Tanggūdai

Career and disgrace

Tanggūdai was Nurhaci's fourth son, described in the Draft History of Qing by his later imperial-clan rank and posthumous designation. He served as a gūsa ejen, or banner commander, during Hong Taiji's reign. In 1630 he and officers including Turgi and Namutai defended Luanzhou against Ming forces. Following artillery attacks, the defenders withdrew to Yongping and were held accountable for the failure.

Tanggūdai admitted responsibility and requested death as punishment. Hong Taiji spared his life but removed him from banner command, deprived him of the people he had administered, and confiscated his property. In 1634 he was restored to service with a third-grade meiren janggin rank. In 1639 he received a third-grade zhenguo jiangjun title, and he died in 1640.

Rank and descendants

The position gūsa ejen was a military command; zhenguo jiangjun was an imperial-clan rank. They belonged to different hierarchies and should not be translated as if interchangeable. Tanggūdai's sons Murcha and Niekese subsequently received their own honours and participated in later military activity. In particular, Niekese's service with Dorgon after the conquest of Beijing and in pursuit of Li Zicheng postdated his father's death and cannot be attributed to Tanggūdai. The designation Kejie was bestowed posthumously, not an office held during his lifetime.