#234 - Ming 24: The Grand Rites Controversy

With the Zhengde Emperor dead without an heir, the succession is in question and rebellion brewing. Fortunately, Grand Secretary Yang Tinghe has planned for this and calls in his backup - the 13-year-old Prince of Xing, Zhengde's younger cousin. He'll come to power as the Jiajing Emperor... but Secretary Yang will very quickly find out that, though young, Jiajing is a spitfire who's here to play the game, not be played.

Time Period Covered:
1519-1524 CE

Major Historical Figures:
Zhu Houcong (The Jiajing Emperor) [r. 1521-1567]
Grand Secretary Yang Tinghe [1459-1529]
Empress Dowager Zhang [1471-1541]
Lady/Empress Dowager Jiang

Major Works Cited:
Geiss, James. “The Cheng-te reign, 1506-1521” in The Cambridge History of China, Vol. 7: The Ming Dynasty, 1368-1644, Part I.”
Legge, James. The Chinese Classics, Vol. III.
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