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Zheng ZhilongChinese merchant and navigator, pirate and admiral of the Ming Empire
Date of Birth: 01.01.1604
Country:  China |
Content:
Early Life and Family
Zheng Zhilong, also known as Nicholas Iquan Gaspard, was born in 1604 in Nan'an, Fujian, China. His father, Zheng Shaozu, was a finance official in Quanzhou, and his mother was Huang. Legend has it that as a child, Zheng threw a stone at a longan tree to knock down its fruit. Unfortunately, the stone accidentally hit the hat of the city magistrate of Quanzhou, Tsai. Despite being a child, Zheng's father was furious at his son's clumsiness and banished him from the family home when he turned 17.
Pirate and Merchant
From 1622 to 1623, Zheng worked as a translator for Dutch forces occupying the Pescadores archipelago. He later joined forces with Li Dan, a Chinese pirate and merchant in Nagasaki, Japan, where he married a local beauty named Tagawa Matsu. After Li Dan's death, Zheng acquired his own fleet in 1623 and a year later, his son Zheng Chenggong was born in Hirado, Nagasaki.
In 1624, Zheng moved his operations from Japan to Taiwan. He established ten watchtowers along the island's southwest coast but was soon forced out by the Dutch. Undeterred, he founded a pirate alliance in 1625, uniting 18 of China's most powerful pirates. In 1628, he led the alliance to victory over the Ming dynasty fleet, becoming its supreme admiral.
Admiral of the Ming Dynasty
After his victory, Zheng and his wife relocated to an island off the coast of Fujian. With a massive pirate fleet of over 800 ships, he raided the coastlines from Japan to Vietnam. The Ming imperial family bestowed upon Zheng the title of Admiral of the Coastal Seas.
In 1633, Zheng's fleet defeated the Dutch East India Company's warships. He continued to serve the Ming dynasty after the fall of Beijing in 1644. Upon capturing Nanjing in 1645, Zheng became commander-in-chief of the imperial forces and was tasked with defending the new capital at Fuzhou. He emerged victorious from the ensuing battle against the Dutch and pirates, amassing immense wealth. Zheng became the largest landowner in Fujian, owning over 60% of the province's land.
Defection and Execution
In 1646, Zheng defected to the Manchus, allowing their forces to capture Fuzhou. He was rewarded handsomely and retired a wealthy man. However, in 1661, the Qing dynasty executed him due to his son Zheng Chenggong's continued resistance against their rule.
