55, Biography 5: "五年正月，黑闼至相州，僣称汉东王，建元为天造。"
===Second Defeat & Abolishment===
That spring, Handongball was defeated by Tangball's forces and forced to seek refuge in Eastern Turkic Khaganateball.Liu Xu, et al. Old Book of Tang. vol. 55, Biography 5: "黑闼与范愿等以千余人奔于突厥，山东悉定。" Later in the same year, Handongball attacked Tangball and once again seized control over Hebeiball.Liu Xu, et al. Old Book of Tang. vol. 55, Biography 5: "战于下博，王师败绩，道玄死于阵，万宝轻骑逃还。由是河北诸州尽叛，又降于黑闼，旬日间悉复故城，复都洺州。" Tangball defeated Handongball again in 623, but Liu was once again able to flee.
Liu's luck ran out when he was finally captured by a local governor and sent to Tangball to be executed. Handongball perished.
==Relationships==
===Friends===
* Suiball (In theory)
===Enemies===
* Suiball (In reality)
* Tangball
* Wang Zhengball
* Wang Yanball
* Yuwen Xuball
==How To Draw==
Drawing Dou Xiaball is very simple.
#Draw a black outline of a circle.
#Fill it Yellow.
#Draw a second white circle inside of the first.
#Add the Chinese character for Xia (夏) inside of the white portion. You can also write the characters for Dou Xia (竇夏) to distinguish Dou Xiaball from other Xiaballs in Chinese History.
#Add two slant eyes and you've finished.
#Optional: Draw appropriate hatwear.
==Gallery==
竇夏.png|"Dou Xiaball" by Polandball Wiki user Subsequentliang
==References==
Category:Historical Countryballs
Category:Chinaball
Category:Dynastic Chinaballs
Category:Taoist
Category:Confucianist
Category:Chinese Speaking Countryball
Category:Buddhist
Category:Asia
Category:East Asia
Category:Monarchy
Category:Empire
Category:Short-Lived
Category:Yellow White Black