Dorgon

Dorgon (1612–1650), also known as Prince Regent Duan of the First Rank, was a Manchu prince of the Aisin Gioro clan and a key early leader in the founding of the Qing dynasty. After the accession of the Shunzhi Emperor in 1643, he served as regent and the principal administrator, directing state affairs and military campaigns during the early Qing consolidation of power.

Dorgon played a decisive role in the Qing conquest of the Ming, helping to secure Beijing and establish Qing authority in northern China following the capital’s capture in 1644. His leadership of the military and diplomatic efforts helped to stabilize the regime at a critical transitional moment and laid foundations for Qing rule over China proper.

Under his regency, the early Qing state pursued measures to stabilize a multi-ethnic empire, incorporating Manchu, Han Chinese, and other groups into a centralized administration. He oversaw military and bureaucratic initiatives that sought to strengthen governance and unify the new regime’s rule.

Dorgon died in 1650, after which power at court shifted to the Shunzhi Emperor and other princes as the dynasty continued to consolidate authority. Historiography presents him as a controversial figure: some sources commemorate him as a decisive founder of Qing rule, while others criticize him for opportunism or for concentrating power during the regency. Today, he remains a subject of scholarly study and public interest, reflecting the complexities of the Qing founding period.