Claiming the Mandate of Heaven
1644 - 1662
After the death of Hung Taiji in 1643, a battle for power broke out between the heads of Manchus because the emperor didn't assign a heir. Two of the most powerful men during that period were Hung Taiji's eldest son Hooge and half brother Dorgon who wanted to overtake the throne and become the king. However, they couldn't achieve their goal and came to an agreement to assign Hung Taiji's youngest son as the emperor, Shunzhi, so they can control the country from the background. Despite the internal conflict, the Ming couldn't take any actions to fight against the Manchus because they were too exhausted in the fight against the rebellions of the peasants. In 1644, Li Zicheng, a rebellion leader, conquered the capital of the Ming, Beijing, and led his army to battle for control of Shanghaiguan, a vital defense against the Manchus. However, Wu Sangui, the general of Shanghaiguan, decided to surrender and open the gate for the Manchus. As a result, Li Zicheng's army was defeated and the Qing officially gained control over the Ming dynasty. In the following year, Emperor Shunzhi claimed the Mandate of Heaven and made Beijing as the Qing capital in which marked the end of Ming dynasty after 276 years. However, Emperor Shunzhi didn't have any power until the death of Dorgon in 1651 because the king was too young and Dorgon's political power was enormous in which after his death, people called him Emperor Yi, the only ruler in the Qing dynasty who didn't officially obtain the throne. Nevertheless, Emperor Shunzhi died in 1661 due to smallpox and his son Xuanye succeeded his throne.
Legacy
The Queue Order
After conquering the Ming dynasty, the government forced the Han people to follow the Manchu style of dress in which they had to shave the front of the heads and combed their hair into a queue. By following the order, it would be easier for the Qing administration to distinguish their friends and enemies because there were still many Ming loyalists who wanted to restore the power of the Ming. However, the queue order had a negative impact on the society because it went against the teaching of Confucius who was respected deeply by the Han people
Emperor Shunzhi's last will
Before his death, Emperor Shunzhi assigned four regents for his son: Oboi, Soni, Suksaha, and Ebilun who would help the young king to organize the country. However, this gave chances for Oboi to use the power of regent to suppress the king and other regents. As a result, from 1661 to 1669, Oboi controlled the Qing dynasty before being imprisoned by Emperor Kangxi.
