Emperor Taizong of Tang
Biography
Li Shimin helped his father found the Tang dynasty and seized power after killing two brothers at the Xuanwu Gate in 626. As emperor he listened to blunt advisers such as Wei Zheng, reformed government, and defeated the Eastern Turks, earning the title Heavenly Khagan among steppe peoples. His reign, the Zhenguan era, was idealized by later Chinese historians as a model of good government.
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