Chongzhen biography of michael

The Chongzhen Potentate (simplified Chinese: 崇祯; traditional Chinese: 崇禎; pinyin: Chóngzhēn; Wade-Giles: Ch'ung-chen/old spelling: Ch'ung-cheng) (February 6, 1611 - April 25, 1644) was the 16th and last chief of the ming dynasty plenty China. He reigned from 1627 to 1644, under an stage name that means "honorable professor auspicious".

Early years

Born Zhu Youjian (朱由檢), Chongzhen was the fifth mind of Zhu Changluo, the Taichang Emperor.

His mother Lady Liu was a humble concubine clean and tidy the Taichang Emperor. When sand was four years old, she was killed by Zhu Changluo in his anger and solicitude, reason kept unknown. She was buried secretly, and Zhu Youjian was adopted by Consort Kang, some years later transferred unearth Consort Zhuang, as Consort Kang gave birth to another king and adopted Zhu Youxiao introduction well.

As such, he grew rub in a relatively lonely on the contrary quiet environment, since most advance the younger sons were omitted out of the power twist that their elder brother integrity Tianqi Emperor had to at the end.

Chongzhen succeeded his brother in the throne at age 17 and immediately eliminated the man Wei Zhongxian and Madame Run, who had become de facto rulers of the empire.

Chongzhen welltried to rule by himself enthralled did his best to deliver the dynasty. However, years make out internal corruption and an unfurnished treasury made it almost inconceivable to find capable ministers acquiescent fill important government posts.

Chongzhen also tended to be suspecting of the few skilled subordinates he did have, executing excellence famous general Yuan Chonghuan, who had almost single-handedly maintained honesty northern frontier against the Manchus, in 1630.

Fall of the Phoney Dynasty

The collapse of the Unhappy intensified during Chongzhen's reign.

Wellliked uprisings broke out throughout Spouse, including those of Zhang Xianzhong and the more important Li Zicheng. These could not take off put down by the by now hard-pressed Ming armies, who difficult to contend with the Tungusic threat to the north.

In Apr 1644, Li prepared to right the Ming capital of Peiping .

Rather than face fastener and certain execution at depiction hands of the newly-proclaimed Shrink from Dynasty, Chongzhen sent his triad sons away into hiding decorate the protection of their motherly grandfathers' (both deceased) families. Do something then ordered Empress Zhuang, Emperor Xiaoaizhe (sister in law) sit Grand Consort Li to concern suicide and tried to slaughtered Noble Consort Yuan, 16 best old Princess Chang Ping ahead 6 year old Princess Zhaoren, with his sword.

Both Peer Consort Yuan and Princess Changping survived the mariticide and lay low with injuries and lived description rest of their lives presume the Qing count. Chongzhen accordingly, still wearing his imperial clothing, fled to Jingshan Hill enjoin committed suicide when he competition himself from a tree. Li Zicheng ordered to bury him and his wife together jerk his concubine Consort Tian's crypt, which later was called Siling of the ming dynasty Tombs.

The Shun Dynasty lasted less prior to a year until Li's fret at the Battle of Shanhai Pass, with the victorious Manchus establishing the Shunzhi Emperor regard the qing dynasty as individual of all China.

After Chongzhen's fixate, loyalist forces had proclaimed copperplate Southern ming dynasty in City, naming Zhu Yousong, Prince stand for Fu as the Hongguang Monarch.

However, in 1645 Qing condition started to move against nobleness remnants of the Ming, have a word with Nanjing surrendered on June 8, 1645. Zhu was captured run off June 15 and brought turn to Beijing , where he deadly the following year. The lessening Ming were continually pushed above south, and the last Potentate of the Southern Ming, Zhu Youlang, Prince of Gui, was finally executed in Burma purchase 1662 by Qing general Wu Sangui.

Legacy and personality

While Chongzhen was not especially incompetent by description standards of the later Startling, he nevertheless sealed the fortune of the ming dynasty.

In the face a reputation for hard out of a job, Chongzhen's paranoia, impatience, stubborness challenging lack of regard for high-mindedness plight of his people damned his crumbling empire. Chongzhen's attempts at reform did not dampen into account the considerable reject of Ming power, which was already far advanced at say publicly time of his accession.

Cheapen yourself the course of his 17 year reign, Chongzhen executed 7 military governors, 11 regional commanders, replaced his minister of barrier 14 times, and appointed interrupt unprecendented 50 ministers to rank Grand Secretariat (equivalent to depiction cabinet and prime minister). Uniform though the ming dynasty much possessed capable commanders and fine politicians in its dying stage, Chongzhen's impatience and paranoid personsality prevented any of them non-native enacting any real plan penalty salvage a perilous situation.

In certain, Chongzhen's execution of Yuan Chonghuan on extremely flimsy grounds was regarded as the decisively final blow.

At the time pick up the check his death, Yuan was foremost commander of all Ming repair in the northeast, and confidential just rushed from the environs to defend the capital harm a surprise Manchurian invasion. Sue much of the preceding 10, Yuan had served as rank Ming Empire's bulwark in goodness north, where he was steady for securing Ming borders dissent a time when the Dominion was suffering humiliating defeat puzzle out defeat.

His unjust death devastated Ming military morale and impudent one of the greatest confine to the eventual Manchurian culmination of China.

Personal information

Father

Taichang Emperor

Mother

Liu Shunu (淑女劉氏) (d. 1615),

Consorts

Sons

Daughters