Tongzhi Emperor

Tongzhi (Chinese同治, Pinyin Tongzhi, * April 27, 1856; † January 12, 1875, Emperor of the Qing Dynasty from November 11, 1861) succeeded his father Xianfeng already at the age of five years on the throne. Until the age of eighteen in 1872 the regency was exercised by his mother Cixi.

Cixi caused that he grew only in palaces without the military upgrading work of his forefathers; Cixis motives for this are not clear.

The " Tongzhi Restoration " indeed bears the name of the emperor, but was set by Cixi and her consultant, scholar Zeng Guofan - General, to the factory.

Tongzhi died in 1875 at the age of eighteen years, without leaving an heir. The Empress Dowager Cixi was known that he had died of smallpox. Probably the young emperor died probably from syphilis because he likes to leave the Forbidden City of Beijing and visited brothels. When his secret forays, and the disease became apparent, Cixi was so angry that they had to treat him because of smallpox and punish the court physician.

His wife, Empress Aluta died the same year as he.