The Yongle Emperor (personal name Zhu Di) was the third ruler of the Ming dynasty, reigning from July 1402, until his death in August 1424. The fourth son of the Hongwu Emperor, founder of the Ming dynasty, Zhu Di initially held the title of Prince of Yan. During ongoing conflicts with the Mongols of the Northern Yuan dynasty, Zhu Di amassed considerable power and eliminated rivals, including the general Lan Yu. Although he initially accepted his father’s decision to name his elder brother Zhu Biao and later his nephew Zhu Yunwen as crown prince, Zhu Di rebelled after Zhu Yunwen ascended the throne as the Jianwen Emperor. Following a civil war known as the Jingnan Campaign, Zhu Di deposed his nephew and claimed the throne for himself. To solidify his legitimacy, he annulled his predecessor’s reign and undertook efforts to rewrite historical records, purging or altering accounts of his early life and rebellion. The Yongle Emperor relocated the imperial capital from Nanjing to Beijing and commissioned the construction of the Forbidden City. He also granted significant authority to the eunuch-led secret police.