1. Shi Le was initially sold as a slave by Western Jin officials, but after attaining freedom, he helped start a rebellion and eventually became a powerful general for the Han-Zhao dynasty, conquering most of northern China in Han-Zhao's name but holding the territory under his own control.
Shi Le is notably the only emperor in Chinese history to have risen from the status of slave.
Shi Le was known as a brilliant general, but was criticized by historians for excessive cruelty during his campaigns.
Additionally, Shi Le was an important figure in the rise of Buddhism in 4th-century China, as he allowed the Kuchan monk, Fotudeng to wield considerable influence in his court.
Shi Le's grandfather, named Yeyiyu, and his father, named Zhouhezhu, were minor Jie chiefs, and their tribe traditionally lived in Bing Province.
However, their rebellion, while briefly successful in capturing Yecheng in 307 and killing Sima Teng the Prince of Xincai, ultimately was defeated in the winter of that year, and Shi Le instead joined Liu Yuan, an ethnically Xiongnu former Sima Ying subordinate who had by now declared independence from Jin and established his own state Han-Zhao.
Shi Le intercepted them at Ku, and while the Jin force was much larger than his, Shi's force was mostly cavalry, and it surrounded and disrupted the procession of the Jin force so that it stampeded itself into oblivion.
Later that year, Shi Le captured the powerful Jin general Gou Xi and assassinated fellow Han general Wang, merging their forces with his own.
In spring 312, though, Shi Le, preparing to have his army cross the Yangtze River to attack Jianye, then under the control of the Jin general Sima Rui the Prince of Langye, encountered difficulties as his army was trapped in the rain.
Shi Le became increasingly reliant on Zhang for advice, and he respected Zhang so much that he no longer referred to him by name.
In early 314, Shi Le considered plans to destroy the still powerful Wang.
In early 317, Shi Le defeated the Jin governor of Bing Province, Liu Kun, who had previously posed a major threat to Han, and took Bing Province under his control, forcing Liu to flee to You Province to join Duan.
Liu Yao declared himself emperor, and Shi Le decided, at that time, to submit to Liu Yao's authority.
In early 319, Shi Le sent a delegation to pay tribute to Liu Yao.
However, subsequently, Liu Yao became suspicious that Shi Le was about to rebel, so killed Shi Le's lead delegate.
Shi Le became angry, and later that year declared independence under the title of Prince of Zhao.
In 320, Shi Le sent Shi Hu and Kong Chang against Shao, capturing him.
Shi Le reached a stalemate to the south with the Jin governor of Yu Province Zu Ti, and eventually the sides reached an informal detente with the Yellow River serving as the border, leading to peace and trade relations.
Later that year, Shi Le Hu attacked and captured Xu Kan, a minor warlord based in Taishan Commandery who vacillated between allegiance to Jin and Later Zhao.
Shi Le personally led his force to aid Luoyang, engaging Liu Yao in battle and capturing him.
Shi Le initially treated Liu Yao with some respect and ordered Liu Yao to order his crown prince Liu Xi to surrender, but when Liu Yao refused, Shi executed him.
In 330, Shi Le assumed the title "Heavenly King" and made his wife Lady Liu the queen and his son Shi Hong the crown prince; he granted another son, Shi Hong the Prince of Qin the title "Grand Chanyu," as official leader of the five nomadic tribes under his rule.
Later that year, Shi Le assumed the title of emperor and made Princess Liu the empress.
In 332, Shi Le did transfer some of Shi Hu's authority to Shi Hong and the eunuch Yan Zhen, but this only served to aggravate Shi Hu.
In 333, Shi Le grew ill, and Shi Hu, during Shi Le's illness, began to put his sons in command of armies, preparing for a coup.
When Shi Le died in the fall, Shi Hu immediately seized power in a coup, killing Cheng and Xu.