Yuan Shikai

military and government official

16 September 1859 Xiangcheng, Henan, Qing Empire

6 June 1916(1916-06-06) (56) Beijing, Republic of China

Reign 12 December 1915 – 22 March 1916

Chinese military and government official (1859-1916) In this Chinese name, the family name is Yuan. Yuan Shikai袁世凱 Yuan in 1915Emperor of the Empire of ChinaReign 12 December 1915 – 22 March 1916Prime Minister Lou Tseng-TsiangPreceded by Himself as President of the Republic of ChinaSucceeded by Himself as President of the Republic of ChinaPresident of the Republic of ChinaIn office 22 March 1916 – 6 June 1916PremierXu Shichang Duan QiruiVice President Li YuanhongPreceded by Himself as Emperor of China Xuantong Emperor as Emperor of the Qing dynastySucceeded by Li YuanhongIn office 10 March 1912 – 12 December 1915PremierTang Shaoyi Lou Tseng-Tsiang Zhao Bingjun Xiong Xiling Sun Baoqi Xu ShichangVice President Li YuanhongPreceded by Sun Yat-senSucceeded by Himself as Emperor of China2nd Prime Minister of the Imperial CabinetIn office 2 November 1911 – 10 March 1912MonarchXuantong EmperorPreceded by Yikuang, Prince QingSucceeded by Qing dynasty ended Zhang Xun (1917)Grand CouncillorIn office 1907–1908MonarchGuangxu EmperorSecretary of Foreign AffairsIn office 1907–1908MonarchGuangxu EmperorPreceded by Lu HaihuanSucceeded by Liang DunyanViceroy of Zhili and Minister of BeiyangIn office 1901–1907MonarchGuangxu EmperorPreceded by Li HongzhangSucceeded by Yang ShixiangProvincial Governor of ShandongIn office 1900–1901MonarchGuangxu EmperorPreceded by YuxianSucceeded by Zhang Renjun Personal detailsBorn(1859-09-16 ) 16 September 1859 Xiangcheng, Henan, Qing EmpireDied6 June 1916(1916-06-06) (aged 56) Beijing, Republic of ChinaPolitical partyBeiyang clique Republican PartySpouse(s)Yu Yisdong Lady Shen, concubine Lady Lee, concubine Lady Kim, concubine Lady O, concubine Lady Yang, concubine Lady Ye, concubine Lady Zhang, concubine Lady Guo, concubine Lady Liu, concubineChildrenYuan Keding Yuan Kewen 15 other sons 15 daughtersOccupationGeneral, politicianAwardsOrder of the Paulownia Flowers Order of the Red EagleSignatureMilitary serviceAllegiance  Qing Dynasty (1881–1912) Republic of China (1912–1915, 1916) Empire of China (1915–1916)Branch/service Beiyang ArmyYears of service1881–1916RankGeneralissimoBattles/warsImo Incident Gapsin Coup First Sino-Japanese War Boxer Rebellion Xinhai Revolution Second Revolution Bai Lang Rebellion National Protection War Yuan ShikaiTraditional Chinese袁世凱 Simplified Chinese袁世凯 TranscriptionsStandard MandarinHanyu PinyinYuán Shìkǎi Gwoyeu RomatzyhYuan Shyhkae Wade–GilesYüan2 Shih4-k'ai3 IPA Yue: CantoneseYale RomanizationYùhn Sai-hói JyutpingJyun4 Sai3-hoi2 IPA Southern MinTâi-lôUân Sì-khái Courtesy nameTraditional Chinese慰亭 Simplified Chinese慰亭 TranscriptionsStandard MandarinHanyu PinyinWèitíng Gwoyeu RomatzyhWeytyng Wade–GilesWei4-t‘ing2 Yue: CantoneseYale RomanizationWai-tìhng JyutpingWai3-ting4 Yuan Shikai (Chinese: 袁世凱 ; pinyin: Yuán Shìkǎi ; 16 September 1859 – 6 June 1916) was a Chinese military and government official who rose to power during the late Qing dynasty and eventually ended the Qing dynasty rule of China in 1912, later becoming the Emperor of the Empire of China (1915–1916). He first tried to save the dynasty with a number of modernization projects including bureaucratic, fiscal, judicial, educational, and other reforms, despite playing a key part in the failure of the Hundred Days' Reform. He established the first modern army and a more efficient provincial government in North China in the last years of the Qing dynasty before forcing the abdication of the Xuantong Emperor, the last monarch of the Qing dynasty, in 1912. Through negotiation, he became the first President of the Republic of China in 1912. This army and bureaucratic control were the foundation of his autocratic rule. He was frustrated in a short-lived attempt to restore hereditary monarchy in China, with himself as the Hongxian Emperor (Chinese: 洪憲皇帝 ). His death shortly after his abdication led to the fragmentation of the Chinese political system and the end of the Beiyang government as China's central authority.