Zhengde Emperor
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| Zhengde Emperor | |
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| Birth and death: | 26 October 1491–20 April 1521 |
| Family name: | Zhu (朱) |
| Given name: | Houzhao (厚照) |
| Dates of reign: | 19 June 1505–20 April 1521 |
| Era name: | Zhengde (正德) |
| Era dates: | 24 January 1506–27 January 1522 |
| Temple name: | Wuzong (武宗) |
| Posthumous name: |
Emperor Yi (毅皇帝) |
| Posthumous name: |
Emperor Chengtian Dadao Yingsu Ruizhe Zhaode Xiangong Hongwen Sixiao Yi 承天達道英肅睿哲昭德顯功弘文 思孝毅皇帝 |
| General note: Dates given here are in the Julian calendar. They are not in the proleptic Gregorian calendar. |
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The Zhengde Emperor (October 26, 1491–April 20, 1521) was emperor of China (Ming dynasty) between 1505-1521. Born Zhu Houzhao, he was the Hongzhi Emperor's eldest son.
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[edit] Early years
Zhengde was created crown prince at a very early age and because his father did not take up any other concubines, Zhengde did not have to contend with other princes for the throne. (His younger brother died in infancy.) Zhengde was thoroughly educated in Confucian studies like his father was and he excelled in his studies. Many of Emperor Hongzhi's minister surmised that Zhengde would yet turned out to be a benevolent and brilliant emperor.
[edit] Reign as Emperor
Zhengde ascended the throne at the age of 14. Unlike his father, Zhengde was not interested in ruling and disregarded all state affairs. He took up a luxurious and prodigal lifestyle and indulged himself in women. It was said that he liked to frequent brothels and even created palaces outside the Forbidden City in Beijing just to house beautiful women for his personal enjoyment. While being urged to return to the palace and attend to governmental matters, Zhengde would refuse to receive all his ministers and ignored all their petitions. Zhengde also sanctioned the rise of eunuchs around him. One particular Liu Jin (劉瑾) was notorious for taking advantage of the young emperor and squandered immense amount of silver and valuables. There was even rumor of a plot that Liu Jin had intended to murder the emperor and place his own grandnephew on the throne. Liu Jin's plot was ultimately discovered, and he was executed in 1510.
Emperor Zhengde died in 1521 at the age of only 30. One day in the fall of 1520 it was said that Zhengde was drunk while boating on a lake. He fell off his boat and almost drowned himself ¹. After that he became ill and died the following year. He had no heir and was succeeded by his cousin.
[edit] Legacy
Though bred to be a successful ruler, Zhengde thoroughly neglected his duties, beginning a dangerous trend that would plague future Ming emperors. The abandoning of official duties to pursue personal gratifications would slowly lead to the rise of powerful eunuchs that would dominate and eventually ruin the Ming dynasty.
[edit] Source
¹ Source: Imperial China - 900-1800, F.W. Mote, Pages 658, First Harvard University Press, 2003.
| Preceded by Hongzhi Emperor |
Emperor of China (Ming Dynasty) 1505–1521 |
Succeeded by Jiajing Emperor |
