The Shunzhi Emperor (1638–61) was the third emperor of the Qing dynasty and the first Qing emperor to rule over China, which he did from 1644 to 1661. He was chosen to succeed his father Hong Taiji (1592–1643) by a committee of Manchu princes in September 1643, when he was five years old. Two co-regents were also appointed: Dorgon (1612–50), fourteenth son of Qing founder Nurhaci, and Jirgalang (1599–1655), one of Nurhaci's nephews. Political power lay mostly in the hands of Dorgon. Under his leadership, the Qing conquered most of the territory of the fallen Ming dynasty (1368–1644), chased Ming loyalist regimes deep into the southwestern provinces, and established the basis of Qing rule over China. After Dorgon's death, the young monarch started to rule personally. He tried, with mixed success, to fight corruption and reduce the Manchu nobility's political influence. In the 1650s he faced a resurgence of Ming loyalist resistance, but by 1661 his armies had defeated the Qing's last enemies. He died at the age of 22 of smallpox, against which the Manchus had no immunity. He was succeeded by his third son, Xuanye, who subsequently reigned for sixty years under the name of Kangxi.
Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shunzhi_Emperor
_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:
1783 - A potential uprising in Newburgh, New York, was defused when George Washington asked Continental Army officers to support the supremacy of Congress. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newburgh_Conspiracy
1875:
Archbishop of New York John McCloskey was named the first cardinal in the United States. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_McCloskey
1892:
Liverpool F.C., one of England's most successful football clubs, was founded. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liverpool_F.C.
1943:
World War II: German forces recaptured Kharkov after four days of house-to-house fighting against Soviet troops, ending the month-long Third Battle of Kharkov. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_Battle_of_Kharkov
1986:
The building housing the Hotel New World in Singapore collapsed suddenly due to structural failure, killing 33 people. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hotel_New_World_disaster
_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:
enshrine: 1. (transitive) To enclose (a sacred relic etc.) in a shrine or chest. 2. (transitive) To preserve or cherish (something) as though in a shrine; to preserve or contain, especially with some reverence. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/enshrine
___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:
Lonely, unto the Lone I go; Divine, to the Divinity. --Lionel Johnson https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Lionel_Johnson