Yongzheng Emperor

The Yongzheng Emperor (born Yinzhen 胤禛) (December 13, 1678 - October 8, 1735) was the fourth emperor of the Manchu Qing Dynasty, and the third Qing emperor to rule over China, from 1722 to 1735.

Military expansion in the northwest

Like his father, Yongzheng used military force to preserve the dynasty's position in Outer Mongolia, and when Tibet was torn by civil war during 1717-28, he intervened militarily, leaving a Qing resident backed up by a military garrison to pursue the dynasty's interests.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

It is however important to note that Yongzheng revamped the tax system at the time so as to not favour only the rich and imposed new land taxes on actual land owners.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

His private life was a sad one. He had nine children but only 3 survived. One of them was Prince Hong Li.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The Yongzheng Emperor ruled the Qing Empire for only thirteen years. He died suddenly at the age of 58 in 1735. Legends hold that he was actually assassinated by Lu Siniang, daughter of Lü Liuliang whose entire family was believed to have been executed for literacy crimes against the Manchu Regime. More realistically, he might have died due to an overdose of medication he was consuming at the time due to his ardent belief that it would prolong his life. To prevent the succession crises faced by himself thirteen years ago, he ordered that his third son, Hongshi, who had been an ally of Yinsi, to commit suicide. He was succeeded by his son, Hongli, the Prince Bao, who became the fifth emperor of the Qing dynasty under the era name of Qianlong.

Related Topics:
1735 - Lü Liuliang - Yinsi - Qianlong

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

He was interred in the Western Qing Tombs (清西陵), 120 kilometers/75 miles southwest of Beijing, in the Tailing (泰陵) mausoleum complex (known in Manchu as the Elhe Munggan).

Related Topics:
Western Qing Tombs - Beijing - Manchu

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~