13 Qing Dynasty

Qing Dynasty

The Qing Empire (1644–1912) was the last great dynastic empire to rule the region. Like most Chinese dynasties, the Qing Dynasty had powerful and long-lived rulers at the beginning of the dynastic era, a period of prosperity in the beginning and middle of their dynastic era, and natural disasters, rebellions, invasions and inept ruling courts at the end.

The Beginning of the Qing Empire

Before the Qing Empire, the Ming Empire lasted about 270 years and then collapsed mainly from within as rival groups carved up sections of the empire for themselves and fought for supremacy. Natural disasters, famine and economic chaos convinced many people that the Ming had lost the Mandate of Heaven. This encouraged people to rebel and encouraged the Mongols and Jurchens to attack.

The Mandate of Heaven is an ancient political idea that Heaven selects an emperor and that an emperor's failure as a god spells disaster for his empire. Major natural disasters were often seen as signs of the loss of the Mandate