Wikipedia:Today's featured list/January 2, 2015
The emperors of the Han dynasty were the supreme heads of government during the second imperial dynasty of China. The emperor appointed all government officials ranging from the highest levels of administration to the county level. He also functioned as a lawgiver, the highest court judge, commander-in-chief of the armed forces, and high priest of the state-sponsored religious cults. The Han dynasty was founded by the peasant rebel leader Liu Bang, known posthumously as Emperor Gao. The longest reigning emperor of the dynasty was Emperor Wu, who reigned for 54 years. The dynasty was briefly interrupted by the Xin dynasty of Wang Mang, but he was overthrown in 23 AD and the Han dynasty was reestablished by Liu Xiu, known posthumously as Emperor Guangwu (pictured). The last Han emperor, Emperor Xian, was a puppet monarch of Chancellor Cao Cao, whose son Pi usurped the throne as Emperor Wen of Wei and ended the Han dynasty. (This list is part of a featured topic: Han dynasty.)