Guangwu Restores Han: China's Golden Dynasty Revived
Liu Xiu, a distant descendant of the Han dynasty's founder, claimed the imperial throne as Emperor Guangwu on August 5, 25 AD, after the chaotic collapse of Wang Mang's short-lived Xin dynasty. Wang Mang had seized power in 9 AD through a palace coup and attempted radical reforms that alienated both the aristocracy and the peasantry. When his government collapsed into civil war, Liu Xiu emerged from among several competing warlords through a combination of military brilliance and diplomatic skill. He spent the next twelve years reunifying China, establishing the Eastern Han dynasty with its capital at Luoyang. The dynasty he founded lasted nearly two centuries and presided over major advances in papermaking, seismology, and Silk Road trade.
August 5, 25
2001 years ago
Key Figures & Places
Han Dynasty
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Xin Dynasty
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restoring
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emperor
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political turmoil
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Guangwu
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AD 25
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Emperor Guangwu of Han
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Emperor of China
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Han dynasty
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Xin dynasty
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Imperio chino
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Östliche Han-Dynastie
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