Zhu Qizhen

Timeline

1. 1427–1435capital · Northern ZhiliBorn in the second year of Xuande (1427), eldest son of the Xuande Emperor. Clever as a child, he succeeded to the throne after the Xuande Emperor's death in the tenth year of Xuande (1435), growing up in the waning years of the Reign of Ren and Xuande.
2. 1435–1449capital · Northern ZhiliAscended the throne in the first year of Zhengtong, era name Zhengtong. Ruling as a youth, he increasingly relied on the eunuch Wang Zhen, whose autocratic interference in court affairs gradually threw the administration into disorder, planting the seeds of the Tumu Crisis.
3. 1449–1450Tumu Fortress · Northern ZhiliIn the fourteenth year of Zhengtong he personally campaigned against the Oirats, was defeated and captured at Tumu Fortress, and Wang Zhen died in the rout. His younger brother the Prince of Cheng served as regent and was later enthroned as emperor, with Qizhen honored as retired emperor.
4. 1450–1457Southern Palace · Northern ZhiliConfined in the Southern Palace for seven years with the title of retired emperor. As the Jingtai Emperor fell gravely ill, Shi Heng, Xu Youzhen and others launched the Gate-Seizing Incident and restored him to the throne.
5. 1457–1464capital · Northern ZhiliRestored to the throne in the first month of the eighth year of Jingtai, changing the era name to Tianshun. Executed Yu Qian and other senior Jingtai officials, later gradually released confined officials, delegated much of the governance in his later years to Li Xian and others, and died in the eighth year of Tianshun.