登基前

滿手鮮血

生性殘暴的石虎，少年時喜歡用彈弓打人為樂。十八歲時，由於其武藝超凡且勇猛過人，因此受到石勒的寵信，被封為征虜將軍。石勒其後又為石虎納聘將軍郭榮的妹妹為妻，但石虎心儀的是當時的雜技名角鄭櫻桃。於是便把郭氏殺死，而後迎娶鄭氏。之後，石虎又娶了崔氏，但崔氏最後因鄭氏的挑撥而死於石虎手中。

在軍中，凡是比石虎有才藝或有武藝的，石虎就會設法把他們殺死，死於他手上的人不可計數。石虎是好殺的人，每次攻下一座城後，不論男女都一律殺死。一次，石虎攻下青州後又下令屠城。此次血腥屠城，僅餘七百多人保全性命。

奪位野心

太和三年（330年）二月，石勒稱大趙天王，行皇帝事；以妃劉氏為王后，世子石弘為皇太子，程遐為右僕射、領吏部尚書。中山王石虎怒，秘密對長子齊王石邃說：「我親冒矢石隨主上征戰二十餘年，是成大趙之業者，應該做大單于，主上卻授予『黃吻婢兒』，想起來就令人氣塞，不能寢食！待主上晏駕之後，我不會給他留種。」

石勒臨終前，石虎威迫太子石弘把曾勸石勒除掉自己的大臣程遐和徐光逮捕入獄並殺死。又命兒子石邃率兵入宿衛，文武百官害怕不已，太子石弘也嚇得連忙對石虎說道自己不是治天下的人材，石虎才是真正的天子。但石虎明白石勒屍骨未寒，就這樣強登上皇帝只會眾叛親離，並受後世人的唾罵。因此寧願有點耐性，演齣曹操的「挾天子以令諸侯」的戲，由這位太子登位。

奪位稱王

石弘坐上寶座後，成為了傀儡皇帝。石弘登基後便被石虎所逼，將程遐、徐光論罪誅斬，封石虎為丞相、魏王、大單于，再封土地，封邦建土。而他的三名兒子都被封為擁有軍權的職位，至於他的親人和親信都放排在有大權的職位上，而之前石勒的文武百官就放置在毫無權力的閑職上。這時後趙已真正的形成「挾天子以令諸侯」的局面。劉太后與石勒養子石堪合謀起兵擁戴石弘的弟弟石恢為盟主，石堪兵敗被殺，石恢被徵召回京，劉太后被石虎廢黜殺害。石弘生母程氏被尊為太后，也沒有實權。延熙元年（334年）十月石弘持璽綬向石虎表明願意禪位。石虎說：「天下人自當有議，何為自論此也！」意思是只能自己逼石弘退位，而不能接受石弘禪位。石弘哭著回宮對程太后說：「先帝真要滅種了！」不久石虎稱石弘居喪不孝，廢為海陽王，自稱天王，並把石弘、程太后和石弘的弟弟石宏、石恢都幽禁于崇訓宮，旋即殺死他們。

登基後

窮奢極欲

石虎稱天王後，石邃為太子（之前為魏太子），並開始他極為奢侈的統治。石虎不顧人民負擔到處征殺，使人民的兵役和力役負擔相當重大，他又下令凡是有免兵役特權的家族，五丁取二，四丁取其二，而沒有特權的家族則所有丁壯都需服役。為了攻打東晉，在全國征調士兵的物品：每五人出車一乘、牛兩頭、米穀五十斛、絹十份，不交者格殺勿論。無數的百姓為了安全，不得不把自己的子女賣掉。

後趙建武二年（336年），石虎為了裝飾鄴城，令牙門將張彌把洛陽的鐘虞、九龍、翁仲、銅駝、飛廉等相生物運到去鄴城。在運送途中，一隻鐘虞沒入了黃河，於是張彌便下令三百多名人潛到水中，把鐘虞繫上繩，再利用百多頭牛和許多架轆轤把鐘虞拉上來，之後就地造了可裝萬斛的大船，把這些相生運過黃河。其後又製造了特大的車子以把相生運送到鄴城，這次的行動單是運送就足足用了人民千千萬萬的勞力和血汗了。

在鄴城以西三里，有石虎所建的桑梓苑，苑內臨漳水修建了很多座豪華的宮殿，下令從民間強行掠奪十三歲至二十歲的女子三萬餘人。僅在345年一年間，各郡縣官吏為搜羅美女上交差事，公然搶掠貌美的有夫之婦九千餘人，不忍受奪妻之辱而反抗的男人均遭殘殺，被奪女子為避免受辱也大多自殺，一大批家庭夫妻離散，家破人亡。但石虎徵集女人倒不完全是好色，石虎內置女官十有八等，教宮人星占及馬步射。置女太史于靈台，仰觀災祥，以考外太史之虛實（《晉書·石季龍載記》）。石虎還鑑於東漢太監專權的危害，不信任太監，因此宮中沒有太監，相關職務只能由女人充當。苑內養有奇珍異獸，石虎經常在此遊玩設宴。從襄國至鄴城的二百里內，每隔四十里使建一行宮，每宮都有一位夫人，數十位的侍婢居住，由黃門官守門。

而在浴室上，更是別出心裁：在皇后浴室中，門窗都是由木刻成的鏤孔圖案，石虎就是在這兒和皇后梳洗。而每年的4月8日，在這裏精工製造的九龍吐水浴太子之像。在太武殿前，溝的中間有多層以紗等的「過濾器」。

「鳳詔」也是石虎的發明之一，石虎處理政事時會和皇后一起坐在高高在上的樓觀上，並用五色紙上寫下詔書，把詔書放在一隻由木雕刻成、外施漆畫、金腿的「鳳凰」口中。金鳳凰繫在轆轤牽引的繩上。當下詔時，待人把轆轤搖動，「鳳凰」就像從天空飛下來般，大臣們都要跪下接詔。

每隔不久，石虎便會大會群臣，每次都頭戴通天冠、身佩玉璽、循周禮的規定禮樂一番，然後觀賞雜技表演，群臣大會幾乎都有美酒佳釀給自己和群臣所飲用。殿上掛著了大鐵燈一百二十支。在燈下有數千戴金銀佩飾的宮女和石虎觀看表演。在殿外，三十部鼓吹同時演奏，鼓樂震天，場面極為震撼。

石虎好射獵，但因體胖而無法騎馬，因而改為用獵輦。而他的獵輦裝有豪華的華蓋羽葆，由二十人推行，座下有轉軸裝置，可以根據獵物的所在地轉動。在出獵時，石虎會戴上由金鏤織成的合歡帽、穿上合歡褲，手拿著弓箭。而石虎為了方便行獵，於是把黃河以北的大片良田為獵區，派御史監督，規定除自己外有敢在獵區獵獸者處死。而這「犯獸」的刑法，又被各官員用來欺壓百姓，若百姓家有美女或好的牛馬等家畜，官員要求不給，就誣陷其「犯獸」，因此被判死刑者甚多。

石虎像他伯父石勒一樣崇拜大和尚佛圖澄，石勒因信佛圖澄之言而減少了很多殺虐。有次石虎向佛圖澄問甚麼是佛法，佛圖澄只說了四字：「佛法不殺」．石虎沒有聽取佛圖澄的勸告，後來倒是聽了一個叫吳進的假和尚說胡人的氣數已衰，而晉人的氣數開始恢復，一定要苦役晉人才能壓著他們的氣數。結果石虎下令強徵鄴城附近各郡的男女百姓十六萬多人、車十萬乘在鄴城東修華林苑，並圍苑建數十里的長牆。

骨肉相殘

在中國歷史上還記載著石虎父子的相互殘殺。

事緣石虎兒子石邃不滿父親寵愛其餘的兩個兒子石宣和石韜，漸漸地，這種不滿轉化為仇恨，對父親石虎恨之入骨，恨不得弒父奪位。石虎得知後，把石邃的手下李顏捉來審問，李顏嚇得不知如何是好，便一五一十地都事情告訴石虎：石邃密謀殺石宣和弒石虎奪位。石虎得知後把李顏及其家人三十多人斬首處死，再把石邃幽禁於東宮。石邃被幽禁後仍然目中無人，石虎一怒之下，下令把石邃和他的妻子、家人殺死，再塞進同一口棺材內，同一時間又把石邃的黨羽二百多人殺死。

石邃死後，石宣為皇太子，石宣之母杜昭儀為天王皇后，鄭櫻桃廢為東海太妃。同時又讓石韜掌握軍政大權，打算讓石宣和石韜之間達成一定的平衡。結果卻引發新一輪內訌。

到了其後，石宣因不滿其父石虎較寵愛石韜而要除掉石韜。不久之後，兩兄弟經常發生衝突，石宣於是把石韜砍掉手足、雙眼刺爛、破肚慘死。石宣並計劃在石韜的喪禮上弒父，以奪皇位。

石虎得知愛兒石韜死了，昏迷了好一段時間，他本想出席兒子的喪禮，幸而大臣提醒，沒有出席喪禮。後來，石虎得到知情人的報告，得知皇太子石宣殺了石韜。憤怒到極點的石虎在設計控制石宣後，下令用鐵環穿透石宣下巴鎖著，又將他的飯菜倒入大木槽，使石宣進食時像豬、狗般。石虎逼石宣用舌頭舐著殺石韜的劍上的血，石宣發出了震動宮殿的哀聲。石虎下令在鄴城城北埋起柴堆，上面設置了木竿、竿上安裝了轆轤。並讓石韜生前最寵的宦官，郝稚和劉霸二人拽著石宣的舌頭和頭髮，沿著梯子拉上柴堆，之後用轆轤把他絞起來，再用一模一樣的方法向石宣施刑。當石宣已奄奄一息時在柴堆四處點火，石宣被燒成了灰燼。這還未能平熄石虎的怒火，再下令把灰燼分散到名門道中，任人、馬、馬車的輾踏，又將石宣的妻、子九人殺死，又把石宣的衛士、宦官等數百人車裂，將屍體投進漳河。石宣的一個年幼的兒子抱著石虎的大腿求饒，石虎心生憐憫想赦免但大臣們卻將其奪走處死，石虎的腰帶都被孫子扯斷。東宮衛兵十餘萬被流放邊疆，途中舉行暴動，石虎急忙調集重兵鎮壓了下去。但後趙統治基礎動搖了。

連殺兩位太子後，太尉張舉認為燕公石斌、彭城公石遵都有武藝文德，建議從二人中選擇儲君。但戎昭將軍張豺先前曾將劉曜的女兒獻給石虎，生有齊公石世，于是他說服石虎立石世，這樣劉氏成為太后，他可以輔政。石虎說：「太子二十多歲就想弒父，石世才十歲，等他二十歲了，我已經老了。」于是與張舉、李農定議，敕令公卿上書請立石世為太子，于是立石世為太子，其母劉氏為皇后。

石虎病重時，以石遵為大將軍，鎮關右，石斌為丞相、錄尚書事，張豺為鎮衛大將軍、領軍將軍、吏部尚書，同受遺詔輔政。劉皇后怕石斌輔政不利于石世，就與張豺合謀，派使者詐稱石虎病癒，石斌性好酒獵，于是又恣意而為。劉皇后便矯命稱石斌無忠孝之心，免其官，以王歸第，派張豺弟張雄率龍騰五百人看守。石遵從幽州來朝，被打發走，石虎知道後說「恨不見之」。一次石虎駕臨西閣，龍騰將軍、中郎二百餘人列拜于前，說宜令燕王石斌入宿衛，典兵馬，也有請求以石斌為皇太子。石虎不知石斌已被罷官囚禁，命召石斌來，左右說石斌飲酒得病不能入。石虎又命以輦迎之，要將其璽綬交給他，最後也沒人前去。不久石虎昏眩入內。張豺讓張雄等矯石虎命殺石斌，劉皇后又矯命以張豺為太保、都督中外諸軍、錄尚書事，加千兵百騎，一依霍光輔漢故事。

石虎死後，石世繼位，不久就被推翻，石虎諸子石遵、石鑒、石祗相繼登基，又相繼被殺。石虎死後三年，後趙就滅亡了。

軼事

• 慕容儁曾夢見石虎咬他的手臂，令慕容儁十分厭惡，於是下令挖開石虎的墓穴，罵道：「死胡竟然敢夢中嚇天子！」於是命御史中尉陽約數其殘酷之罪，鞭屍後丟到漳水去。《資治通鑑》更謂慕容儁在石虎墓找不到石虎屍首，於是懸賞百金求屍；後因鄴城女子李菟報告，在東明觀找到石虎屍首，發現他竟殭硬不腐；石虎屍首被投進漳水後，更靠在柱邊不流走。

家庭

• 父親

　• 石寇覓，石勒的父親周曷朱的侄輩遠親，後來追尊為孝皇帝。

• 妻子

　• 郭氏，將軍郭榮之妹，被石虎毆死。

　• 崔氏，清河大族崔家的女兒，被石虎殺死。

　• 鄭櫻桃，雜技名角，石邃和石遵之母，337年立為天王後，同年廢為東海太妃。349年尊為皇太后，同年被冉閔所殺。

　• 杜珠，石宣之母，據推測也是石韜之母，先為昭儀，337年立為天王後，348年廢。

　• 劉氏，石世之母，劉曜之女，348年立為皇后，349年時為石遵所殺。

　• 柳貴嬪，柳耆之女，348年被石虎所殺。

　• 齊氏，石斌母，娼妓，無寵

• 子女

　• 長子石邃，330年立為齊王。333年由於石虎立為魏王，石邃立為魏太子。337年立為皇太子，同年被處決。

　• 次子石宣，333年立為河間王，337年立為皇太子，348年被處決。

　• 三子石鑒，333年立為代王，337年為義陽公，349年為義陽王，同年登基，350年被冉閔所殺。

　• 石韜，333年立為樂安王，337年立為秦公，348年被石宣暗殺。

　• 石衝，年長于石遵，封沛王，349年起兵討石遵，兵敗被俘被賜死。

　• 九子石遵，333年立為齊王，337年為彭城公，349年為彭城王，同年登基，不久被石鑒、冉閔所殺。

　• 石苞，333年立為樂平王，337年為樂平公，349年復立為樂平王，被當時皇帝石鑒派往刺殺冉閔，事敗後被石鑒滅口。

　• 石斌，330年立為平原王，333年為章武王，337年為燕公，349年立為燕王，旋即被劉皇后矯詔處決。

　• 石挺，初為梁王，333年被反抗石虎的將領郭權所殺。

　• 石琨，初為汝陰王，後趙滅亡後與妻兒投效東晉，352年全家被東晉政權處決。

　• 石祗，初為新興王，後登基稱帝，351年被將領劉顯所殺。

　• 石炳，石祗稱帝時，為丞相、樂安王。與石祗同死。

　• 石世，初為齊公，348年立為皇太子，349年繼石虎為君主，同年被石遵所殺。

　• 養子冉良，石虎部下將領。被石虎收為養子後改姓石，又名石瞻。冉閔之父。咸和三年（328年），冉良在石虎和劉曜部隊交戰中戰死於新絳。

　• 養孫冉閔

Early life

Shi Hu's father was named Koumi (寇覓) and was a son of a cousin of Shi Le's father Zhouhezhu (周曷朱). His father died early and he became raised by Zhouhezhu and his wife, Shi Le's mother Lady Wang, so he was also sometimes referred to as Shi Le's brother. During the early 300s, a severe famine affected the Jie tribesmen, and Shi Hu became separated from Shi Le. Later, after Shi Le had become a powerful Han Zhao general, Liu Kun the Jin governor of Bing Province (并州, modern northern and central Shanxi), where the Jie were from, located Shi Hu and Lady Wang and sent them to Shi Le along with messengers, trying to persuade Shi Le to defect from Han Zhao to Jin. Shi Le, in gratitude, sent horses and jewel to Liu, but did not accept his invitation. (Since the Jie did not appear to use family names, and Shi Le's own family name of "Shi" was given to him by his friend Ji Sang, presumably this was also the time that Shi Le gave Shi Hu the same family name and gave him the courtesy name Jilong as well, patterned after his own courtesy name Shilong (世龍).)

Shi Hu grew up in Shi Le's army, and when he was young, he became known for incessantly hunting and not following military orders, and particularly liked hitting people with sling bullets. Shi Le considered killing him, as the entire army was complaining about Shi Hu, but Lady Wang responded, "Before a fast bull grows up, it would often break wagons that it pulls. Endure him a little bit." By the time he got to age 18, he was about 184 cm tall, and he became known for his bravery in battle and skills in archery and horsemanship, and the entire army feared him. Shi Le gave him the sister of the general Guo Rong (郭榮) in marriage to him, but he favored his concubine Zheng Yingtao and, at Zheng's instigation, killed Lady Guo. The same happened to his next wife, Lady Cui. He also became known for his cruelty in governing his soldiers and in battle, as he often executed officers who disagreed with his wishes or had great abilities, and whenever he captured a city, he often slaughtered the entire population. Even though Shi Le rebuked him at times, he could not get Shi Hu to change his ways. However, despite his cruelty, he also gave his officers leeway in their tactics, and he often led them into battles fearless of dangers. Therefore, Shi Le trusted him greatly and made him one of his top lieutenants.

During Shi Les stint as Han Zhao general

Shi Le frequently sent Shi Hu out in command of forces against important foes and gave him the title of Marquess of Fanyang. The enemies that Shi Hu engaged while serving under Shi Le included:

• 313 - Shi Hu defeated Liu Kun's son Liu Yan (劉演), who was then in control of the important city Yecheng (in modern Handan, Hebei), forcing Liu Yan to flee and yield control of Yecheng to him. Shi Le made Shi Hu the governor of Wei Commandery (with capital at Yecheng), and henceforth Shi Hu saw Yecheng as his personal possession, taking up residence in the three towers that Cao Cao had built.

• 317 - Shi Le sent Shi Hu to attack the Jin general Zu Ti, who was recapturing territory south of the Yellow River, but after unable to defeat Zu conclusively, Shi Hu was forced to withdraw. Zu would henceforth pose a major threat to Shi Le until Zu's death in 321.

• 318 - Shi Hu was a major general in Shi Le's campaign against Jin Zhun, who had assassinated the Han Zhao emperor Liu Can and slaughtered members of the imperial Liu clan. His victories over Jin Zhun's cousin and succession Jin Ming (靳明) forced Jin Ming to abandon the capital Pingyang (平陽, in modern Linfen, Shanxi) and surrender to the new emperor Liu Yao.

• 319 - Shi Hu defended against a Zu Ti attack against the general Chen Chuan (陳川), who had earlier switched his allegiance from Jin to Shi Le, and he repelled Zu. Later in the year, Shi Hu attacked the Xianbei chief Riliuyan (日六延), based in the Hetao region (the area around the northern bend of the Yellow River, in modern Ningxia and western Inner Mongolia) and greatly defeated him.

In 319, Shi Le, after a dispute of Liu Yao, declared independence as the Prince of Zhao (thus establishing Later Zhao), and he bestowed Shi Hu a number of offices and the title the Duke of Zhongshan.

During Shi Les reign as Later Zhao prince/emperor

After Shi Le's establishment of Later Zhao, he, even more so than before, extensively relied on Shi Hu to defeat major enemies. The major battles that Shi Hu engaged in included:

• 320 - Shi Hu captured Shao Xu, the Jin governor of Ji Province (冀州, modern western Shandong), one of the last major pockets of Jin resistance in northern China, in battle.

• 321 - Shi Hu captured Duan Pidi, the Jin governor of You Province (幽州, modern Beijing, Tianjin, and northern Hebei, even though he was no longer in control of You Province by that point) and his brother Duan Wenyuan (段文鴛), wiping out the last major pocket of Jin resistance in northern China. (It was after this battle that Shi showed that while he was cruel, he had respect for his enemies, as after Duan Pidi refused to bow to him despite an implicit threat of death, he bowed to Duan out of respect.)

• 322 - Shi Hu captured the general Xu Kan, who had vacillated between allegiances to Jin and Later Zhao.

• 323 - Shi Hu captured the general Cao Ni, who had vacillated between allegiances to Jin, Han Zhao, and Later Zhao, and who was in control of most of modern Shandong, thus eliminating a major semi-independent domain in the north. It was after the siege of Cao's capital Guanggu (廣固, in modern Weifang, Shandong) that an example of Shi Hu's cruelty was shown—he wanted to slaughter all of the population of Guanggu. After Later Zhao's governor of Qing Province (青州, modern central and eastern Shandong), Liu Zheng (劉徵) protested that he was supposed to govern over the people and that he cannot govern without people, Shi nevertheless slaughtered most of the population but left 700 people alive for Liu to govern.

• 325 - With Later Zhao by this point in a state of constant war against Han Zhao, Shi Hu defeated and captured the Han Zhao general Liu Yue (劉岳) the Prince of Zhongshan, depriving the Han Zhao emperor Liu Yao of one of his key generals. He also captured and killed the Han Zhao general Wang Teng (王騰), who had earlier defected from Later Zhao.

• 328 - Shi Hu attacked Han Zhao, but was defeated by Liu Yao, who then attacked Luoyang. Shi Le had to personally relieve Luoyang, capturing Liu Yao in battle in early 329.

• 329 - After Liu Yao was captured, the Han Zhao crown prince Liu Xi and his brother Liu Yin abandoned the Han Zhao capital Chang'an and fled to Shanggui (上邽, in modern Tianshui, Gansu), but in the fall Liu Yin tried to recapture Chang'an. Shi Hu defeated him, forcing him to flee back to Shanggui, and then advanced on Shanggui, capturing it and killing Liu Xi and Liu Yin, ending Han Zhao.

As the years went by, Shi Hu began to develop an antagonistic relationship with Shi Le's key advisors Cheng Xia (the maternal uncle of Shi Le's crown prince Shi Hong) and Xu Guang, who had seen Shi Hu's ambitions and urged for Shi Le to curb his powers. The first conflict came in 326, when Shi Le, under Cheng's advice, had Shi Hong take over Yecheng's defenses, forcing Shi Hu's household to move out of the three towers. (Shi Hu retaliated by having soldiers in bandits' masquerades raid Cheng's home late at night, rape the women of his household, and rob them of their clothing.) In 330, after Shi Le successively claimed the titles of "Heavenly King" (Tian Wang) and emperor, Shi Hu was given title of Prince of Zhongshan, and two of his sons were also given title of princes as well. However, Shi Hu became incensed that he was not also given the title of Grand Chanyu, which Shi Le had granted to his son Shi Hong (石宏, note different character than his crown prince), and he secretly started plotting taking over after Shi Le's death. In 332, Shi Le tried to curb his powers by having the crown prince and the eunuch Yan Zhen (嚴震) participate in important decisions that were previously Shi Hu's to make, which only served to anger Shi Hu.

Coup against Shi Hong

As Shi Le grew ill in 333, Shi Hu entered the palace to serve him in his illness and cut off his communication with the outside. Shi Hu then issued false edicts summoning Shi Hong the Prince of Qin (not the crown prince) and Shi Le's adopted son Shi Kan (石堪) the Prince of Pengcheng back to the capital Xiangguo (襄國, in modern Xintai, Hebei) and then detained them. When Shi Le died in the fall, Shi Hu immediately seized the crown prince Shi Hong and arrested and executed Cheng and Xu. Shi Hong, in fear, offered the throne to Shi Hu, but Shi Hu forced him to take the throne.

Shi Hu then forced Shi Hong to confer on him the title King of Wei—intentionally paralleling Cao Cao's title while preparing for usurpation of the Han throne—and granting him the nine bestowments. All of Shi Le's trusted officials were demoted or moved to posts with no real power, while Shi Hu's subordinates were moved into key positions. Shi Le's wife Empress Dowager Liu plotted with Shi Kan to try to start rebellions to overthrow Shi Hu, but after Shi Kan fled the capital but failed in his attempt to capture Linqiu (廩丘, in modern Puyang, Henan), Shi Hu captured him and cruelly executed him by burning. Soon thereafter, Empress Dowager Liu's role was discovered, and she was executed as well.

In winter 333, Shi Sheng (石生) the Prince of Hedong, in defense of Chang'an, and Shi Lang, in defense of Luoyang, declared a rebellion against Shi Hu and sought assistance from Jin. Pu Hong (蒲洪) the Di chief also rose and sought assistance from Former Liang. Shi Hu personally attacked Shi Lang and captured Luoyang easily, killing Shi Lang. He then attacked Chang'an with his son Shi Ting (石挺) the Prince of Liang, but Shi Ting was defeated by Shi Sheng's subordinate Guo Quan (郭權) and killed. Shi Hu was forced to withdraw. However, Shi Sheng did not know about this victory and, when the Xianbei chief Shegui (涉瑰) rebelled, panicked and fled, abandoning Chang'an, and was killed in flight. Guo fled to Shanggui but was defeated in 334. Pu surrendered and was pardoned. That ended significant resistance to Shi Hu.

In 334, unable to endure Shi Hu's vengeance, Shi Hong personally carried imperial seals and visited Shi Hu's palace, offering to abdicate to him. Shi Hu declined with sarcastic language, and Shi Hong, knowing that Shi Hu had even crueler intentions, could carry out no other intentions. In late 334, Shi Hu deposed Shi Hong to the title the Prince of Haiyang, but soon had him, his mother Empress Dowager Cheng, and his brothers Shi Hong and Shi Hui (石恢) the Prince of Nanyang put to death. The officials offered the imperial title to Shi Hu, but Shi Hu declined and took the title "Regent Heavenly Prince" (攝政天王).

Early reign

In 335, Shi Hu moved the capital from Xiangguo to Yecheng. Later that year, he (a self-avowed Buddhist), unhappy that he was unable to distinguish which monks had become monks because they truly believed Buddhism and which had taken vows to evade taxes and labor, considered outlawing commoners from becoming monks. However, after his officials proposed a far more extensive ban than he wanted, he cancelled the plan and instead issued an edict proclaiming religious freedom.

Starting 336, Shi Hu began a series of palace-building projects, completing a number of exceedingly luxurious palaces. One of them, Taiwu Palace (太武殿), was described in this manner:

:The foundation was nine and a third meters tall, 65 steps long and 75 steps wide, all made of marble. The bottom contains a basement that is largely enough for 500 armed guards. The gaps between the bricks were filled with paint; the tops of buttresses was decorated with gold, and the top of columns were decorated with silver. The screens were made of pearls, and the walls were made of jade. The workmanship was extremely fine. The imperial bedroom has facilities including a bed made of white jade and comforters with fine ribbons, and on top of the comforters were sown in lotus flowers made of gold.

He further built nine additional palaces and selected many women to fill the palaces. The tax and labor burdens of these projects greatly encumbered the people, and he further gathered many men as soldiers with intent to conquer other states, increasing the burden.

In 337, Shi Hu claimed the title Heavenly King (Tian Wang), and he give title to his wife Zheng Yingtao empress and his son Shi Sui (石邃) crown prince, while his sons who were previously given title of princes were given duke titles instead.

Later in 337, Shi Hu would kill his recently appointed crown prince. Shi Sui was himself no less cruel than his father, and one of his favorite pastimes was to order a woman to dress well, and then behead her and eat her body. Shi Hu had put him in charge of most key decisions, but at times, when Shi Sui would report his decisions, Shi Hu would be angry and yell, "Why report such minute things?" while if Shi Sui did not do so, he would yell, "Why not report?" He would further whip Shi Sui at times he was angry. Shi Sui therefore considered assassinating his father. Shi Hu discovered this and killed Shi Sui's co-conspirators, but initially pardoned him. However, Shi Sui refused to apologize, and this angered Shi Hu, who deposed him and then executed him, along with his wife Crown Princess Zhang and his 26 children, burying them in one humongous coffin. He also killed some 200 subordinates of Shi Sui, and he deposed Empress Zheng to the title of Duchess Dowager of Donghai. He instead give title to his second son Shi Xuan (石宣) as crown prince and his mother Du Zhu as empress. However, he also favored another son by Empress Du, Shi Tao (石韜), and a rivalry between the brothers soon developed.

In late 337, Shi Hu entered into an alliance with the Former Yan prince Murong Huang to attack the Xianbei Duan tribe. In 338, the joint forces defeated and essentially wiped out the Duan, but Shi Hu, angry that Murong Huang withdrew his forces early, advanced on the Former Yan capital Jicheng (棘城, in modern Jinzhou, Liaoning) and surrounded it, intending to wipe Former Yan out. However, after nearly 20 days of siege, Later Zhao forces were unable to capture Jicheng and forced to withdraw, and they suffered heavy losses at the hands of a Former Yan general, Murong Huang's son Murong Ke. During the next few years, Later Zhao would have no real way of curbing Former Yan expansions, and was eventually forced to yield most of formerly Duan territory to Former Yan.

In 339, displeased that the Jin general Yu Liang was planning an attack against Later Zhao, Shi Hu acted first, sending his adopted grandson Shi Min to attack the borders with Jin, pillaging the border region and capturing Zhucheng (邾城, in modern Huanggang, Hubei), ending Yu's hopes of a northern campaign.

In 340, Shi Hu briefly entered into an alliance with Cheng Han's emperor Li Shou against Jin. However, after initially excitedly wishing to attack Jin, Li Shou cancelled his plan after contrary counsel by Gong Zhuang (龔壯), and the alliance did not come to anything.

Late reign

In 342, Shi Hu continued a large number of construction projects, and further ordered major conscriptions, with plans to attack not only Jin but also Former Liang and Former Yan. The people were greatly burdened, and the officials took the chances of these projects to engage in corruption. The people were described of being so troubled that many committed suicide. In 344, after believing the astrologer Zhao Lan (趙攬) that a campaign would bring ill fortune, cancelled the campaign plans.

In 346, the Later Zhao generals Wang Zhuo (王擢) and Ma Qiu attacked Former Liang with intent to conquer it, but after some initial successes, they were repelled by the Former Liang general Xie Ai. Another attack by Ma in 347 was also repelled by Xie.

Later in 347, believing a Buddhist monk's words that the Hu (胡, broad term encompassing non-Han) were about to lose their power to the Han and that the Han needed to be suppressed, further forced the Han men to engage in great labor.

In 348, the conflict between Shi Xuan and Shi Tao came to a horrible resolution. After a dispute over Shi Tao's building of a palace named Xuanguang Palace (宣光殿) -- since that name violated the naming taboo on Shi Xuan's name—Shi Xuan assassinated Shi Tao and considered assassinating Shi Hu as well. Shi Hu quickly suspected Shi Xuan, and his suspicions were fanned by that Shi Xuan showed no sign of mourning for Shi Tao. He detained Shi Xuan and arrested his followers, discovering the assassination plot. He planned to execute Shi Xuan, despite opposition from the Buddhist monk Fu Tucheng, whose prophecies he had respected greatly and who had predicted that Shi Xuan's death would bring great disaster on the empire. Indeed, he carried out a most cruel execution of Shi Xuan. Shi Xuan was placed near a wooden platform with a ladder leading up to it. His hairs and tongue were then pulled out, and then he was dragged up the ladder onto the platform. A rope was threaded through his pierced jaw, and then he was hoisted onto a wooden pyre. His hands and feet were then cut off, his eyes gouged out, and his abdomen sliced open and entrails allowed to flow out—as how Shi Tao appeared at his death. Then, a great fire was set on the pyre, and Shi Xuan was burned to death. Shi Xuan's mother Empress Du was reduced to commoner status, and Shi Xuan's wife, concubines, and sons were all executed, including his youngest, whom Shi Hu was holding in his arms and was considering pardoning—but the executioner grabbed the child out of Shi Hu's arms and executed him. Shi Hu, shocked by his young grandson's death, grew ill. Shi Xuan's subordinates were executed as well, and the crown prince's guards were exiled to Liang Province (涼州, modern eastern Gansu).

Later that year, Shi Hu considered a new heir. Of his sons, Shi Bin (石斌) the Duke of Yan and Shi Zun the Duke of Pengcheng were considered the most capable, but under the advice of Zhang Chai, who understood Shi Hu's fear of yet another son rebelling and took advantage of it by suggesting that the reasons why his prior crown princes rebelled was because their mothers were of low birth, Shi Hu instead give title to his youngest son Shi Shi (石世) the Duke of Qi crown prince, and his mother Consort Liu the youngest daughter of the Han Zhao emperor Liu Yao, empress.

In spring 349, Shi Hu claimed the title of emperor and promoted all of his duke sons to princes. He soon however had to face a major rebellion—by former Crown Prince Xuan's guard captain Liang Du (梁犢), whose men were driven by desperation after finding out that they were not covered by the general pardon that Shi Hu issued when he took imperial title. They defeated every army sent to oppose them, until the Qiang chief Yao Yizhong (姚弋仲) was able to defeat them. Yao took the opportunity to try to persuade Shi Hu that it was unwise to have an heir so young, but although Shi Hu honored Yao greatly, he did not listen to Yao.

In summer 349, Shi Hu was near death, and he ordered that Shi Zun and Shi Bin be made regents for Shi Shi. This interfered with Empress Liu's and Zhang Chai's plans to take over the government, and they issued false edicts imprisoning Shi Bin and sending Shi Zun away. As Shi Hu grew closer to death, Shi Bin was put to death. After he died, Shi Shi took the throne, but after just 33 days was deposed by Shi Zun, who was then deposed by another son of Shi Hu, Shi Jian the Prince of Yiyang. Shi Jian then fell under the control of Shi Min, and by 350 Shi Min had killed Shi Jian and massacred most Jie and Xiongnu people, changed his family name back to his father's original Ran (冉), and usurped the throne. Another son of Shi Hu's, Shi Zhi, would claim imperial title and try to reestablish Later Zhao, but by 351 he was dead as well. Shi Hu's empire and people were destroyed, just two years after his death.

Era names

• Jianwu (建武 jiàn wǔ) 335–349

• Taining (太寧 taì níng) 349

Personal information

• Father

　• Koumi (寇覓), posthumously honored as Emperor Xiao, distant nephew of Shi Le's father Zhouhezhu (周曷朱). His grandfather's name was Beye

• Wives

　• Lady Guo, sister of the general Guo Rong (郭榮)

　• Lady Cui

　• Empress Zheng Yingtao (given title and deposed 337, killed by Ran Min 349), mother of Princes Sui and Zun

　• Empress Du (given title 337, deposed 348), mother of Princes Xuan and Tao

　• Empress Liu, daughter of Liu Yao (given title 348, killed by Shi Zun 349), mother of Prince Shi

• Children

　• Shi Sui (石邃), initially the Prince of Qi (given title 330), later the Crown Prince of Wei (given title 333), later the Crown Prince (given title and executed 337)

　• Shi Xuan (石宣), initially the Prince of Hejian (given title 333), later the Crown Prince (given title 337, executed 348)

　• Shi Tao (石韜), initially the Prince of Le'an (given title 333), later the Duke of Qin (given title 337, assassinated by Shi Xuan 348)

　• Shi Chong (石冲), Prince of Pei (forced to commit suicide by Shi Zun 349)

　• Shi Zun (石遵), initially the Prince of Qi (given title 333), later the Duke of Pengcheng (given title 337), later the Prince of Pengcheng (given title 349), later emperor

　• Shi Jian (石鑒), initially the Prince of Dai (given title 333), later the Duke of Yiyang (given title 337), later the Prince of Yiyang (given title 349), later emperor

　• Shi Bao (石苞), initially the Prince of Leping (given title 333), later the Duke of Leping (given title 337), later the Prince of Leping (given title and executed by Shi Jian 349)

　• Shi Bin (石斌), initially the Prince of Pingyuan (given title 330), later the Prince of Zhangwu (given title 333), later the Duke of Yan (given title 337), later the Prince of Yan (given title and executed by Empress Liu 349)

　• Shi Ting (石挺), the Prince of Liang (given title 330, killed in battle by Guo Quan (郭權) 333)

　• Shi Zhi (石祇), initially the Prince of Xinxing, later emperor

　• Shi Kun (石琨), the Prince of Ruyin (executed by Jin 352)

　• Shi Shi (石世), initially the Duke of Qi, later the Crown Prince (given title 348), later emperor