Qianlong

Qianlong , in Chinese 乾隆, (September 25th 1711 - February 7th 1799), wire of the emperor Yongzheng, was the 6th emperor of the dynasty Qing Mandchou E and reigned on China of the October 18th 1735 until the February 9th 1796.

Its reign was economic and soldier. It conquered in particular the basin of the Ili and the Xinjiang, and increases the empire until its vastest extent: approximately: 11000000 km ², against: 9000000 today. Its reign marks the apogee territorial and economic empire and dynasty, Qianlong copying the techniques of Kangxi, his/her grandfather, whom he admired. It adopted a girl who was called Huan Zhu Ge Ge.

When it was young, Qianlong surprised his/her grandfather in several fields of which literary arts. Kangxi had chosen Yongzheng to succeed to him so that precisely, a day, Qianlong arrives at the throne. Kangxi was persuaded right now, and rightly, that its grandson would make a good emperor. In the middle of its reign an economic crisis will start; it will grant a disproportionate capacity to a young general, Heshen. Towards 1770 the economic crisis worsened and the capacity was seen constrained to increase the taxes considerably, thus applying a brake at the prosperity of the campaigns. Having reigned during 60 years, Qianlong abdicates by respect for his/her grandfather, in order not to reign longer than the Kangxi emperor. His/her preferred son will become the emperor Jiaqing, but Qianlong will preserve the totality of the capacity until its death.

External wars

The Qianlong Emperor carried out several victorious wars, consolidating the territories controlled by the Qing dynasty. That was made possible not only by the Chinese force but also by the disunion and the weakness of the people of Central Asia.

the Chinese Turkestan was incorporated in the dynasty of Qing and famous Xinjiang, while in the West, the valley of the Ili was conquered and received a garrison. Qing also dominated the Outer Mongolia after having inflicted a final defeat with the Mongolian of the west.

the army conducted four unfruitful campaigns against the Burmeses of the Dynastie Konbaung (1765 - 1769); a peace treaty was signed in 1770, the commercial relations taking again in 1788.

the king of Nepal Prithvi Narayan Shah had invaded the Tibet. This one, incompetent to release itself by itself, required the assistance of China. In 1788, Qianlong sent armies to Tibet for restores the Dalaï LAMA, but it associated a Qing resident and a garrison to him. In 1792, it emitted a decree in 29 points which tightened Chinese control on Tibet.

With the Vietnam, the things turned badly. In 1787 the last king of the dynasty had been constrained to It to flee Thanglong (today Hanoï) in front of the Tay Its. He asked of the assistance China to restore his throne. Qianlong sent an army against Tay Son: it took Thanglong in 1788 but was overcome during the Tet of the following year to the Bataille of Đống Đa. China folded up itself and did not intervene any more in Vietnam during the 90 following years.

All in all, the military expansion of Qianlong, (he even Manchu and thus non-Han) inserted in the empire of the million square km and the people non-Han - such as the Ouïgour S, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Mongolian Evenks and S - which was at least potentially hostile. It was also a very expensive company: the imperial Treasury was almost exhausted by military forwardings, which could have been a cause of the later decline of the dynasty.

Although these wars had in general been of successes, those were not crushing: The army declined and extremely had to make with several enemies. The Xinjiang required 2-3 years to be controlled, at the price of important losses. The war in Dzoungarie, caused heavy losses with the two belligerents.

The end of the wars resulted in a weakening of the army. Its discipline was slackened and its living conditions mainly became more lenient, which had as a result its fast decline, responsible for the military failure against the Secte of the white lotus at the end of the reign of Qianlong.

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