A peasant in rural China began to have strange dreams, until they convinced him that he was Jesus's brother, the new Messiah. Thus began the bloodiest civil war in history, in 1851. Hong Xiuquan formed an army and fought the Emperor for the next 13 years, seizing control of almost half of the country- his military theocracy abolished private property, ended polygamy and foot binding....many women fought in the rebel army....(But) Hong became distracted by his mystical pursuits, and neglected the campaigns...Imperial troops eventually routed the Taiping forces in 1864, and the 'Kingdom of the Heavenly Peace' was no more. Over 20 million people died in the conflict.