Part of Nurhaci's legacy are the sons that he left behind. Collectively and individually they were powerful, competent, strong, and experienced military leaders. The surviving sons chose a successor and it would be Nurhaci’s 8th son by the name of Huang Taiji.

Huang Taiji invaded Ming Dynasty China. It did not go well for the Manchus. Huang Taiji attacked again.  This time via Inner Mongolia.  His army made it to the outskirts of Peking in 1629. But Peking was well defended by the Ming army, and eventually the Manchu army withdrew from this area completely. 

In 1636, Huang Taiji himself led a second assault into Korea.  Again, as before, the Korean King was forced to swear an allegiance to the Manchus, renounce their allegiance to the Ming Dynasty, and give aid and support to the Manchus in their conquest of China.

The way now was open to China. But he never made it.  Huang Taiji died unexpectedly in 1643.  It would be only seven months later from this point that the Ming Dynasty would end.

The new dynasty begins in the next episode.

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