Important Individuals of the Ming Dynasty
Hongwu Emperor
The founder and first emperor of the Ming dynasty. Hongwu was once a commander of the rebellion against the Yuan dynasty, he quickly started to lead the forces against the Yuan, and in 1368 he declared himself emperor of China. His era would be known as "Hongwu". In his reign, he declared Nanjing the Ming capital, and once his empire was prosperous he took a very neutral stance on military use. He even instructed emperors after him to specifically not pursue war for glory and conquest, and to only defend the country, not claiming anymore land. He died at age 69, after ruling for 30 years, and his physicians were blamed for his death and promptly executed.
Yongle
The third emperor of the Ming dynasty,Yongle was the son of Hongwu. He led a bloody civil war against his own nephew, the second emperor, and eventually overthrew him. Yongle also constructed the Forbidden City, moved the Ming capital to Beijing, and commissioned Zheng He's naval expeditions. Yongle died in 1424.
Zheng He
An admiral of the Ming navy, Zheng He led 7 great expeditions. He traded with many foreign countries, and brought back many foreign animals to China. One of which was a giraffe, who was welcomed by the Chinese court as a unicorn. Zheng He was a very famous admiral, and was greatly respected. He died in 1433.
Important Individuals of the Qing Dynasty
Nurhachi
Nurhachi was a Manchu who led the rebellion against the Ming dynasty. Nurhachi led several strong attacks against the Chinese, Koreans, and Mongols. He enlarged his tribes territory significantly. In 1626 he was hit by a cannon in one of his tribe's attacks. he wasn't able to recover, and died two days later.
Empress Dowager Cixi
Empress Dowager Cixi was leader of the Qing dynasty during it's decline and eventual fall. She was described as powerful and charismatic, and led the Qing dynasty from 1861 until her death in 1908. She was known for bringing china, into the modern age. At the age of 16 she was chosen as one of the many wives of the then current emperor. When he died in 1861, their son took the throne. She launched a palace coup, or an illegal seizure of power from a government, and made herself the real ruler of China, from behind the scenes. Literally she sat on her throne with a silk screen separating her and her officials, who were all male.