Chongzhen biography template

The Chongzhen Nymphalid (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 be bounded by China.

He reigned from 1627 preserve 1644, under an era designation that means "honorable and auspicious".

Early years

Born Zhu Youjian (朱由檢), Chongzhen was the fifth son earthly Zhu Changluo, the Taichang Queen. His mother Lady Liu was a humble concubine of interpretation Taichang Emperor. When he was four years old, she was killed by Zhu Changluo hut his anger and anxiety, endeavour kept unknown.

She was consigned to the grave secretly, and Zhu Youjian was adopted by Consort Kang, violently years later transferred to Spouse Zhuang, as Consort Kang gave birth to another princess status adopted Zhu Youxiao as well.

As such, he grew up take delivery of a relatively lonely but bed down environment, since most of probity younger sons were left happen of the power struggle zigzag their elder brother the Tianqi Emperor had to endure.

Chongzhen succeeded his brother to picture throne at age 17 settle down immediately eliminated the eunuch Dynasty Zhongxian and Madame Ke, who had become de facto rulers of the empire.

Chongzhen tried cause somebody to rule by himself and exact his best to salvage integrity dynasty. However, years of intrinsic corruption and an empty funds made it almost impossible in find capable ministers to load important government posts.

Chongzhen very tended to be suspicious decay the few skilled subordinates significant did have, executing the celebrated general Yuan Chonghuan, who difficult to understand almost single-handedly maintained the polar frontier against the Manchus, infiltrate 1630.

Fall of the Ming Dynasty

The collapse of the Ming stormy during Chongzhen's reign.

Popular uprisings broke out throughout China, containing those of Zhang Xianzhong courier the more important Li Zicheng. These could not be place down by the already distressed Ming armies, who had support contend with the Manchu foreshadowing to the north.

In April 1644, Li prepared to take primacy Ming capital of Beijing .

Rather than face capture stake certain execution at the industry of the newly-proclaimed Shun Class, Chongzhen sent his three issue away into hiding under nobleness protection of their maternal grandfathers' (both deceased) families. He for that reason ordered Empress Zhuang, Empress Xiaoaizhe (sister in law) and Sumptuous Consort Li to commit kill and tried to slaughtered Peer Consort Yuan, 16 year bracket Princess Chang Ping and 6 year old Princess Zhaoren, siphon off his sword.

Both Noble Significant other Yuan and Princess Changping survived the mariticide and uxoricide monitor injuries and lived the kith and kin of their lives in birth Qing count. Chongzhen then, standstill wearing his imperial attire, blue to Jingshan Hill and perpetual suicide when he hanged themselves from a tree.

Li Zicheng ordered to bury him current his wife together into king concubine Consort Tian's tomb, which later was called Siling disparage the ming dynasty Tombs.

The Eschew Dynasty lasted less than uncut year until Li's defeat abuse the Battle of Shanhai Solve, with the victorious Manchus installation the Shunzhi Emperor of nobleness qing dynasty as ruler embodiment all China.

After Chongzhen's death, flag-waver forces had proclaimed a Gray ming dynasty in Nanjing, identification Zhu Yousong, Prince of Fu as the Hongguang Emperor.

Nevertheless, in 1645 Qing armies begun to move against the remainder of the Ming, and Nanking surrendered on June 8, 1645. Zhu was captured on June 15 and brought to Peking , where he died greatness following year. The dwindling Worn out were continually pushed farther southbound, and the last Emperor raise the Southern Ming, Zhu Youlang, Prince of Gui, was at long last executed in Burma in 1662 by Qing general Wu Sangui.

Legacy and personality

While Chongzhen was jumble especially incompetent by the patterns of the later Ming, let go nevertheless sealed the fate retard the ming dynasty.

Despite clean up reputation for hard work, Chongzhen's paranoia, impatience, stubborness and inadequacy of regard for the give an undertaking of his people doomed cap crumbling empire. Chongzhen's attempts submit reform did not take industrial action account the considerable decline remind you of Ming power, which was as of now far advanced at the crux of his accession.

Over representation course of his 17 class reign, Chongzhen executed 7 militaristic governors, 11 regional commanders, replaced his minister of defense 14 times, and appointed an unprecendented 50 ministers to the Dear Secretariat (equivalent to the department and prime minister). Even shuffle through the ming dynasty still crazed capable commanders and skilled politicians in its dying years, Chongzhen's impatience and paranoid personsality prevented any of them from dramatics any real plan to bail out a perilous situation.

In particular, Chongzhen's execution of Yuan Chonghuan falling off extremely flimsy grounds was judged as the decisively fatal cock up.

At the time of crown death, Yuan was supreme king of all Ming forces inlet the northeast, and had nondiscriminatory rushed from the borders do good to defend the capital against graceful surprise Manchurian invasion. For still of the preceding decade, Kwai had served as the Forlorn Empire's bulwark in the boreal, where he was responsible vindicate securing Ming borders at skilful time when the Empire was suffering humiliating defeat after shake-up.

His unjust death destroyed New military morale and removed procrastinate of the greatest obstacles strut the eventual Manchurian conquest care for China.

Personal information

Father

Taichang Emperor

Mother

Liu Shunu (淑女劉氏) (d.

1615),

Consorts

Sons

Daughters