Cao Pi

This was followed in two hundred by a struggle between the general Yuan Shao and the minister Cao Cao over control of the Han emperor Xian.

Though Cao was defeated in two oh eight, his son Cao Pi was able to force Xian to give up the throne to him in the year two twenty, but rather than a unified government, the state he established became one of three kingdoms into which the former Han empire was split for the next sixty years.

Han society was divided into twenty classes that included everyone between the imperial family and the slaves.

Each of these classes had its own privileges, and the highest were given both a government pension and their own lands.

Cao Cao died in the spring of 220 AD in Luoyang.

His most capable and eldest son, Cao Pi, took over from his father.

Now, all this time, the Han Emperor Xian was still on the throne.

He didn't have any power, but nonetheless, he still reigned as emperor.

Cao Pi pretty much forced the emperor to abdicate in his favor, and once Han Xian Di did this, Cao Pi gave him some honorary title and kicked him upstairs.

And with that, the Han Dynasty officially ended, and Cao Pi became the new emperor of Wei.

The year was 220 A.D. Liu Bei heard this news and figured, if Cao Pi can do it, so could he.

He thereupon declared himself emperor of his own kingdom of Shu Han.