The rulers of Qin had styled themselves kings from the time of King Huiwen in 325 BC. Upon his ascension, Zheng became known as the King of QinSima Qian]. ["Records of the Grand Historian"], ["§6: Basic Annals of the First Emperor of Qin"]. Hosted at 2003. Accessed 25 December 2013. </ref> or King Zheng of Qin. This title made him the nominal equal of the rulers of Shang and of Zhou, the last of whose kings had been deposed by King Zhaoxiang of Qin in 256 BC.