Cao Cao, a Chinese warlord, reunited the Han Dynasty and claimed it was ruled by the Han emperor Xia
Cao Cao, a Chinese warlord, reunited the Han Dynasty and claimed it was ruled by the Han emperor Xian, the rightful heir. In reality, Cao Cao reigned. But many fought his rule, and the country became divided between three kingdoms. In 220 CE, when Cao Cao died at 65, his son overthrew Emperor Xian and proclaimed himself first emperor of the state of Cao Wei. Cao Cao was posthumously declared “Grand Ancestor Emperor Wu of Wei.”Why should you care about one character in the slow, bitter end of the once-great Han Dynasty? Because Cao Cao became a legend. He was the villain of The Romance of the Three Kingdoms, a historical novel that became the standard explanation of this fractured time. Today, Cao Cao is remembered as arch-evil, who committed every possible crime. He is a boogeyman used to frighten children into behaving. -- source link
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