Amin (Qing Dynasty)
Encyclopedia
Amin was a Manchu
noble and an important military and political leader in the early years of the Qing dynasty
.
's younger brother Šurhaci
of the Aisin Gioro
clan.
's campaign against the tribes of the Hūlun alliance, namely against Bujantai
and the Ula tribe. At first he held the rank of a taiji
(Mongolian rank of a minor prince). In 1616 when Nurhaci assumed the title of Khan, Amin was named as one of the Four Senior Beile to assist in the administration. In terms of seniority he held the rank of Second Beile, and was given command of the Bordered Blue Banner
. He took part in 1619 in the Battle of Sarhū
against the expeditionary force sent by the Ming Court under Yang Hao. In 1621 he fought bravely during the taking of Shenyang
and Liaoyang
and was of the commanders of the expedition which drove Mao Wenlong
from Korea. In 1626, after the of death of Nurhaci and the sucession of the Fourth Beile, Hong Taiji
as khan, Amin and the other two Senior Beile, Daišan
and Manggūltai, ruled jointly with Hong Taiji.
and was successful in forcing the king of Korea to sue for peace. His aim in subjugating Korea was probably to make himself ruler of that country, but he was opposed by the other princes who had been sent as his assistants, including his own brother, Jirgalang
, and his nephews, Dudu and Yoto. When these princes signed separately a treaty with the Korean king, Amin was so angry that he set his troops in Pyongyang
free for three days of pillaging.
In 1629, when Hong Taiji invaded China, Amin was left at Mukden
as regent. After Hong Taiji returned to Mukden in April 1630 Amin was sent to Yongping
to guard the four cities that had been recently conquered. Amin arrived at Yongping on May 6, but soon the Ming troops counter-attacked and defeated the Manchus in several battles. On June 22, when the Ming troops were approaching Yongping, before fleeing the city with his troops, Amin disobeyed the orders of Hong Taiji by plundering and massacring the population of Yongping. Upon his arrival at Mukden in July 1630, Amin was arrested and tried for fleeing from his post, disobeying orders, for not having confronted the enemy in a single engagement, for losing many of his troops, and for other misdemeanors. A council of princes and high officials
condemned him to death on sixteen counts, but Hong Taiji intervened and commuted his sentence to incarceration. Amin died in prison in 1640.
, a devoted follower of Hong Taiji. From this it is clear that Hong Taiji was still fearful of radically altering the Banner arrangements which his father had designated. However the elimination of Amin as one of the Four Senior Beile made it easier for Hong Taiji to reduce the power of Manggūltai in 1631 and to appropriate for himself the latter's Plain Blue Banner.
Manchu
The Manchu people or Man are an ethnic minority of China who originated in Manchuria . During their rise in the 17th century, with the help of the Ming dynasty rebels , they came to power in China and founded the Qing Dynasty, which ruled China until the Xinhai Revolution of 1911, which...
noble and an important military and political leader in the early years of the Qing dynasty
Qing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
.
Family background
He was the second son of NurhaciNurhaci
Nurhaci was an important Jurchen chieftain who rose to prominence in the late sixteenth century in what is today Northeastern China...
's younger brother Šurhaci
Šurhaci
Šurhaci ; ) , was a Jurchen leader, a member of the Aisin Gioro clan, he was a younger brother of Nurhaci, the founder of the Later Jin Dynasty, of what would become the Qing Dynasty...
of the Aisin Gioro
Aisin Gioro
Aisin Gioro was the family name of the Manchu emperors of the Qing Dynasty. The House of Aisin Gioro ruled China until the Xinhai Revolution of 1911, which established a republican government in its place. The word aisin means gold in the Manchu language, and "gioro" is the name of the place in...
clan.
Nurhaci's reign
In 1608, and again in 1613, he played an important part in NurhaciNurhaci
Nurhaci was an important Jurchen chieftain who rose to prominence in the late sixteenth century in what is today Northeastern China...
's campaign against the tribes of the Hūlun alliance, namely against Bujantai
Bujantai
Bujantai was a Jurchen beile of the Ula tribal confederation.Bujantai was descended from Nacibulu , the ancestor of the Nara lineages of Ula and Hada....
and the Ula tribe. At first he held the rank of a taiji
Mongolian nobility
The Mongolian nobility arose in the 10-12th centuries, became prominent in the 13th century, and essentially governed Mongolia until the early 20th century....
(Mongolian rank of a minor prince). In 1616 when Nurhaci assumed the title of Khan, Amin was named as one of the Four Senior Beile to assist in the administration. In terms of seniority he held the rank of Second Beile, and was given command of the Bordered Blue Banner
Eight Banners
The Eight Banners were administrative divisions into which all Manchu families were placed. They provided the basic framework for the Manchu military organization...
. He took part in 1619 in the Battle of Sarhū
Battle of Sarhu
The Battle of Sarhū refers to the series of conflicts between the Manchus and Ming Dynasty of China in the winter of year 1619, which ended in the overwhelming victory for the former....
against the expeditionary force sent by the Ming Court under Yang Hao. In 1621 he fought bravely during the taking of Shenyang
Shenyang
Shenyang , or Mukden , is the capital and largest city of Liaoning Province in Northeast China. Currently holding sub-provincial administrative status, the city was once known as Shengjing or Fengtianfu...
and Liaoyang
Liaoyang
Liaoyang is a city in China, Liaoning province, located in the middle of the Liaodong Peninsula. The city is situated on the T'ai-tzu River and forms with Anshan a built up area of 2,057,200 inhabitants in 2010....
and was of the commanders of the expedition which drove Mao Wenlong
Mao Wenlong
Mao Wenlong ; was a marine corps commander of the Ming Dynasty, famous for battling the Manchus in the Yellow Sea. He was known for excelling in artillery warfare and for successfully incorporating Western-style tactics into a Far Eastern military.-Early life:Mao was born in Hangzhou and worked as...
from Korea. In 1626, after the of death of Nurhaci and the sucession of the Fourth Beile, Hong Taiji
Hong Taiji
Hong Taiji , also transliterated as Huang Taiji based on the Chinese language transcription of his name, was the first Emperor of the Qing Dynasty.Hong Taiji was the first Emperor of the Qing dynasty after acceding to the title in 1636...
as khan, Amin and the other two Senior Beile, Daišan
Daišan
Daišan was an influential Manchu statesman and an imperial prince of the Qing Dynasty.-Family Background:He the second son of Nurhaci, the founder of the Qing Dynasty...
and Manggūltai, ruled jointly with Hong Taiji.
Hong Taiji's reign
In 1627 Amin was in command of the expedition to KoreaFirst Manchu invasion of Korea
The First Manchu invasion of Korea occurred in 1627, when Hong Taiji led the Manchu army against Korea's Joseon dynasty. It was followed by the Second Manchu invasion of Korea.-Background:...
and was successful in forcing the king of Korea to sue for peace. His aim in subjugating Korea was probably to make himself ruler of that country, but he was opposed by the other princes who had been sent as his assistants, including his own brother, Jirgalang
Jirgalang
Jirgalang or Jirhalang , the sixth son of Nurhaci's younger brother Šurhaci of the Aisin Gioro clan, was a Manchu noble and an important military and political leader in the early years of the Qing dynasty. From 1638 to 1643, he took part in many military campaigns that helped bring down the fall...
, and his nephews, Dudu and Yoto. When these princes signed separately a treaty with the Korean king, Amin was so angry that he set his troops in Pyongyang
Pyongyang
Pyongyang is the capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, commonly known as North Korea, and the largest city in the country. Pyongyang is located on the Taedong River and, according to preliminary results from the 2008 population census, has a population of 3,255,388. The city was...
free for three days of pillaging.
In 1629, when Hong Taiji invaded China, Amin was left at Mukden
Shenyang
Shenyang , or Mukden , is the capital and largest city of Liaoning Province in Northeast China. Currently holding sub-provincial administrative status, the city was once known as Shengjing or Fengtianfu...
as regent. After Hong Taiji returned to Mukden in April 1630 Amin was sent to Yongping
Lulong County
-Administrative Divisions:Towns:*Lulong Town , Panzhuang , Yanheying , Shuangwang , Liutiangezhuang , Shimen Townships:...
to guard the four cities that had been recently conquered. Amin arrived at Yongping on May 6, but soon the Ming troops counter-attacked and defeated the Manchus in several battles. On June 22, when the Ming troops were approaching Yongping, before fleeing the city with his troops, Amin disobeyed the orders of Hong Taiji by plundering and massacring the population of Yongping. Upon his arrival at Mukden in July 1630, Amin was arrested and tried for fleeing from his post, disobeying orders, for not having confronted the enemy in a single engagement, for losing many of his troops, and for other misdemeanors. A council of princes and high officials
Deliberative Council of Princes and Ministers
The Deliberative Council of Princes and Ministers , also known as the Council of Princes and High Officials or simply as the Deliberative Council , was an advisory body for the Emperors of the early Qing Dynasty...
condemned him to death on sixteen counts, but Hong Taiji intervened and commuted his sentence to incarceration. Amin died in prison in 1640.
Legacy
The fall of Amin cleared the way for Hong Taiji to consolidate his power over the other Manchu princes (the Four Senior Beile). The Bordered Blue Banner which was under Amin's control was given to his younger brother, JirgalangJirgalang
Jirgalang or Jirhalang , the sixth son of Nurhaci's younger brother Šurhaci of the Aisin Gioro clan, was a Manchu noble and an important military and political leader in the early years of the Qing dynasty. From 1638 to 1643, he took part in many military campaigns that helped bring down the fall...
, a devoted follower of Hong Taiji. From this it is clear that Hong Taiji was still fearful of radically altering the Banner arrangements which his father had designated. However the elimination of Amin as one of the Four Senior Beile made it easier for Hong Taiji to reduce the power of Manggūltai in 1631 and to appropriate for himself the latter's Plain Blue Banner.