Full name
Family name: Zhu (朱) Given name: Yousong (由崧)
Era name and dates
Hongguang (弘光): 1645
Posthumous name
Emperor Chutian Chengdao Chengjing Yingzhe Zuanwen Beiwu Xuanren Duxiao Jian 處天承道誠敬英哲纘文備武宣仁度孝簡皇帝
Temple name
Ming Anzong 明安宗

House

Southern Ming Dynasty

Father

Zhu Changxun

Full name
Family name: Zhu (朱) Given name: Yousong (由崧)
Era name and dates
Hongguang (弘光): 1645
Posthumous name
Emperor Chutian Chengdao Chengjing Yingzhe Zuanwen Beiwu Xuanren Duxiao Jian 處天承道誠敬英哲纘文備武宣仁度孝簡皇帝
Temple name
Ming Anzong 明安宗

The Hongguang Emperor (Chinese: 弘光; 1607–1646), personal name Zhu Yousong (Chinese: 朱由崧), was the first emperor of the Southern Ming Dynasty. He reigned briefly in Southern China from 1644-1645. His era name, Hongguang, means "Great light".

Born Zhu 'Yousong', Hongguang was member of Ming imperial family. He was a son of Zhu Changxun, and a grandson of the Wanli Emperor and Lady Zheng. His title was Prince of Fu before ascending the throne

The news of the Chongzhen Emperor's suicide was met with consternation when it reached Nanjing in mid May 1644. The highest officials in Nanjing soon met to deliberate about how to face the crisis. Since the fate of the official heir apparent was still unknown at the time, many thought it was too early to proclaim a new emperor, but most agreed that an imperial figure was necessary to rally loyalist support for the Ming in the south.

In early June 1644, the court decided that the caretaker government would be centered around Zhu Yousong, Prince of Fu, who was next in line for succession after the dead emperor's sons. When he arrived in the vicinity of Nanjing (he had come from his princedom in Henan), the Prince could count on the military and political support of Ma Shiying (馬士英). Many officers allied with the Donglin Movement preferred Zhu Changfang (朱常淓), Prince of Lu (潞王), to succeed. On June 5 the Prince of Fu entered the city, the next day he accepted the title of "Protector of the State" (監國, sometimes translated as "Regent"), and on June 7 he moved into the imperial palace, where he received the insignia of his new office.

Prodded by some court officials, the Prince of Fu immediately started to consider becoming Emperor. Fearing confrontation with Ma Shiying and other supporters of the Prince, Shi Kefa convinced reluctant members of the court to accept the enthronement. The Prince of Fu was officially crowned as Emperor on June 19, 1644, under the protection of Ma Shiying, who had arrived in Nanjing two days earlier with a large war fleet. It was decided that the next lunar year would be the first year of the Hongguang (弘光) reign with the capital city of Nanjing. The Hongguang court proclaimed that its goal was "to ally with the Tartars to pacify the bandits" (聯虜平寇), that is, to seek co-operation with Qing military forces in order to annihilate rebel peasant militia led by Li Zicheng and Zhang Xianzhong.

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Wikipedia