72. Ming Dynasty Emperors Hongwu, Yongle, and Zhengde

Most Americans have at least a basic sense of key elements of European history, but that’s not necessarily true when it comes to places like China. And that’s true for us, too. Today we take our first dive into China’s extremely long history – 4,000 years by some accounts! – to meet three notably trashy emperors of the Ming Dynasty, which ruled China from 1368 to 1644.

Hongwu Emperor was the first Ming Emperor, who seized the throne after a long running rebellion against the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty. He is credited with various reforms, which unfortunately often took the form of purges, which were carried out as bloodily as you would fear. Yongle Emperor unseated his own nephew to take the throne, then dispatched everyone associated with his short reign. Zhengde Emperor was a foppish drunkard who preferred visiting the animals and people he’d installed in his Imperial Zoo to governing, and met a ridiculous end at just 29 years old.

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