Harbabaturu

Overview

Harba Baturu is a military figure from the Irgen Gioro clan of the Plain White Banner, recorded in Volume Thirteen of the official genealogy of the Manchu Eight Banners compiled during the Qianlong reign. The original electronic text refers to him as Harba Baturu, a fourth-generation descendant of Sangguni. His mother's name is retained. The genealogy records that he was a military officer who followed Tengjisi, and later, during the campaign against Jiujiang in Jiangxi, he was the first to scale the city walls, earning the title of Baturu and the rank of Third-Class Light Cavalry Captain. The bestowed title and hereditary title of meritorious official should be understood separately.

"Military officer" was a military officer in charge of military affairs, while "Light Cavalry Captain" was a hereditary title of meritorious official. "Baturu" implies bravery, and there is a clear context to this bestowal of the title. Later, he was promoted by imperial decree, died in battle while being shot during the campaign against Haicheng in Fujian, and was posthumously awarded the title of Yunqiwei. The posthumous bestowal cannot be written as indicating that he held a substantive official position during his lifetime, had no heirs, and that his younger brother Mandu inherited the position, nor is it a case of a son inheriting his father's position.

Mandu also had meritorious service in the maritime campaigns at Zhoushan, Zhejiang, which further increased his rank, which would then be passed on to his sons and descendants; this part of the military merit must belong to Mandu, not to Harbabaturu. A separate branch of the clan, the descendants of his great-uncle Zakuqi, Detehe, also had meritorious service and could not share the rank. The location of Yarhu, the individual's name and original title, the date of death, and any transfers of rank within the clan still require verification through the original inscriptions and military merit records.