Shi Hu
emperor of the Chinese/Jie state Later Zhao
Years: 295 - 349
Shi Hu (295–349), courtesy name Jilong, formally Emperor Wu of (Later) Zhao, is an emperor of the Chinese/Jie state Later Zhao.
He is the founding emperor Shi Le's distant nephew, who takes power in a coup after Shi Le's death from Shi Le's heir Shi Hong.
Shi Hu is a talented general who rarely loses battles, and Shi Le relies on him heavily in his conquest of northern and central China.
However, he is also exceedingly cruel in his military campaigns.
After he becomes the ruler of Later Zhao under the title of "heavenly prince" (Tian Wang), he rules the empire with a heavy hand, imposing heavy tax and labor burdens and spending much of his effort on constructing palaces and collecting concubines.
His laws are cruel, and he applies them in a harsh manner, even killing two of his crown princes when they cross him.
While he is alive, his empire remains intact, but as soon as he dies, his sons and adopted grandson Ran Min engage in an internecine war that destroys both the empire and the Jie people.
