Zhu Chenhao facts for kids

Zhu Chenhao (Chinese: 朱宸濠; born July 1, 1476 – died January 12, 1521) was a member of the Ming dynasty royal family in China. He was also known as the Prince of Ning (寜王). Zhu Chenhao was a great-great-grandson of Zhu Quan, who was the 17th son of the first Ming emperor, the Hongwu Emperor. Zhu Chenhao is famous for leading a major uprising known as the Prince of Ning rebellion, where he tried to take over the emperor's throne.

Becoming the Prince of Ning

Zhu Chenhao was not a military leader. Instead, he enjoyed reading and having fun. However, he was also very clever and wanted a lot of power. Like many other princes, he dreamed of becoming the emperor.

In 1499, during the time of the Hongzhi Emperor, Zhu Chenhao became the "Prince of Ning." This title was passed down through his family. His father, Zhu Jinjun, was the previous Prince of Ning. The family lived in Jiangxi province, which was far from Beijing, the capital city of the Ming dynasty.

The Prince of Ning Rebellion

Zhu Chenhao had wanted to start a rebellion for a long time. But he didn't have an army or even his own bodyguards. This was because his ancestor, Zhu Quan, had his army taken away by the Yongle Emperor. This was done to stop Zhu Quan from rebelling. Zhu Chenhao wanted to get his princely guards back.

Getting an Army

In 1507, Zhu Chenhao sent a special palace official to Beijing. This official carried a huge gift of money for a powerful official named Liu Jin. The prince wanted Liu Jin to help him get his princely bodyguards and their income back.

Even though the government department for war disagreed, the prince's guards were given back. But in September 1510, the guards were taken away again. This happened just before Liu Jin was executed.

Zhu Chenhao didn't give up. In 1514, he tried again to get his army back. He worked with Lu Wan, an official in the Ministry of War. Lu Wan had supported the prince before. Lu Wan agreed to help.

However, a very important government official named Fei Hong refused to approve the request. He knew the prince's true plans. But Zhu Chenhao had a secret plan with other officials and palace staff. They tricked Fei Hong, and the emperor's official order was given. The prince's bodyguards were restored once more.

Building Power

In June 1514, the prince asked for special seals. These seals would give him power to control the military in his area. He also hired hundreds of tough people to work for him.

By August 1514, Zhu Chenhao asked for permission to punish royal family members who broke rules. With Lu Wan's help, the Zhengde Emperor agreed. At this point, the Prince of Ning started acting like he was the emperor. He called his guards "imperial attendants" and his orders "imperial edicts."

He also told local officials to wear formal court robes when they met him. The Governor of Jiangxi said this was wrong and refused.

Stopping Opposition

Zhu Chenhao began to gather smart people and advisors to help him. His main advisor was a scholar who knew a lot about military plans. Local officials who didn't support the prince were removed.

A judge in Jiangxi reported the prince's betrayal to the emperor's court. But this judge was arrested and killed. Because of this, other local officials cooperated and didn't say anything.

In May 1517, some palace officials from Zhu Chenhao's household secretly went to Beijing. They wanted to report his illegal actions. But the commander of the Imperial bodyguard, Qian Ning, told the prince. The palace officials were arrested and beaten to death before they could reach Beijing.

The Uprising Begins

In July 1519, Zhu Chenhao was at a party for his birthday. A spy arrived from Beijing with important news. High officials were being sent to arrest him. The prince immediately left the party. He called an urgent meeting with his advisors. They all agreed that his secret plan was known. They couldn't wait any longer to act.

On July 10, 1519, Zhu Chenhao gathered local officials. He announced that a palace official had tricked the Hongzhi Emperor. He claimed the current emperor, the Zhengde Emperor, was not the true son of the previous emperor. The prince said the person on the throne was just a commoner.

The prince also announced that he had received an order from the empress to punish "bandits." Sun Sui, the Governor of Jiangxi, asked the prince to show the empress's order. The prince refused. Then Sun Sui accused the prince of betraying the emperor. Sun Sui and several other officials who refused to help were killed right away.

The Battle

The prince's army left his main city, Nanchang. They wanted to control the path to the Yangtze River. The city of Jiujiang fell on July 13. The city of Anqing was surrounded and attacked on July 23.

When Wang Yangming, the governor of Southern Jiangxi, heard this news, he acted quickly. Wang Yangming spread a false report. He said a huge imperial army from Beijing was marching to Nanchang. The Prince of Ning didn't dare to leave his headquarters for several days. He eventually realized it was a trick.

On August 9, the rebel prince and his main army reached Anqing. They attacked the city for over ten days. Many lives were lost, but Anqing city was not captured. On August 13, Wang Yangming and his army reached Nanchang. The prince's main city was not well-protected. Only a few soldiers were defending it.

When Zhu Chenhao heard that Nanchang was under attack, he ordered his army to leave Anqing. They rushed back to Nanchang to protect his base. Wang Yangming attacked Nanchang, and there was a serious battle with the Prince of Ning.

On August 20, the rebel prince and his army were completely defeated by Wang Yangming. The prince tried to escape in a small boat. But Wang Yangming found the boat and burned it before the prince could reach it. Soon after, the prince was captured. Wang Yangming successfully stopped the uprising, which had lasted for forty days.

Death

All of the Prince of Ning's allies were captured. This included the commander of the Imperial guard, Qian Ning, and the Minister of War, Lu Wan. Both were punished by death.

Zhu Chenhao was no longer considered a prince in 1519. He was ordered to die on January 12, 1521. After his death, his body was burned. Most of the prince's family members were also executed, except for a few who managed to escape.

See also

• Zhengde Emperor
• Prince of Anhua
• Wang Yangming