Cao Zhen

Cao Zhen (Chinese曹真, Pinyin Cao Zhen; * 185, † 231), style name Zidan (Chinese子丹, Pinyin Zǐdān ) was a general under Cao Cao and his successors, the emperors of the Wei during the Eastern Han Dynasty and the time of the Three Kingdoms.

Life

According to the story of the Three Kingdoms Cao Zhen was a distant nephew of Cao Cao. As this aufstellte in 190 an army for the coalition against Dong Zhuo, his father Cao Shao answered the call, but was killed.

In the Short History of Wei Yu Huan states, Cao Zhen's original family name was Qin, Qin Bonan and his father was Cao Cao's friend for a long time. When this was followed by 195 rebels of the Yellow Turbans, he fled to the Qin. When the rebels arrived there and after Cao Cao demanded ( whose face they did not know ), Qin Bonan posed as Cao Cao and was slain.

In any case, Cao Cao Cao Zhen took the young to live with him and pulled him up like his own son. He made him even when his successor Cao Pi and Cao Xiu, another remote nephews live. Impressed by Cao Zhen's bravery, Cao Cao gave him a command post in the tiger and leopard elite cavalry.

Henceforth Cao Zhen participated in the campaigns against the rebels and partially Liu Bei. After the Veterans General Xiahou Yuan in the Battle of Mount fell Dingjun, Cao Zhen was handed over to the reconquest of the passport of Yangping with the troops of Xu Huang.

After Cao Pi had succeeded his father 220, Cao Zhen was the general who appointed the West guarded and entrusted with the defense of Yongzhou and Liangzhou. 222 he was recalled to the capital Luoyang and appointed commander in chief, so that he now had power over all internal and external military affairs. In the same year he led together with Xiahou Shang personally force against Sun Quan in Jiangling. After initial successes, the army had to retreat but due to a plague.

When Cao Rui ascended the throne of Wei, Cao Zhen retained his post. In the coming years, led by the Prime Minister of Shu Han, Zhuge Liang, five campaigns against Wei, Cao Zhen managed to ward the successful up to 230.

In that year he was appointed by the emperor of Defense in an audience in Luoyang. Cao Zhen took a shift from defensive to offensive strategy and planned an attack on the border town of Han Zhong, Zhuge Liang's most important fortress. He led in the same year his forces across the southern Ziwu Street, while Sima Yi west skirted with his army on the Han River. Your troops should unite in Nanzheng, southwest of Han Zhong.

Through months of heavy rains but this plan was zunichtegemacht through which the mountain passes were impassable. Cao Zhen fell ill and returned to Luoyang, where he died in 231.

Cao Zhen left three sons: Cao Shuang, Cao Xi and Cao Xun.

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