Battle of Ye

Battle of Ye
Part of the wars at the end of the Han dynasty
Date Spring of 204 to September 13, 204 Location In and around Ye (in present-day Handan, Hebei) Result Cao Cao victory
Belligerents
Cao Cao	Yuan Shang
Commanders and leaders
Cao Cao Cao Hong	Yuan Shang Shen Pei
Strength
Said to outnumber Ye defenders	Unknown number of Ye defenders; 10,000+ reinforcements under Yuan Shang
Casualties and losses
At least 300	More than half starved in the city

The Battle of Ye or Battle of Yecheng took place in 204 in the late Eastern Han dynasty. It was fought between the warlord Cao Cao and Yuan Shang, son and successor of Cao Cao's rival Yuan Shao, in the Yuan clan's headquarters Ye (in present-day Handan, Hebei). Cao Cao had been allied with Yuan Shang's elder brother Yuan Tan, who rebelled in a succession feud, and it was by Yuan Tan's request that Cao Cao laid siege to Ye. The successful siege of the city dislodged Yuan Shang's power from Ji Province, and Cao Cao would later use the city of Ye as a major base of his military power.