Land Empires Qing and Ottoman Empires in the Age of Imperialism 1800-1870 Signing Treaty of Nanjing 1842
Qing Dynasty: age of imperialism
Nanjing Treaty had several long-term consequences, critical for shaping second half 19th Century: - central to future treaty making (especially with British) - aggravated regional, ethnic, economic grievances against Government - genuinely ‘cost’ Government: affecting economy (already in trouble) - resulted in ‘reform government’: generating reactionary forces
Qing Dynasty: age of imperialism
Treaty had several consequences: - for British (and other foreigners) first of several degrading, humiliating agreements they were able to impose - (Text) ‘each round of treaties brought new privileges’ to foreigners
Most significant: 1860 Emperor forced to legalize importation of opium Qing Dynasty: age of imperialism
Opium Imports from India to China:
One Chest = (apprx.) 140 pounds
1773 1,000 chests
1790 4,000 chests
early 1820s 10,000 chests
1828 18,000 chests
1839 40,000 chests
1865 76,000 chests
1884 81,000 chests (peak) Qing Dynasty: age of imperialism
Treaty had several consequences: - expansion of ‘foreigners quarters’: limited river-front occupation became ‘mini- colonization’, neighbourhoods, ‘pockets’ where foreign merchants lived at ease and outside of Chinese regulations - drew poor Chinese into surrounding areas: providing services (domestic labour, laundry, prostitution….) Qing Dynasty: age of imperialism
Shamian Island: Forced Concession to British And French—’western buildings’, neighbourhoods Qing Dynasty: age of imperialism
Treaty had several consequences:
- weakened government (below) which in turn allowed for ‘outlying’ provinces to achieve autonomy or independence (usually by engaging with ‘foreign powers’ as allies)
Qing Dynasty: age of imperialism
Treaty had several consequences: - from 1865 Britain gained control of territories along Indian frontier - also encouraged Tibetan independence (succeeded 1912)
- French intervened late 19th C. : encouraged Vietnamese Court to end tributary relations with Qing Qing Dynasty: age of imperialism Qing Dynasty: age of imperialism
Treaty had several consequences: - weakened government faced additional challenges to power domestically
1856-60: Second Opium War – seemingly staged incident with British/pirate ship ‘Arrow’ - 1860: Br/Fr forces marched on capital, emperor fled, son signed treaty - forced more capitulations – including British right to sail warships up rivers
Qing Dynasty: age of imperialism
Burning of European Factories during “Arrow War”, Canton Qing Dynasty: age of imperialism
British Lord Elgin Arrives in Canton after Defeat of City: orders destruction of Summer Palace Qing Dynasty: age of imperialism
French and British Looting Old Summer Palace 1860 Qing Dynasty: age of imperialism
Treaty had several consequences:
- provided opportunity for Russia to eat away at northern margins of empire - 1858, 1860, 1864: acquired territory in exchange for assistance in Second Opium War “Land Empires”: Qing and Ottoman
Russian ‘gains’ from military assistance during Second Opium War Qing Dynasty: age of imperialism
Treaty had several consequences: two political reactions
- Reform - Rebellion
Each responding to, engaging with (or not) these fundamental changes to Qing society
Qing Dynasty: age of imperialism
Reform 1861: - military rallied behind 5yr-old Emperor’s son with concubine Cixi - goal: preserve Confucian values by acquiring Western military technology - included institutional reforms: creation of of foreign affairs, providing for Foreign Diplomats to reside in ‘Capital’ city – previously forbidden - creation Imperial Maritime Customs Service [see post-Taiping Rebellion, below] Qing Dynasty: age of imperialism
Reform 1861: - modernizing of army, navy: required purchase armaments factories from Europeans - period of ‘co-operation’ with Europeans - ended 1870: ‘Tientsin Massacre’ Qing Dynasty: age of imperialism
Tientsin … and consequences: - French Diplomats causing problems: in retaliation, two French Nuns executed - French active in Indo-China: 1885 controlled territory on Chinese border - war over Tonkin: French victorious, forced full capitulation – recognition French claims Qing Dynasty: age of imperialism
1884 French ‘Conquest’ of Indo-China
1881
1874 Qing Dynasty: age of imperialism
Long-Term Consequences: Rebellions - (Text) noting huge population growth during Qing Dynasty: from 1644-1800 more than doubled - “permanent floating population of unemployed and homeless” - aggravated level grievances that began with fact ‘Qing’ seen as foreign regime (Manchu)
Qing Dynasty: age of imperialism
Rebellions: - cast suspicion on relations with ‘outside’ foreigners - growing discontent with ‘excessive accommodation to Europeans’ - late 18th, 19th century: several rebellions - some messianic (e.g. White Lotus 1794), others ethnic/religious (e.g. Yaqub Beg, Muslim 1860s) Qing Dynasty: age of imperialism
Rebellions: - Yaqub Beg: (Text) story illustrative of combination of ‘challenges’ 19th c. European Imperialism posed - success of decade-long autonomous regime due in large part to ‘diplomacy’ that played off aggressive neighbours – Britain to south in India, Russia to north - even courted Ottomans to west: Britain, Russia, Ottomans at varying times mid-to- late 19th c. –allies, enemies
“Land Empires”: Qing and Ottoman
Yaqub Beg’s ‘Xinjiang’ [note proximity Russian land, Mongolia] Qing Dynasty: age of imperialism
Rebellions: - ‘using’ geo-political rivalries of Europeans (including Ottomans at this time [see next lecture]) drew Qing repression - (Text) points out that retaking territory was expensive at time government investing in modernizing military but… worried that Russia would use alliance as foothold into Mongolia [see also ‘decentralization’, below] - Yaqub Beg’s regime forced to collapse 1877
Qing Dynasty: age of imperialism
Rebellions: Taiping (1850-64) - most important: ‘Great Civil War’ - Hong Xiuquan: failed Civil Service exam – only way into administration - spent time Canton: absorbed Christian message from missionaries - believed himself to be ‘younger brother of Jesus’: destined to drive Manchu out of China Hong Xiaquan
Hong Xiaquan as ‘leader’
The Civil Service Exam (above) Qing Dynasty: age of imperialism
Rebellions: Taiping (1850-64) - charismatic: played on various economic and social grievances - attention to oppression women: among social measures, many directed to women (ending feet binding, forced marriage, concubinage) - also: ended slavery, torture, worship of ‘idols’ and opium smoking
“Land Empires”: Qing and Ottoman Qing Dynasty: age of imperialism
Rebellions: Taiping (1850-64) - British and French came to aid of government 1856 (following ending Crimean War [see Ottoman Empire] ) - still took until 1864 to end rebellion - (Text) speaks to taking (back) of Nanjing – evocative drawing - underscores devastating impact on ‘common’ population, rural and urban Taiping Rebellion
Taiping Rebellion
Retaking of Nanjing from Taiping ‘Rebels’, 1864 Qing Dynasty: age of imperialism
Rebellions: Taiping (1850-64) - 20-30 million lives lost during war “bloodiest civil war of all time” - provoked other rebellions (among them Yaqub Beg’s) during rest of century - (Text) devastated agriculture, leading to long term hunger and famine in some areas - depopulation, refugees streaming to cities that could not feed them - parts of country did not recover until 20th c. Qing Dynasty: age of imperialism
Rebellions: Taiping (1850-64) - government already in economic difficulty before war - still owed payments demanded by Europeans with Treaty Nanjing - now ‘in debt’ to Europeans for assistance putting down Taiping Qing Dynasty: age of imperialism
Rebellions: Taiping (1850-64) - Britain, France actively involved to assure payment through Imperial Maritime Customs Service [part of ‘reform’] - with Americans, acting as ‘advisors’ to help with economic recovery Qing Dynasty: age of imperialism
Rebellions: Taiping (1850-64) - war had given right to provinces to raise taxes, troops, run their own bureaucracies - largely retained - several turned to US for assistance - weapons factories, shipyards, military training - some young boys sent to US for education science, math, engineering, history [see Text, “Zeng Guofan”] Qing Dynasty: age of imperialism
Rebellions: Taiping (1850-64)
Governor Zhili Province, 1868-1870 Qing Dynasty: age of imperialism
Rebellions: Taiping (1850-64)
- Empress Dowager Xici supported changing institutional structure: ‘decentralization’ that promised to transition empire into active partner in global politics, economics - but neither Foreign interests nor Domestic battles for power allowed for that transition
Qing Dynasty c. 1870