Wei Zhongxian (魏忠賢) (1568-October 19,1627) is considered by most historians as the most powerful and notorious eunuch in Chinese history. He was a native of Sun-ning in Anhui Province, who made himself a eunuch and changed his name to Li Chin-chung. Entering the palace, he managed to get into the service of the wet-nurse Madam Ke of the future Ming emperor. The couple began manipulating the Tianqi Emperor, and the emperor later made Wei the Grand Secretary of the State, which gave Wei absolute power over the court. Wei prosecuted anyone who opposed his decisions, resulting in the death and imprisonment of many loyal officials. He later proclaimed himself to be Nine-Thousand Years which meant that he was the second most important person in the country, just behind the emperor who is called the Ten-Thousand Years. In 1627, his control of the court ended with the death of the Tianqi Emperor, whose successor promptly dismissed him. He hanged himself to escape trial, and his corpse was disembowelled.