Family background and accession to the throne

Cao Huan's birth name was "Cao Huang" (曹璜). His father, Cao Yu, the Prince of Yan, was a son of Cao Cao, the father of Wei's first emperor, Cao Pi. In 258, at the age of 12, in accordance with Wei's regulations that the sons of princes (other than the first-born son of the prince's spouse, customarily designated the prince's heir) were to be instated as dukes, Cao Huan was instated as the "Duke of Changdao District".

In 260, after the ruling emperor Cao Mao was killed in an attempt to seize back state power from the regent Sima Zhao, Cao Huang was selected to succeed Cao Mao.

Reign

At the time Cao Huang became emperor, his name was changed to "Cao Huan" because it was difficult to observe naming taboo with the name "Huang" (which was a homonym to many common terms—including "yellow" and "emperor" (皇)). During Cao Huan's reign, the Sima clan controlled state power and Cao was merely a figurehead and head of state in name. In 263, Cao Huan instated his wife Lady Bian as empress.

For the first few years of Cao Huan's reign, there were constant attacks by forces from the rival Shu Han state under the command of Jiang Wei. While Jiang Wei's attacks were largely easily repelled, Sima Zhao eventually ordered a counterattack on Shu with an invading force of 180,000 men commanded by Zhong Hui and Deng Ai. In late 263, Liu Shan, the Shu emperor, surrendered to Deng, bringing an end to the state of Shu. After the fall of Shu, Deng Ai was framed for treason by Zhong Hui and stripped of command. In early 264, Zhong Hui plotted with Jiang Wei to restore Shu and eliminate all the Wei generals who might oppose him. However, the generals started a counterinsurgency and killed Zhong Hui and Jiang Wei. Shu's former territories (in present-day Sichuan, Chongqing, Yunnan, southern Shaanxi, and southeastern Gansu) were completely annexed by Wei.

Abdication and later life

Wei itself did not last much longer after Shu's collapse. In 263, Sima Zhao again forced Cao Huan to grant him the nine bestowments and this time he finally accepted signifying that a usurpation was near. In 264, Sima Zhao became a vassal king under the title "King of Jin" — the final step before usurpation. After Sima Zhao died in September 265, his son, Sima Yan, inherited his father's position and on 4 February 266 forced Cao Huan to abdicate, thereby establishing the Jin dynasty. He granted Cao Huan the title "Prince of Chenliu" which Cao Huan carried until his death.

Not much is known about Cao Huan's life as a prince under Jin rule. Sima Yan (later known as Emperor Wu of Jin) permitted him to retain imperial banners and wagons and to worship ancestors with imperial ceremonies. He also permitted Cao Huan not to refer to himself as a subject of his. He died in 302 during the reign of Emperor Wu's son, Emperor Hui. He was buried with honours due an emperor and given a posthumous name.

Era names

• Jingyuan (景元) 260–264

• Xianxi (咸熙) 264–266

Titles held

• Prince of Chenliu

• Emperor Yuan of Wei (魏元帝) (posthumous title)

Family

Consorts:

• Empress, of the Bian clan (卞皇后)

Ancestry

即位

曹奐是燕王曹宇之子，曹操之孫，初封常道鄉公。

甘露五年（260年）魏帝曹髦試圖從司馬氏手中奪回權力失敗，兵敗被殺，丞相司馬昭派兒子使持節行中護軍中壘將軍司馬炎迎立曹璜為皇帝，改名曹奐，入繼為堂兄魏明帝曹叡的兒子。曹奐實際上毫無權力，在大臣和軍隊中也沒有任何勢力，完全是司馬昭的傀儡。

曹奐在位期間，263年曹魏大將鄧艾和鍾會伐蜀漢，蜀漢滅亡。伐蜀期間，丞相司馬昭以伐蜀之功被晉升為晉公，相國，加九錫。

蜀漢滅亡沒多久，丞相司馬昭又進爵晉王，不久去世，司馬炎于咸熙二年（265年）篡位，魏亡。

魏亡後

魏亡後，曹奐被封為陳留王，並遷居鄴城。出城時，太傅司馬孚握著他的手說：「我到死都是大魏的忠臣。」

晉武帝司馬炎仿漢獻帝劉協例，允許曹奐仍保有皇帝儀仗、用皇家禮儀祭祖、不以臣下自稱。

晉惠帝太安元年（302年）曹奐死於許昌，享年五十六歲，以皇帝禮下葬，謚號元皇帝。

曹奐的後人沒有在官方的紀錄出現，而史料中亦未記載他有沒有後人。由於他離世時正值八王之亂，很多王公士族在當時均為亂軍所殺，並且紀錄可能在那段期間被燒毀。東晉以降，陳留王由曹操玄孫曹勱及其後裔承襲，但無法得知他們和曹奐的關係。鄴城遺址附近一直有相傳為曹奐墓的土墩，後來考古發掘証實並非曹奐墓。

家庭

• 嗣高祖父：（追尊）高皇帝曹騰

妻

• 卞皇后，卞琳的女兒。263年立為皇后。