Nurhaci - Unifying The Jurchen Tribes

Unifying The Jurchen Tribes

In 1593, the nine allied tribes of Yehe, Hada, Ula, Hoifa, Khorchin, Sibe, Guwalca, Jušeri, and Neyen attacked Nurhaci but all were completely defeated at the Battle of Gure.

From 1599 to 1618, Nurhaci engaged on a campaign on conquering the four Hulun tribes. In 1599, he attacked the Hada, finally conquering the Hada in 1603. Then in 1607, with the death of its beile Baindari, Hoifa was conquered, followed by an expedition against Ula and its beile Bujantai in 1613 and finally defeating Yehe and its beile Gintaisi at the Battle of Sarhu in 1619.

In 1599, he had two of his translators, Erdeni Bagshi and Dahai Jarguchi, create the Manchu alphabet by adapting the Mongolian script.

In 1606, he was granted the title of Kundulun Khan by the Mongols.

In 1616, Nurhaci declared himself Khan (King) and founded the Jin Dynasty (aisin gurun), often called the Later Jin. He constructed a palace at Mukden (present-day Shenyang) in Liaoning province. (The earlier Jin Dynasty of the twelfth century had also been formed by the Jurchen.) Jīn was renamed Qīng by his son Hong Taiji after his death in 1626, but Nurhaci is usually referred to as the founder of the Qing dynasty.

In order to help with the newly organized administration, five of his trusted companions were appointed as his five chief councilors, Anfiyanggū, Eidu, Hūrhan, Fiongdon, and Hohori.

Only after he became khan did he finally unify the Ula (clan of his consort Lady Abahai, mentioned below) and the Yehe (clan of his consort Monggo, along with the last Empress Dowager Cíxǐ, and many more consorts of Qing Emperors in between).