User:Madalibi/Hong Taiji

Hong Taiji was emperor of the Qing dynasty before the Qing started conquering China in 1644. Though he was the designer of Qing emperorship, he is considered the second Qing emperor because his father Nurhaci is retrospectively viewed as the Qing founder. Hong Taiji's reforms to government institutions, the imperial clan, and the Banner system were retained for generations.

Military campaigns
Hong Taiji became khan seven months after Nurhaci had lost the Battle of Ningyuan where the besieged Ming forces, led by Yuan Chonghuan, had repelled the Manchus with cannon borrowed from Portuguese technicians from Macau. Both to recover from this defeat and to consolidate his position as khan, Hong Taiji negotiated with Yuan and the Ming. But Hong Taiji's demands – formal apologies for the Seven Grievances, as well as a heavy tribute like the one the Song had paid to the Jurchen Jin starting in the 12th century – were too high for Yuan, whose position at court had been reinforced by the accession of the Chongzhen emperor, the death of the eunuch Wei Zhongxian, and the return to court of a literati faction that supported Yuan.

Government institutions
Hong Taiji's grand secretaries were of lower ranked than in the late Ming government, where they were the most influential officials at court. There were one Chinese and two Manchu grand secretaries, and they served as advisors to the sovereign.

See Inner Three Courts.

The Six Ministries were managed by Manchu princes.