 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (January 2015) |
| Emperor Huan of Han 漢桓帝 | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emperor of the Han dynasty | |||||||||||||||||
| Reign | 1 August 146 – 25 January 168 | ||||||||||||||||
| Predecessor | Emperor Zhi | ||||||||||||||||
| Successor | Emperor Ling | ||||||||||||||||
| Born | 132 | ||||||||||||||||
| Died | 25 January 168 (aged 35–36) | ||||||||||||||||
| Consorts | Empress Yixian Empress Deng Empress Huansi | ||||||||||||||||
| Issue | Princess Yang'an Princess Yingyin Princess Yangdi | ||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
| Dynasty | Han dynasty | ||||||||||||||||
| Father | Liu Yi | ||||||||||||||||
| Mother | Empress Xiaochong | ||||||||||||||||
| Emperor Huan of Han | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traditional Chinese | 漢桓帝 | ||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 汉桓帝 | ||||||||
| |||||||||
Emperor Huan of Han (Chinese: 漢桓帝; pinyin: Hàn Huán Dì; Wade–Giles: Han Huan-ti; 132 – 25 January 168)[1] was the 27th emperor of the Han dynasty after he was enthroned by the Empress Dowager and her brother Liang Ji on 1 August 146.[2] He was a great-grandson of Emperor Zhang. He was the 11th emperor of the Eastern Han dynasty.
After Emperor Zhi was poisoned to death by the powerful official Liang Ji in July 146, Liang Ji persuaded his sister, the regent Empress Dowager Liang to make the 14-year-old Liu Zhi, the Marquess of Liwu, who was betrothed to their sister Liang Nüying (梁女瑩), emperor. As the years went by, Emperor Huan, offended by Liang Ji's autocratic and violent nature, became determined to eliminate the Liang family with the help of eunuchs. Emperor Huan succeeded in removing Liang Ji in September 159 but this only caused an increase in the influence of these eunuchs over all aspects of the government. Corruption during this period had reached a boiling point. In 166, university students rose up in protest against the government and called on Emperor Huan to eliminate all corrupt officials. Instead of listening, Emperor Huan ordered the arrest of all students involved. Emperor Huan has largely been viewed as an emperor who might have had some intelligence but lacked wisdom in governing his empire; and his reign contributed greatly to the downfall of the Eastern Han dynasty.
Hou Hanshu (Book of the Later Han) recounts that one Roman envoy (perhaps sent by emperor Marcus Aurelius) reached the Chinese capital Luoyang in 166 and was greeted by Emperor Huan.
Emperor Huan died in January 168 after reigning for more than 21 years; he was 36. He was succeeded by Emperor Ling of Han.
- ^ deCrespigny, Rafe. Ladies of the Court of Emperor Huan of Han. Archived from the original on 10 January 2015. Retrieved 9 January 2015.
- ^ deCrespigny, Rafe. Emperor Huan and Emperor Ling (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 January 2015. Retrieved 9 January 2015.