The Xiongnu 匈奴 Shi Le 石勒 hold an eminent position in the military system of the Jin Dynasty 晉. Together with Liu Yuan 劉淵, he sacked the city of Luoyang 洛陽. Shi Le was able to control the whole area north of the Yellow River. When Liu Yuan proclaimed himself emperor of Former Zhao (Qianzhao 前趙), Shi Le called himself Great Chieftain (Dashanyu 大單于) and King of Zhao 趙王. He was able to destroy the rule of Former Zhao in 329, calling himself emperor from the next year on. The last years of Later Zhao are characterized by internal power struggles. The Chinese Ran Min 冉閔 (also called Wei Min 魏閔), an adoptive son of the Shi ruler, finished the power of the Shi clan. Later historians blame Ran Min for his brutal regime. He introduced the Chinese rank system to win the support of the local Chinese gentry. His rule is often counted as a separate dynasty called Wei-Ran 魏冉 or better Ran-Wei 冉魏 (as contrary to Cao-Wei 曹魏 and the later Northern Wei/Beiwei 北魏). After the initial years that was characterized by sacking and plundering, Shi Le started to establish a civil government with a functioning tax system. The people was strictly divided into Non-Chinese and Chinese. To control the population and to ensure the supply of the capitals, large groups of people were resettled in the areas of Xiangguo 襄國 and Ye 鄴. The aristocracy had the special right to enter the ranks of officialdom that was divided into nine ranks (jiupin 九品) since the Cao-Wei Dynasty. Officials were trained in a state academy (taixue 太學). The Zhao empire is named after the old feudal state of Zhao 趙 during the Zhou Dynasty 周. See also titles of rulers. Note: The rulers of the sideline dynasties are usually not called with their posthumous dynastic titles but with their personal names as they are not accepted as righteous rulers by official historiographies. Rulers of Later Zhao (Houzhao) 後趙 (319-351) Capitals: Xiangguo 襄國 (modern Xingtai 邢台/Hebei), Ye 鄴 (near modern Anyang 安陽/Hebei) Ethnicity: Jie 羯, said to be a subtribe of the Xiongnu dynastic title {temple name} -----reign periods personal name Houzhao Mingdi 後趙明帝 {Gaozu 高祖} 319-333 -----Taihe 太和 328-329 -----Jianping 建平 330-333 Shi Le 石勒 The Prince of Haiyang 海陽王 333-334 -----Yanxi 延熙 334 Shi Hong 石宏 Houzhao Wudi 後趙武帝 {Taizu 太祖} 335-349 -----Jianwu 建武 335-348 -----Taining 太寧 (泰寧) 349 Shi Hu 石虎 The Prince of Qiao 譙王, Duke of Qi 齊公 349 Shi Shi 石世 The Prince of Pengcheng 彭城王 349 Shi Zun 石遵 The Prince of Yiyang 義陽王 349-350 -----Qinglong 青龍 350 Shi Jian 石鑑 The Prince of Xinxing 新興王 350-351 -----Yongning 永寧 350-351 Shi Zhi 石祗 Shi Xun 石尋 The Ruler of Ran-Wei 冉魏 (350-352) 350-352 -----Yongxing 永興 350-352 Conquered by Former Yan Ran Min 冉閔 (Shi Min 石閔), adoptive grandson of Shi Hu

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