Tumu Crisis and the Zhengtong Interregnum (1449–1457)

1. Oirat invasion prompts imperial northern campaign

   Jul 1, 1449Labels: Esen Taiji, Wang Zhen, Ming frontier

   • Britannica
   • Tumu Crisis

2. Ming army annihilated at Tumu; emperor captured

   Sep 1, 1449Labels: Tumu Crisis, Zhengtong Emperor, Oirat Mongols

   • Tumu Crisis
   • Tumu Timeline

3. Court power shifts after Wang Zhen’s death

   Sep 1, 1449Labels: Wang Zhen, Yu Qian, court factions

   • Wang Zhen
   • Tumu Timeline

4. Zhu Qiyu enthroned as the Jingtai Emperor

   Sep 22, 1449Labels: Zhu Qiyu, Jingtai Emperor, imperial succession

   • Jingtai
   • Jingtai Emperor

5. Yu Qian organizes Beijing’s emergency defense

   Oct 1, 1449Labels: Yu Qian, Beijing defense, Ming military

   • Yu Qian
   • Jingtai

6. Defense of Beijing repels Esen’s assault

   Oct 11, 1449Labels: Defense of, Esen Taiji, Oirat assault

   • Defense Beijing
   • Yu Qian

7. Esen releases the captive Zhengtong Emperor

   Sep 1, 1450Labels: Esen Taiji, Zhengtong Emperor, diplomatic release

   • Yu Qian
   • Jingtai

8. Yingzong returns to Beijing and is confined

   Sep 19, 1450Labels: Yingzong, Southern Palace, Forbidden City

   • Yingzong
   • Ming Timeline

9. Jingtai shifts succession away from Yingzong’s line

   Jan 1, 1452Labels: Jingtai Emperor, succession policy, Yingzong s

   • Jingtai
   • Jingtai Emperor

10. Palace coup restores Yingzong (Duomen Incident)

    Feb 11, 1457Labels: Duomen Incident, Yingzong, palace coup

    • Yingzong
    • Duomen Coup

11. Yu Qian executed in post-coup purge

    Feb 16, 1457Labels: Yu Qian, post-coup purge, treason execution

    • Yu Qian
    • Yu Qian

12. Deposed Jingtai Emperor dies after demotion

    Mar 14, 1457Labels: Jingtai Emperor, demotion, death

    • Jingtai
    • Jingtai Emperor