Jirgalang

Who was Jirgalang?

Jirgalang or Jirhalang was a Manchu noble, regent, and political and military leader of the early Qing dynasty. Born of the Manchu Aisin Gioro clan, he was the sixth son of Šurhaci, a younger brother of Qing founder Nurhaci. From 1638 to 1643, he took part in many military campaigns that helped bring down the fall of the Ming dynasty. After the death of Hong Taiji in September 1643, Jirgalang became one of the young Shunzhi Emperor's two co-regents, but he soon yielded most political power to co-regent Dorgon in October 1644. Dorgon eventually purged him of his regent title in 1647. After Dorgon died in 1650, Jirgalang led an effort to clean the government of Dorgon's supporters. Jirgalang was one of ten "Princes of the First Rank" whose descendants were made "Iron-cap Princes", who had the right to transmit their princely titles to their direct male descendants perpetually.