Yuan Shikai was a Chinese military and government official who rose to power during the late Qing dynasty. After playing a critical role in the abdication of the last Qing emperor, he was named the first official President of the Republic of China in 1912. His presidency grew increasingly autocratic, culminating in his controversial attempt to restore the monarchy by declaring himself Emperor of China in late 1915. This move was widely opposed and ultimately failed, forcing him to abdicate just months before his death from uremia in 1916.