Emperor Gengshi of Han, ch. 漢更始帝, py. gèng shĭ dì, wg. Keng-Shih-ti, (d. strangled AD 25), also known as the Prince of Huaiyang (淮陽王, the title that Emperor Guangwu (Liu Xiu) gave him in absentia after he was deposed by Chimei forces), courtesy name Shenggong (聖公), was an emperor of the restored Chinese Han Dynasty following the fall of Wang Mang's Xin Dynasty. He is not to be confused with Emperor Guangwu, who founded the succeeding Eastern Han Dynasty. He was viewed as a weak and incompetent ruler, who briefly ruled over an empire willing to let him rule over them, but was unable to keep that empire together. He was eventually deposed by the Chimei and strangled a few months after his defeat.
Traditional historians treat his emperor status ambiguously—and sometimes he would be referred to as an emperor (with reference to his era name—thus, Emperor Gengshi) and sometimes he would be referred to by his Eastern Han-granted title (Prince of Huaiyang) because Eastern Han was later viewed as the "legitimate" restoration of Han Dynasty, implying that he was only a pretender.
Read more about Emperor Gengshi Of Han: Collapse of Wang Mang's Xin Dynasty, Named Pretendant, Battle of Kunyang, Infighting and Move Toward Chang'an, Attempted Consolidation of Power, Defeat By Chimei, Personal Information
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