Hongwu Emperor

21 October 1328 – 24 June 1398

The Hongwu Emperor (1328-1398), born Zhu Yuanzhang, rose from famine-stricken peasant orphan and mendicant monk to found the Ming dynasty in 1368, driving the Mongol Yuan dynasty from China. As emperor he rebuilt the agrarian economy and state institutions while ruling autocratically, abolishing the chancellorship and conducting sweeping purges of officials.

Comparing
Compare

Lived at the same time

Well-documented people whose lives overlapped with Hongwu Emperor.

Life events

Born Zhu Yuanzhang to a poor peasant family in Haozhou
21 October 1328

Zhu Yuanzhang was born into a destitute tenant-farming family in present-day Fengyang, Anhui.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Birth ✓
Orphaned by famine and plague; entered Huangjue Temple as a novice monk
1344

After most of his family died in the disasters of 1344, the teenage Zhu Yuanzhang took refuge in a Buddhist monastery and later wandered as a mendicant.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Personal ✓
Joined the Red Turban rebellion under Guo Zixing
1352

Zhu Yuanzhang enlisted in the anti-Yuan Red Turban forces at Haozhou, where his ability quickly won him command responsibilities.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Career ✓
Married Lady Ma, the future Empress Ma
1352

He married the adoptive daughter of his commander Guo Zixing; she became his trusted consort and later empress.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Relationship ✓
Captured Nanjing and made it his base
1356

Zhu Yuanzhang seized the city of Jiqing, renaming it Yingtian (modern Nanjing), which became the capital of his growing regime.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Achievement ✓
Defeated rival warlord Chen Youliang at the Battle of Lake Poyang
1363

In one of history's largest naval battles, Zhu Yuanzhang's fleet destroyed Chen Youliang's forces on Lake Poyang, securing his dominance in the Yangtze valley.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Achievement ✓
Proclaimed emperor and founded the Ming dynasty
23 January 1368

Zhu Yuanzhang declared himself emperor at Nanjing with the era name Hongwu; his armies took the Yuan capital Dadu later the same year.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Achievement ✓
Purged chancellor Hu Weiyong and abolished the chancellorship
1380

Alleging a treasonous plot, the emperor executed Hu Weiyong and thousands of associates and permanently abolished the office of chancellor, concentrating power in the throne.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Other ✓
Died in Nanjing and was succeeded by his grandson
24 June 1398

The Hongwu Emperor died after a thirty-year reign and was buried in the Xiaoling Mausoleum; his grandson Zhu Yunwen succeeded him as the Jianwen Emperor.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Death ✓