Ma Xi'e

Ma Xi'e (馬希萼, 899 – 953), also known as Ma Guangrui (馬光睿), was a ruler of the Chu kingdom during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period in Chinese history. He was a son of Ma Yin, the founder of Chu.

Following Ma Yin's death in 930, the Chu kingdom descended into a period of infighting among his sons. Initially, Ma Yin's designated heir was Ma Xisheng. However, Ma Xi'e, along with other brothers, challenged his authority.

Ma Xi'e held various important positions during his brothers' reigns. During Ma Xifan's rule, he served as a key military commander and held considerable power. After Ma Xifan's death, the succession was contested again. Ma Xi'e was involved in the power struggles with his brothers Ma Xiguang and Ma Xichong.

His reign was marked by continued internal conflict and challenges to the stability of the Chu kingdom. These conflicts ultimately weakened Chu and made it vulnerable to outside forces, particularly the Southern Tang.

Ma Xi'e eventually seized power himself in 950 after ousting Ma Xichong. His reign was short-lived. The Southern Tang, sensing the kingdom's weakness, launched an invasion. In 951, the Southern Tang forces captured Changsha, the Chu capital, effectively ending the Chu kingdom. Ma Xi'e and other members of the Ma family were taken captive to the Southern Tang capital, Jinling.

Ma Xi'e died in Jinling in 953. His role in the internal strife and his ultimate failure to defend Chu contributed significantly to the kingdom's downfall and its absorption by the Southern Tang. The infighting among Ma Yin's sons serves as a cautionary tale of the dangers of internal division during times of political instability.