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List Of Usurpers
The following is a list of usurpers – illegitimate or controversial claimants to the throne in a monarchy. The word usurper is a derogatory term, and as such not easily definable, as the person seizing power normally will try to legitimise his position, while denigrating that of his predecessor. Belgium China Egypt England France Gwynedd (Wales) Hawaii :''See also Aliʻi nui of Hawaii.'' Holy Roman Empire India Iran (Persia) Japan Korea Mesopotamia Netherlands Norway Roman Empire Russia Sweden Thailand Vietnam {, class="wikitable" !width="125", Usurper !width="125", Predecessor !width="90", Reign !width="460", Comments , - , Dương Tam Kha , Ngô Quyền , 944–950 , , - , Ngô Xương Văn , Dương Tam Kha , 951–965 , , - , Mạc Đăng Dung Mạc Đăng Dung ( chữ Hán; 莫 登 庸; 23 November 1483 – 22 August 1541), also known by his temple name Mạc Thái Tổ (), was an emperor of Vietnam and the founder ...
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Usurper
A usurper is an illegitimate or controversial claimant to power, often but not always in a monarchy. In other words, one who takes the power of a country, city, or established region for oneself, without any formal or legal right to claim it as one's own. Usurpers can rise to power in a region by often unexpected physical force, as well as through political influence and deceit. Etymology The word originally came from the Latin word ''usurpare'' (“to seize", "to take forcefully" or "to use”). Politics The Greeks had their own conception of what usurpers were, calling them tyrants. In the ancient Greek usage, a tyrant (''tyrannos''/''τύραννος'' in Greek) was an individual who rose to power via unconstitutional or illegitimate means, usually not being an heir to an existing throne. Such individuals were perceived negatively by political philosophers such as Socrates, Plato and Aristotle. Usurpers often try to legitimize their position by claiming to be a descendant ...
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King Mu Of Chu
King Mu of Chu (, died 614 BC) was from 625 to 614 BC king of the state of Chu during the Spring and Autumn period of ancient China. He was born Xiong Shangchen () and King Mu was his posthumous title. Prince Shangchen was the son of King Cheng of Chu and was the original Crown Prince. In 626 BC King Cheng tried to make his other son Prince Zhi the new crown prince on the advice of his wife Zheng Mao. When Shangchen learned of his father's plan, he surrounded the palace with his soldiers and forced King Cheng to hang himself. Shangchen then ascended the throne. He was succeeded by his son King Zhuang of Chu King Zhuang of Chu (, reigned 613-591 BC) was a monarch of the Zhou dynasty State of Chu during the Spring and Autumn period in ancient China. His personal name was Xiong Lü (), his ancestral name was Mi (), and his posthumous title was King Zhua .... References {{DEFAULTSORT:Mu of Chu, King Monarchs of Chu (state) 7th-century BC Chinese monarchs 614 B ...
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Han Dynasty
The Han dynasty (, ; ) was an imperial dynasty of China (202 BC – 9 AD, 25–220 AD), established by Liu Bang (Emperor Gao) and ruled by the House of Liu. The dynasty was preceded by the short-lived Qin dynasty (221–207 BC) and a warring interregnum known as the ChuHan contention (206–202 BC), and it was succeeded by the Three Kingdoms period (220–280 AD). The dynasty was briefly interrupted by the Xin dynasty (9–23 AD) established by usurping regent Wang Mang, and is thus separated into two periods—the Western Han (202 BC – 9 AD) and the Eastern Han (25–220 AD). Spanning over four centuries, the Han dynasty is considered a golden age in Chinese history, and it has influenced the identity of the Chinese civilization ever since. Modern China's majority ethnic group refers to themselves as the "Han people", the Sinitic language is known as "Han language", and the written Chinese is referred to as "Han characters". The emperor was at the pinnacle of ...
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Ruzi Ying
Ruzi Ying (; 5 – 25 CE), personal name Liu Ying (劉嬰), was the last ruler of the Chinese Western Han Dynasty. He was the titular ruler of the Han Empire from 6 CE to 9 CE, even though he did not officially ascend to the throne and only assumed the title of crown prince. After Emperor Ai and Emperor Ping died without heirs, Wang Mang chose the youngest of the available successors in order to maintain his power in the government. The child Ying was soon deposed by Wang Mang who declared the Xin dynasty in place of the Han. During the Xin Dynasty, Ying was under effective house arrest—so much so that as an adult, he did not even know the names of common animals. Before and after the Xin Dynasty was overthrown in 23 CE, a number of ambitious individuals claimed to be restoring the Han dynasty. In 25 CE, a rebellion against the Gengshi Emperor used the former Emperor Ruzi as a focus, and when the rebellion was defeated, Liu Ying (Ruzi) was killed. He is often viewed as an in ...
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Wang Mang
Wang Mang () (c. 45 – 6 October 23 CE), courtesy name Jujun (), was the founder and the only Emperor of China, emperor of the short-lived Chinese Xin dynasty. He was originally an official and consort kin of the Han dynasty and later seized the throne in 9 CE. The Han dynasty was restored after his overthrow, and his rule marked the separation between the Western Han dynasty (before Xin) and Eastern Han dynasty (after Xin). Traditional Chinese historiography viewed Wang as a tyrant and usurper, while more recently, some historians have portrayed him as a visionary and selfless social reformer. During his reign, he abolished slavery and initiated a land redistribution program. Though a learned Confucian scholar who sought to implement the harmonious society he saw in the Chinese classic texts, classics, his efforts ended in chaos. Wang Mang's late reign saw large-scale peasant rebellions, most notably the revolt of the Red Eyebrows. In October 23 CE, the capital Chang'a ...
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Fusu
Fusu (died 210BC) was the eldest son and heir apparent of Qin Shi Huang, the First Emperor of the Qin dynasty. Life After being deceived by two alchemists while seeking prolonged life, the First Emperor supposedly ordered more than 460 scholars in the capital to be buried alive, though an account given by Wei Hong in the 2nd century added another 700 to the figure. Fusu counselled that, with the country newly unified, and enemies still not pacified, such a harsh measure imposed on those who respect Confucius would cause instability.(於是使御史悉案问诸生,诸生传相告引,乃自除犯禁者四百六十馀人,皆阬之咸阳,使天下知之,以惩後。益发谪徙边。始皇长子扶苏谏曰:「天下初定,远方黔首未集,诸生皆诵法孔子,今上皆重法绳之,臣恐天下不安。唯上察之。」) ''Shiji'' vol. 6. However, he was unable to change his father's mind, and instead was sent to guard the frontier, where Meng Tian was statione ...
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Qin Shi Huang
Qin Shi Huang (, ; 259–210 BC) was the founder of the Qin dynasty and the first emperor of a unified China. Rather than maintain the title of "king" ( ''wáng'') borne by the previous Shang and Zhou rulers, he ruled as the First Emperor () of the Qin dynasty from 221 to 210 BC. His self-invented title "emperor" ( ') would continue to be borne by Chinese rulers for the next two millennia. Historically, he was often portrayed as a tyrannical ruler and strict Legalist, in part from the Han dynasty's scathing assessments of him. Since the mid 20th-century, scholars have begun to question this evaluation, inciting considerable discussion on the actual nature of his policies and reforms. Regardless, according to sinologist Michael Loewe "few would contest the view that the achievements of his reign have exercised a paramount influence on the whole of China's subsequent history, marking the start of an epoch that closed in 1911". Born in the Zhao state capital Handan, as Ying ...
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Qin Er Shi
Qin Er Shi (; (230–October 207 BCE) was the second emperor of the Qin dynasty from 210 to 207 BCE. The son of Qin Shi Huang, he was born as Ying Huhai. He was put on the throne by Li Si and Zhao Gao, circumventing Fusu, Ying's brother and the designated heir. Upon Ying's ascension, both Fusu and the popular general Meng Tian were killed on the orders of Li and Zhao, with Qin Er Shi's role in the assassinations remaining uncertain and controversial. A weak ruler, Qin Er Shi's reign was completely dominated by Zhao Gao, who eventually forced him to commit suicide. By the time of his death, the Qin Empire's power had lessened so much that his successor Ziying ruled as a king, not emperor. Early life Huhai () was the personal name of the Second Emperor. Its Old Chinese pronunciation has been reconstructed as *''Ga-gə ′''.Baxter, William & al.Baxter–Sagart Old Chinese Reconstruction", pp. 49–50. 2011. Although his parentage was questioned by many historians i ...
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Qi (state)
Qi, or Ch'i in Wade–Giles romanization, was a state of the Zhou dynasty-era in ancient China, variously reckoned as a march, duchy, and independent kingdom. Its capital was Linzi, located in present-day Shandong. Qi was founded shortly after the Zhou overthrow of Shang in the 11th centuryBC. Its first marquis was Jiang Ziya, minister of King Wen and a legendary figure in Chinese culture. His family ruled Qi for several centuries before it was replaced by the Tian family in 386BC. In 221BC, Qi was the final major state annexed by Qin during its unification of China. History Foundation During the Zhou conquest of Shang, Jiang Ziya, a native of Ju County served as the chief minister to King Wu. After King Wu's death, Ziya remained loyal to the Duke of Zhou during the Three Guards' failed rebellion against his regency. The Shang prince Wu Geng had joined the revolt along with the Dongyi states of Yan, Xu, and Pugu. These were suppressed by 1039 BC and Jiang w ...
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Duke Kang Of Qi
Duke Kang of Qi (; died 379 BC) was from 404 to 386 BC the titular ruler of the State of Qi during the early Warring States period of ancient China. His personal name was Lü Dai (呂貸), ancestral name Jiang ( 姜), and Duke Kang was his posthumous title. He was the final Qi ruler from the House of Jiang. Reign Duke Kang succeeded his father, Duke Xuan of Qi, who died in 405 BC after 51 years of reign as titular ruler of Qi. Since Tian Heng killed Duke Xuan's uncle Duke Jian of Qi in 481 BC, the leaders of the Tian clan had been the ''de facto'' rulers of Qi. Tian He was leader of the Tian clan during Duke Kang's reign. With the lobbying of Marquis Wu of Wei, in 386 BC King An of Zhou, the nominal ruler of all China, officially recognized Tian He as ruler of Qi, ending more than six centuries of rule by the House of Jiang. Tian He became the first ''de jure'' ruler of Qi from the House of Tian, and is posthumously known as Duke Tai of Tian Qi. After Tian He ascended the ...
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Duke Tai Of Tian Qi
Duke Tai of Tian Qi (; died 384 BC) was from 386 to 384 BC ruler of the State of Qi, a major power during the Warring States period of ancient China. He was the first Qi ruler from the House of Tian, replacing the House of Jiang that had ruled the state for over six centuries. Duke Tai's personal name was Tian He (田和), and ancestral name Gui ( 媯). His official posthumous title was simply Duke Tai of Qi, but he is commonly called Duke Tai of Tian Qi or Duke Tai of Tian to be distinguished from Jiang Ziya, the original Duke Tai from the House of Jiang, who founded Qi in the 11th century BC. Reign Since Tian He's great-grandfather Tian Heng killed Duke Jian of Qi in 481 BC, the leaders of the Tian clan had been the ''de facto'' rulers of Qi. In 404 BC Tian He succeeded his older brother Tian Daozi as head of the Tian clan. He nominally served under Duke Kang of Qi, the last ruler from the House of Jiang, but effectively ruled the state himself. Tian He asked Marquis Wu ...
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Liao Of Wu
Liao, King of Wu (; died 515 BC), also named Zhouyu, was king of the state of Wu in the Spring and Autumn period. Biography Liao was the grandson of King Shoumeng. He took the throne in 526 BC. During his time as king he led several battles against the state of Chu. In 518 BC, he conquered the fortified Chu city of Zhongli. He was assassinated by Zhuan Zhu Zhuan Zhu (專諸; died 515 BC) was an assassin in the Spring and Autumn period. As Prince Guang (later King Helü of Wu) wanted to kill King Liao of Wu Liao, King of Wu (; died 515 BC), also named Zhouyu, was king of the state of Wu in the Spri ... during a function organised by his cousin, Prince Guang, who then became King Helü of Wu. References Works cited * 515 BC deaths Chinese kings Zhou dynasty nobility Year of birth unknown Monarchs of Wu (state) 6th-century BC murdered monarchs Assassinated Chinese politicians {{China-royal-stub ...
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