Emperor Xian of Han (181 – April 21, 234; reigns 189–220), personal name Liu Xie, style name Bohe, is the last emperor of the Han Dynasty.
He is forced to abdicate in favor of Cao Pi and is given the title of Duke of Shanyang.
Emperor Xian is the son of Emperor Ling and is the brother of Emperor Shao (who later becomes known as Prince of Hongnong).
He is placed on the throne in 189 after Dong Zhuo removes his brother from the throne.
This act is seen as a signal to all the other lords that Dong Zhuo is in full control of the empire.
However, after Dong Zhuo is assassinated in 192, Emperor Xian becomes first a puppet and then is stranded in Luoyang with the warlords formally acknowledging him but giving him no aid.
Eventually, Emperor Xian comes under the control of Cao Cao in 196, and Cao uses Emperor Xian as a nominal ruler effectively, issuing edicts beneficial to him in Emperor Xian's name, greatly helping him in his quest to reunify the empire, which appears inevitable until Cao Cao's defeat by Sun Quan and Liu Bei at the Battle of Red Cliffs, leading to Sun and Liu's entrenchment in their territories.
In 220, the Han Dynasty is finally overthrown by Cao Cao's son Cao Pi, ending more than 400 years of Han dynastic rule and ushering in the era of the Three Kingdoms.
Although Emperor Xian is demoted to a rank of nobility (Duke of Shanyang), he lives in comfort and enjoys preferential treatment.
He dies in 234 at the age of 53, 14 years after the fall of his dynasty.
