Cao Cao: Map & History
Cao Cao, courtesy name Mengde, was a Chinese statesman, warlord, and poet who rose to power during the end of the Han dynasty, ultimately taking effective control of the Han central government.
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Historiographical synthesis & structured realm registry
Cao Cao, courtesy name Mengde, was a Chinese statesman, warlord, and poet who rose to power during the end of the Han dynasty, ultimately taking effective control of the Han central government. He laid the foundation for the state of Cao Wei, established by his son and successor Cao Pi, who ended the Eastern Han dynasty and inaugurated the Three Kingdoms period. Beginning in his own lifetime, a corpus of legends developed around Cao Cao which built upon his talent, his cruelty, and his perceived eccentricities.
Modern Countries Once Part of Cao Cao
At its mapped extent, Cao Cao covered territory in 2 present-day countries. The period shown is when the mapped borders include that country, and the note says how much of it.
States and Provinces
Largest Present-Day Cities in Its Territory
Each opens on the live map inside Cao Cao's borders of that time.
Derived by testing mapped cities against this polity's dated territorial polygons, so the list is indicative and follows the borders in the source dataset.
Cao Cao in Depth
Military exploits in central China (191–199)
Between 191 and 192, Yuan Shao appointed Cao Cao Administrator of Dong Commandery. This position allowed him to exact taxes and conscript soldiers. His first territorial command in that respect marks the beginning of his career as a warlord. During this time, he defeated the Heishan bandits, who were causing trouble in the region, and some Southern Xiongnu forces led by Yufuluo in Neihuang County.
Around the time, remnants from the Yellow Turban Rebellion swarmed into Yan Province from Qing Province. Liu Dai, the Governor of Yan Province, was killed in a battle against the rebels. Bao Xin, Chen Gong and others invited Cao Cao to replace Liu Dai as the Governor of Yan Province.
Background and early life (155–184)
Cao Cao's ancestral home was in Qiao County (譙縣), Pei State, which is present-day Bozhou, Anhui. He was purportedly a descendant of Cao Shen, a statesman of the early Western Han dynasty. His father, Cao Song, served as the Grand Commandant during the reign of Emperor Ling (r. 168–189), buying his way into high government office for an exorbitant sum, and serving less than half a year. Cao Song was a foster son of Cao Teng, a eunuch who served as a Central Regular Attendant and the Empress's Chamberlain under Emperor Huan (r. 146–168), and held the peerage of Marquis of Fei Village (費亭侯).
In his youth, Cao Cao was known to be perceptive and manipulative. He liked to hunt, idle, roam about freely, and play vigilante so he was not as highly regarded as his more studious peers.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Cao Cao (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Cao Cao Map Over Time
Dated world maps on which Cao Cao appears, with the other states of the time.
Cao Cao Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Expansion to peak recorded area of 1,377,126 km² in 219 CE.
Cao Cao: Frequently Asked Questions
When did Cao Cao exist?
Cao Cao is dated to 197 CE – 223 CE, in the Classical Antiquity era.
How large was Cao Cao at its peak?
At its peak in 219 AD Cao Cao covered about 1,377,126 km².