Yuan Shikai

Yuan Shikai, born on September sixteenth, eighteen fifty-nine, emerged from an affluent Han family in Xiangcheng county. His early aspirations to excel in the imperial examinations were thwarted, leading him to join the Huai Army in eighteen eighty-two. His military career took off as he was stationed in Joseon, where he played a pivotal role in thwarting the Gapsin Coup, earning him a position as the de facto governor of the Qing protectorate.

In eighteen ninety-four, Yuan returned to China and began training the New Army, which laid the groundwork for his future command of the Beiyang Army. His involvement in the Self-Strengthening Movement and the late Qing reforms, including the abolition of the imperial examination system, showcased his commitment to modernizing China. However, his actions during the Hundred Days' Reform led to accusations of betrayal, ultimately securing him favor with Empress Dowager Cixi, who promoted him to Viceroy of Zhili in nineteen hundred and two.

Following the Wuchang Uprising in October nineteen eleven, Yuan was recalled from retirement and appointed Prime Minister of the Imperial Cabinet. His Beiyang Army engaged in brief skirmishes with Sun Yat-sen's revolutionaries before negotiating a deal that led to the abdication of the Qing court. This pivotal moment saw Yuan elected as the provisional president of the Republic of China, later becoming its first formal president.

Yuan's presidency was marked by controversy, including his alleged involvement in the assassination of Song Jiaoren, which incited Sun Yat-sen's Second Revolution. He responded by outlawing the Kuomintang and dissolving the National Assembly. In December nineteen fifteen, Yuan declared himself Hongxian Emperor, a move that sparked the National Protection War. However, facing widespread opposition, he abdicated in March nineteen sixteen after a mere eighty-three days as emperor, restoring the Republic. Yuan Shikai passed away in June at the age of fifty-six, leaving behind a fragmented political landscape and a weakened Beiyang government.