Cao Cao (c. 155-220 CE) was a military dictator in ancient China during the end of the Han dynasty. Something more than a mere warlord, Cao Cao supported a puppet emperor and governed a large area of northern China. His attempts to unify China ultimately failed, but he did found the large state of Wei and introduced various administrative changes including a new social ranking system and land reforms. Cao Cao's ruthless objective of recapturing the lost glory of the Han empire, his manipulation of the imperial court and association with unsavoury political intrigues have resulted in an ambiguous reputation which has darkened ever since his portrayal as the villain of the popular 14th-century CE epic the Romance of the Three Kingdoms.
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Definition
Timeline
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c. 155 CE - 220 CELife of Cao Cao, Chinese military dictator and founder of the Wei state.
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184 CEThe Yellow Turban rebellion breaks out when local government offices are attacked across China.
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205 CECao Cao takes over the former Han government and appoints himself chancellor, in effect, a military dictator.
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215 CECao Cao represses for good the Yellow Turban rebellion in China.
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216 CECao Cao declares himself king of the Wei, the state which governed large parts of the former Han empire.
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220 CEDeath of the North China military dictator Cao Cao.
