khanate · China, Tibet and Mongolia

Later Jin (1616-1636)

1616 CE – 1636 CE · capital Hetu Ala, Liaoyang, Mukden

The Jurchen khanate founded by Nurhaci, who united the Jurchen tribes and challenged the Ming, the direct forerunner of the Qing Empire.

Origins

Nurhaci, a chief of the Jianzhou Jurchen in Manchuria, spent three decades uniting the Jurchen tribes and organising his followers into the Eight Banners. In 1616 he proclaimed himself khan of the Later Jin (Amaga Aisin Gurun) at Hetu Ala, claiming succession from the Jin dynasty (1115-1234).

Rule and society

The Eight Banners combined military, social and administrative roles, enrolling Jurchen, and later Mongol and Chinese, households. Nurhaci declared war on the Ming Empire in 1618, won a great victory at Sarhu in 1619, took Liaoyang and Shenyang and in 1625 made Shenyang (Mukden) his capital. A Manchu script based on Mongolian was created and later improved.

Decline and legacy

Nurhaci was checked at Ningyuan in 1626 and died that year. His son Hong Taiji brought in Chinese officials, subdued Korea and the Chahar Mongols, renamed his people Manchu in 1635 and in 1636 proclaimed the Qing Empire, which conquered China from 1644.

Lineage

Later Jin (1616-1636)Qing Empire 1644 CE – 1912 CE

Connections (2)

More states of China, Tibet and Mongolia →

Cite this page
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Later Jin (1616-1636). In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/later-jin-1616-1636
MLA
“Later Jin (1616-1636).” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/later-jin-1616-1636. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Later Jin (1616-1636).” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/later-jin-1616-1636.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Later Jin (1616-1636)’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/later-jin-1616-1636 (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻