Qin Shi Huangdi: The First Emperor of China

Zhao Zheng, or Qin Shi Huangdi as he would later be known was born into the tumultuous Warring States Period of Chinese History. Being a prince of the state of Qin, he was eventually enthroned as king, and went on to conquer the remaining Chinese states, unifying the country under a single power for the first time since the early Zhou dynasty. He was the first ruler to use the title "Huangdi" or Emperor, and laid many of the foundations for the Chinese state, establishing the imperial bureaucracy, building roads and canals, and standardizing things like weights and measures. He is also known for less admirable things like the persecution of the Hundred Schools of thought, the burning of books, and his strict legal system.