Emperor Guangwu of Han vs Hattusili III

Liu Xiu led a small force of 9,000 to defeat a 430,000-strong Xin army at Kunyang. Using a surprise attack and psychological warfare, he broke the siege and routed the enemy. This victory made him the leading rebel commander and paved the way for the restoration of Han.

Liu Xiu declared himself emperor at Hao, adopting the reign name Jianwu. He claimed the Mandate of Heaven to restore the Han dynasty, which had been interrupted by Wang Mang's Xin dynasty. This act established the Eastern Han dynasty, with Luoyang as its capital.

Emperor Guangwu defeated the Red Eyebrow rebel army at the Battle of Xiao. The Red Eyebrows had captured Chang'an and installed a puppet emperor, but Guangwu's forces crushed them, ending the major rebel threat and consolidating his control over the western regions.

Emperor Guangwu reduced the agricultural tax to one-thirtieth of crop yields and cut corv

Emperor Guangwu completed the reunification of China by conquering the last independent warlord, Gongsun Shu, in Sichuan. After 12 years of campaigning, he restored the Han dynasty's territory and established a stable central government, ending the civil wars that followed Wang Mang's fall.

Hattusili III deposed his nephew Urhi-Teshub (Mursili III) in a coup, claiming the throne for himself. The usurpation led to internal conflict and Urhi-Teshub's exile, but Hattusili consolidated power and ruled for decades.

Hattusili III concluded a peace treaty with Pharaoh Ramesses II of Egypt, ending decades of conflict. The treaty, inscribed on silver tablets, established mutual non-aggression, extradition, and defensive alliance. It is the oldest known surviving peace treaty.

Hattusili III arranged the marriage of his daughter to Ramesses II, sealing the peace treaty. The diplomatic marriage strengthened ties between the Hittite and Egyptian royal families and ensured continued peace.