The Ming Dynasty
The Mongol Yuan Dynasty was deposed in 1368 by a rebellion led by Zhu Yangzhang (1328-1398), who was crowed Emperor, beginning the Ming Dynasty, and established the Chinese capital at Naking. His grandson succeeded him as the Jianwen Emperor (1377-1402), who was in turn deposed by his uncle, Yongle Emperor (1360-1433). Emperor Yongle reorganized the provinces, brining peace to China, and devised a long and extensive plan to strengthen and stabilize the frail new economy, which included in the reclaiming of Lower Yangtze Delta and the rebuilt of the Grand Canal of China. He also gathered many scholars to his staff and moved his capital to Beijing, where he constructed the Forbidden Palace. When it came the time to appoint an heir, he choose his oldest son, the athletic warrior Gaoxu (?-1442), Prince of Yunnan.
Yongle possessed a great hatred for the Mongols, and forbade the use of common mongol names, customs and cloths. He also waged constant wars against the Northern Yuan Dynasty, located in Mongolia. These experiences led to Yongle making a lot of effort to form a Chinese cavalry. In 1405, Yongle sponsored a massive and long term expedition leaded by fleet admiral Zheng He, which visited many nearby nations, extracting diplomatic agreements, and discovered many distant lands, and even initiated diplomatic contact with the Templar Order, learning much of European politic scenery, during his sixth journey, while he visited the kingdom of Ethiopia between 1421-1422.
In 1406, both a Vietnamese prince of the deposed Tran Dynasty and a Chinese ambassador were murdered in Vietnam, resulting in China invading Vietnam with an army of 500,000 and thus annexing Vietnam, executing the Ho Dynasty of Vietnam in 1407. Efforts to turn Vietnam into a Chinese province were met with great resistance, and in 1418 a major rebellion occurred, leaded by Le Loi (1384-1424). After a great defeat in 1421, Emperor Yongle invaded Vietnam in 1424 with an army of nearly 1,000,000. After some months, Le Loi was killed in battle, and Vietnam once more annexed, although not pacified.
When Yongle died in 1433, he was succeeded by his heir, the athletic Gaoxu, who continued his father’s policies, and in 1440 he brought down an rebellion in Vietnam, during each he contract an illness which slowly corroded his health, finally killing him in 1447. His third son and chosen heir ascended to the throne as Emperor Zhanji (1427-1472)], and had soon to face an rebellion organized by his two older brothers, Zhu Yìjun (1423-1454)] and Zhu Qízhèn (1425-1453), who refused to acknowledge his father’s choice. Unpopular and considered as rude troublemakers, Zhu Yìjun and Zhu Qízhèn had trouble to find support, gathering to them only outcasts and bandits. In 1453, Zhu Qízhèn was captured after attempting to raid Beijin, and committed suicide ratter than facing his brother. Yìjun lasted one more year, before been killed by one of his lieutenants, who seized their troops and continued the rebellion on his own until disappearing in 1457, his fate unknown. In 1455, Emperor Zhanji ordered the elaboration of a great atlas showing all lands known to the Ming, including those discovered by Zheng He, like Dahainan, or “the land south of the great sea” [OTL Australia] and Dongsheng, or “the eastern province” [OTL California].
Emperor Zhanji and his heir Hóngzhì (1460-1512) had to face five different rebellions in Vietnam. It was at the end of the rebellion of 1477-1480, that Emperor Hóngzhì invaded and conquered the island of Luzon after the rebel leader Mac Dang fled into exile to that island. This caused a period of diplomatic tensions with the Sultanate of Sulu, which resulted into war in 1485. In 1497, Emperor Hóngzhì conquered the Sultanate of Sulu, executed the families of all members of the Sulu government, and announced the formation of another Chinese province, which was named the Luzon Province. To better control the Vietnam and Luzon native populations, Emperor Hóngzhì took a radical posture, forcing the settlement of hundreds of thousands of han farmers and craftsmans into both provinces, granting them lands to build their lives. Also, after both Vietnamese rebellions of 1477-1480 and 1497-1498, Emperor Hóngzhì ordered the death of the families of all involved, as well as the seizure of their wealth and lands.
The Mongol Yuan Dynasty was deposed in 1368 by a rebellion led by Zhu Yangzhang (1328-1398), who was crowed Emperor, beginning the Ming Dynasty, and established the Chinese capital at Naking. His grandson succeeded him as the Jianwen Emperor (1377-1402), who was in turn deposed by his uncle, Yongle Emperor (1360-1433). Emperor Yongle reorganized the provinces, brining peace to China, and devised a long and extensive plan to strengthen and stabilize the frail new economy, which included in the reclaiming of Lower Yangtze Delta and the rebuilt of the Grand Canal of China. He also gathered many scholars to his staff and moved his capital to Beijing, where he constructed the Forbidden Palace. When it came the time to appoint an heir, he choose his oldest son, the athletic warrior Gaoxu (?-1442), Prince of Yunnan.
Yongle possessed a great hatred for the Mongols, and forbade the use of common mongol names, customs and cloths. He also waged constant wars against the Northern Yuan Dynasty, located in Mongolia. These experiences led to Yongle making a lot of effort to form a Chinese cavalry. In 1405, Yongle sponsored a massive and long term expedition leaded by fleet admiral Zheng He, which visited many nearby nations, extracting diplomatic agreements, and discovered many distant lands, and even initiated diplomatic contact with the Templar Order, learning much of European politic scenery, during his sixth journey, while he visited the kingdom of Ethiopia between 1421-1422.
In 1406, both a Vietnamese prince of the deposed Tran Dynasty and a Chinese ambassador were murdered in Vietnam, resulting in China invading Vietnam with an army of 500,000 and thus annexing Vietnam, executing the Ho Dynasty of Vietnam in 1407. Efforts to turn Vietnam into a Chinese province were met with great resistance, and in 1418 a major rebellion occurred, leaded by Le Loi (1384-1424). After a great defeat in 1421, Emperor Yongle invaded Vietnam in 1424 with an army of nearly 1,000,000. After some months, Le Loi was killed in battle, and Vietnam once more annexed, although not pacified.
When Yongle died in 1433, he was succeeded by his heir, the athletic Gaoxu, who continued his father’s policies, and in 1440 he brought down an rebellion in Vietnam, during each he contract an illness which slowly corroded his health, finally killing him in 1447. His third son and chosen heir ascended to the throne as Emperor Zhanji (1427-1472)], and had soon to face an rebellion organized by his two older brothers, Zhu Yìjun (1423-1454)] and Zhu Qízhèn (1425-1453), who refused to acknowledge his father’s choice. Unpopular and considered as rude troublemakers, Zhu Yìjun and Zhu Qízhèn had trouble to find support, gathering to them only outcasts and bandits. In 1453, Zhu Qízhèn was captured after attempting to raid Beijin, and committed suicide ratter than facing his brother. Yìjun lasted one more year, before been killed by one of his lieutenants, who seized their troops and continued the rebellion on his own until disappearing in 1457, his fate unknown. In 1455, Emperor Zhanji ordered the elaboration of a great atlas showing all lands known to the Ming, including those discovered by Zheng He, like Dahainan, or “the land south of the great sea” [OTL Australia] and Dongsheng, or “the eastern province” [OTL California].
Emperor Zhanji and his heir Hóngzhì (1460-1512) had to face five different rebellions in Vietnam. It was at the end of the rebellion of 1477-1480, that Emperor Hóngzhì invaded and conquered the island of Luzon after the rebel leader Mac Dang fled into exile to that island. This caused a period of diplomatic tensions with the Sultanate of Sulu, which resulted into war in 1485. In 1497, Emperor Hóngzhì conquered the Sultanate of Sulu, executed the families of all members of the Sulu government, and announced the formation of another Chinese province, which was named the Luzon Province. To better control the Vietnam and Luzon native populations, Emperor Hóngzhì took a radical posture, forcing the settlement of hundreds of thousands of han farmers and craftsmans into both provinces, granting them lands to build their lives. Also, after both Vietnamese rebellions of 1477-1480 and 1497-1498, Emperor Hóngzhì ordered the death of the families of all involved, as well as the seizure of their wealth and lands.