The Qing Dynasty's powerful ministers were depressed and the ending was explored
In Chinese history, the Qing Dynasty's imperial power created a rare phenomenon - powerful ministers are hard to find. Although there are talented ministers such as Zhang Tingyu, there are very few who can really be called powerful ministers.
This article will take you to an in-depth look at 10 special people who held real power during the Qing Dynasty, the first of which was the undisputed "First Powerful Minister of the Qing Dynasty" - Prince Rui Dolgon.
As the fourteenth son of Emperor Taizu of the Qing Dynasty, he distinguished himself during the reign of Emperor Taiji until 1643, when the throne became vacant and Dolgon rose to prominence in the battle between Dolgon and Hauge. Although he did not sit on the dragon chair, as the regent, he actually controlled the political and military power of the young Shunzhi Emperor.
Dolgon led the unification process of the Qing Dynasty by leading the army. He did not stop there, in the first year of Shunzhi, Dolgon was crowned as the regent of his uncle, and his status was transcendent, and his exploits were forever remembered.
His presence marks a unique chapter in the power structure of the Qing Dynasty.
1.In 1645, when Dorgon was promoted to regent, the princes and nobles treated him with great respect, even for major events such as hunting and expeditions. The treatment of his mansion was close to that of the imperial palace, and even the emperor's seal and honor guard were moved to the palace.
In 1648, Dorgon was crowned regent of his father, and his ceremonial standards exceeded the norm, and he enjoyed the honor of emperor almost exclusively. In government affairs, he directly gave orders without asking for instructions, as if he was a real emperor.
Unfortunately, the minister died of illness in 1650 while hunting, and although Emperor Shunzhi was buried with the highest sumptuous burial, his power was later liquidated. It was not until the Qianlong period that Dolgon was rehabilitated and was known as the first powerful minister of the Qing Dynasty.
2.Ao Bai, as a powerful minister in the early years of Kangxi, he was a famous military general in the Huang Taiji era, and was known as "the first Baturu in Manchuria". He was extremely loyal to the Emperor Taiji, and once fought against Dolgon, despite the encounters.
Emperor Shunzhi was well aware of Aobai's loyalty, so he entrusted him with important tasks before his death. However, Aobai's fate also experienced ups and downs, and finally received due evaluation during the Kangxi period.
After succeeding to the throne, Kangxi faced Sony's strong suppression, and Aobai had to relent. However, after Sony's death, Ao Bai dominated and challenged the authority of the young Kangxi. Although Kangxi was an adult, Ao Bai controlled the core power and posed a threat to the imperial power.
In order to bring down Aobai, Kangxi showed goodwill on the surface and secretly gathered forces in private. In the eighth year of Kangxi, with the help of Buku, Kangxi successfully captured Aobai, and then listed his thirty crimes, although he was exempted from the death penalty because of his old merits, he was still imprisoned, and Aobai finally died in prison.
Suo Etu and Mingzhu, after Aobai, became the early figures of Kangxi, but they were much less powerful than Aobai. Suo Etu supported the crown prince and Mingzhu supported the eldest brother, and the two fought constantly, posing a severe challenge to Kangxi's rule.
In the end, in the forty-second year of Kangxi, because Suo Etu was involved in the dispute between the princes, Kangxi imprisoned him and gave him death, weakening this political power.
As early as the Kangxi period, Mingzhu was deposed due to a dispute between friends, and although he was later reinstated, it was difficult to gain Kangxi's trust again. In 1708, Mingzhu unfortunately passed away. Nian Qianyao and Long Keduo are like the shadows of Suo Etu and Mingzhu in the past, but their roles have their own emphasis.
Suo and Ming were the best in the Kangxi period, while Nian and Long were respectively in the Yongzheng era.
Nian Qianyao was in charge of Sichuan and Shaanxi in the late Kangxi period, and he was in charge of supporting Yinyu (Yongzheng's fierce rival), which was essentially to contain this imperial brother. At the critical moment of Kangxi's death, Long Keduo quickly closed the nine gates, cut off the foreign aid of Yinxi and others, and paved the way for Yongzheng's smooth accession to the throne.
Both of them played important roles in consolidating the position of the new emperor.
After Yongzheng ascended the throne, Nian Qianyao and Long Keduo reaped rich rewards for their merits. Nian Qianyao was entrusted with the important task of taking charge of the overall situation of the Northwest Counterinsurgency, and became the guardian of the Northwest that Yongzheng relied on.
However, with the expansion of power, Nian Qianyao became more and more arrogant, and he used his military exploits to frequently recommend cronies, forming a unique one"Annual election"Phenomenon. When he returned to Beijing, even the kneeling of the princes and ministers failed to impress him, and his behavior was out of proportion.
In the capital, Nian Qianyao abused his power and interfered in government affairs, which aroused Yongzheng's deep suspicions. In the end, he was demoted to Hangzhou in the third year of Yongzheng, lost his official position, and faced ninety-two charges after being escorted to the capital, and Emperor Yongzheng killed him and gave him death.
1.Long Keduo, a key figure after Yongzheng ascended the throne, controlled the absolute power of court personnel by virtue of the title of first-class duke and the position of secretary of the ministry, and was praised"Tong Xuan", but his power breeds arrogance, and finally because he is suspected of forming a party for personal gain and concealing jade, Yongzheng mercilessly listed 41 crimes and sent him to permanent imprisonment, and Long Keduo ended his life in solitary confinement seven years later.
2.The corrupt magnate of the Qing Dynasty, He Shen, whose ability to accumulate wealth is unmatched, stems from his high-ranking background. He rose to prominence from the sticky pole, won Qianlong's praise with his diligence and intelligence, and was promoted all the way to the rank of military minister.
At his peak, Heshen was the head of the cabinet, the minister of military aircraft, the major secretaries, and the head of the internal affairs department, and his power was extremely prominent.
He Shen sat in power in the late Qianlong period and became the de facto number two person in the Qing Dynasty, and even the quasi-emperor Jiaqing was also influenced by him. After the abdication, Qianlong made him always by his side, becoming a key link for communication and decision-making, so that He Shen had in the court"Quasi-emperor"status.
The civil and military forces of the Manchu Dynasty bowed down to him"Two emperors"The name is well deserved. However, after Qianlong's death, He Shen's good fortune took a turn for the worse, and his greed was exposed due to the liquidation of a huge fortune, which was equivalent to many years of tax revenue from the imperial court.
Mu Zhang'a is a ** who is good at pandering, and has been relied on by Emperor Daoguang for a long time, and has many protégés, including Zeng Guofan.
In the smoke of the Opium War, Mu Zhang'a adhered to a compromise position and maliciously slandered Lin Zexu, which shook the decision of Emperor Daoguang, resulting in the defeat of the Qing court in negotiations with Britain and the humiliating signing of the Treaty of Nanjing.
After Xianfeng ascended the throne, he showed no mercy to Mu Zhang'a's selfishness and misguided behavior, and decisively deprived him of his official position, a decision that won praise from the whole country. And Su Shun, as a rising star of Prince Zheng's descendants, his fate took a dramatic turn during the Xianfeng period.
From the idle aristocracy of the past, he has become the core**, including important positions such as the former minister and the head of the internal affairs office, and has been deeply relied on by Emperor Xianfeng. With his outstanding ability, Su Shun advocated breaking the boundaries between the Manchus and the Han people, boldly employing the Han people, and insisting on strict internal affairs and tough external affairs.
It is his insight and talent that Zeng Guofan, Hu Linyi, Zuo Zongtang and other Zhongxing celebrities have been able to emerge. If it weren't for Xianfeng's early death, Sushun's influence and contribution would undoubtedly be more far-reaching"Tongzhi Zhongxing"Historical chapters may be interpreted differently.
It can be said that Su Shun's figure is indispensable, he is"Tongzhi Zhongxing"An important driving force behind it.
Sushun, the core of authority during the turbulent period of the Qing Dynasty, rose to prominence by virtue of his key role in the war"Under one man, above ten thousand"。After Xianfeng's death, he was in charge of politics as the head of the eight important members.
However, the joint counterattack of Cixi and Prince Gong to"Rebellion"The crime brought the former giant off the altar, and his fate drew a tragic end in the torrent of history, becoming a unique royal victim in the history of the Qing Dynasty.
In the wave of the Xinhai Revolution, the Beiyang Army led by Yuan Shikai turned the tide and posed a key challenge to the Qing court. On February 12, 1912, the abdication edict of the Empress Dowager Yulong announced the end of the Qing Dynasty, and Yuan Shikai contributed a lot.
However, the ambitious Yuan Shikai tried to follow in the footsteps of the Qing Dynasty and established himself as emperor in 1915"Chinese Empire"The name is established"Hongxian Empire", but after only 83 days, it ended hastily due to internal and external pressure, and died of uremia in 1916.
His departure led to the Beiyang Army**, and China was plunged into turmoil. These ten figures were all important ministers of the court in their respective periods, among which Dolgon, although he did not ascend the throne, he really had the influence of the king and was the most significant minister of the Qing Dynasty.
Yuan Shikai personally ended the Qing Dynasty and ended the feudal imperial era of more than 2,000 years.