Qifu Gangui
ruler of the Chinese/Xianbei state Western Qin
Years: 345 - 412
Qifu Gangui or Qifu Qiangui (died 412), formally Prince Wuyuan of Henan, is a prince of the Chinese/Xianbei state Western Qin.
He is a brother of the founding prince, Qifu Guoren (Prince Xuanlie), who becomes prince after Qifu Guoren's death in 388 because Qifu Guoren's son Qifu Gongfu is considered too young for leadership.
He subsequently expands the state's power and influence, but only to an extent, and in 400 after military losses to Later Qin, his state is annexed by Later Qin and he himself becomes a Later Qin general.
However, after Later Qin is weakened by defeats at the hands of its rebel general Liu Bobo's Xia state, Qifu Gangui redeclares independence in 409, but rules only three more years before he is killed by Qifu Gongfu in a coup.
His son Qifu Chipan (Prince Wenzhao) defeats Qifu Gongfu and succeeds him as prince.
Qifu Gangui is known for using military strategies designed to expose weaknesses and to mislead enemies into acting in an overly dangerous manner, and then strike when the enemy becomes overconfident.
