How did the Zhou king control his vast kingdom?
(1 point)
He killed all the nobles.
He destroyed all
• traces of Shang culture.
He shared power
• with warlords.
He placed family
• members in charge of regions.
He shared power with warlords.
The Zhou king controlled his vast kingdom by sharing power with warlords and placing family members in charge of regions. This allowed him to maintain control and decentralize authority throughout the kingdom.
The Zhou king controlled his vast kingdom by sharing power with warlords. To understand how this worked, we need to dive into the historical context of ancient China during the Zhou dynasty.
During the Zhou dynasty, which lasted from 1046 BCE to 256 BCE, China was divided into several territories ruled by different warlords. The Zhou king held the position of the central ruler, but his power was not strong enough to directly control the entire kingdom. To maintain control over the vast territory, the Zhou king employed a system known as feudalism.
Feudalism was a political and social system where power was decentralized and shared among the king and his appointed warlords. The king granted land, known as fiefs, to the warlords in exchange for their allegiance, military support, and administration of their respective regions. These warlords, also called feudal lords, were responsible for maintaining order, collecting taxes, and providing military forces to the king when needed.
By sharing power with warlords and appointing them as regional rulers, the Zhou king created a network of loyal vassals who governed portions of the kingdom on his behalf. This system allowed the Zhou king to extend his influence and maintain control over a vast territory, despite not directly ruling every part of it.
Therefore, the correct answer to the question is: He shared power with warlords.