Xin dynasty

The Xin Dynasty (8-23) was a "dynasty" (even though, contrary to the usual meaning of a dynasty, it had but one emperor) in Chinese history. It followed the Western Han Dynasty and preceded the Eastern Han Dynasty.

The Xin Dynasty's sole emperor, Wang Mang, was the nephew of Grand Empress Dowager Wang Zhengjun, and he became powerful after the death of her step-grandson, Emperor Ai in 1 BC. After several years of cultivating a personality cult, he finally took over as emperor in 8. However, while he was a creative scholar and politician, he was an incompetent ruler, and his capital Chang'an was sieged in 23. He died in the siege.

See Wang Mang for more information.