Yuan Shikai

He was the first President of the Republic of China. He tried to revive Chinese monarchy with him as the "Great Emperor". Yuan Shikai rose to fame by participating in the First Sino-Japanese War as the commander of the Chinese stationary forces in Korea. He avoided the humiliation of Chinese armies in the war when he was recalled to Beijing several days before the Chinese forces were attacked.After Yuan's death, there was an effort by Li Yuanhong to revive the republic by recalling the legistarors who had been ejected in 1913, but this effort was confused and ineffective in asserting central control, and Li lacked any support from the military.Besides his original wife, Yu Zhi (于氏), Yuan also had nine other concubines. He had a total of 17 sons and 15 daughters.