Mianyu

Mianyu (綿愉; March 8, 1814 – January 9, 1866) was a prince of the Qing Dynasty. He was the fifth son of the Jiaqing Emperor and the first holder of the title Prince Hui of the First Rank. The peerage of Prince Hui was not granted iron-cap status, meaning that each successive bearer of the title held a diminished rank compared to his predecessor.

Born on March 8, 1814, in the Palace of Eternal Longevity, Mianyu was the son of Consort Ru. In 1820, after the death of the Jiaqing Emperor at the Chengde Mountain Resort, he was granted the title of Prince Hui of the Second Rank (惠郡王) by Empress Dowager Gongci, as no successor to the imperial throne had been appointed at that time.

In 1830, Mianyu participated in the Grand Sacrifices alongside Yiwei. By 1835, he again made sacrifices, this time with Yishao, Prince Ding of the First Rank. In 1839, he was promoted to the rank of prince of the first grade. The following year, in 1840, he performed the Grand Sacrificial Rites twice.

In terms of military involvement, Mianyu was appointed in 1851 as a commander of Manchu forces of the Bordered Yellow Banner and was entrusted with managing the Gioro family school. During the Second Opium War in 1856, he was responsible for the administration of Beijing and was vested with the powers of "Generalissimus Possessing a Mandate," making him one of the commanders of the Eight Banner Forces. During military conflicts, notably when Sengge Rinchen experienced setbacks at Tongzhou, Mianyu sent emergency assistance to defend the Five Capitals (places where the Qing emperors resided during tours).

The Taiping Rebellion erupted in 1853, but the Xianfeng Emperor did not decree Mianyu or Sengge Rinchen to undertake military actions against the rebels, possibly due to prevailing attitudes regarding foreigners and Manchurians. Nevertheless, Sengge Rinchen's cavalry was later sent to combat the Taiping rebels during the Northern Expedition.

Mianyu is also credited with literary works, including the "Series of the Airi Study" (《爱日寨集》). He served as a teacher to Zaichun, who later became the Tongzhi Emperor. Empress Dowager Cixi and Empress Dowager Ci'an held him in high regard, primarily for his perceived moral uprightness.

Mianyu died on January 9, 1866. His successor was his eldest son, Yixiang.

Regarding his family, Mianyu first married Lady Guwalgiya, daughter of the fifth-rank literary official Bolin'e, in 1828. In 1837, he married another Lady Guwalgiya, who was the daughter of Guiliang and the elder sister of Princess Consort Gongzhong of the First Rank, Yixin's wife. Through these marriages, Mianyu was connected to prominent Manchu clans.

His primary consorts included a first primary consort of the Gūwalgiya clan, who died in 1835, with whom he had a son who died shortly after birth. His second primary consort, also of the Gūwalgiya clan, died in 1852 and bore his son Yixiang (1849–1886). He also had secondary consorts of various clans, including the Hešeri, Yang, Ligiya, and Xiegiya clans, producing additional sons, such as Yimo (1850–1905), Yicheng (1845–1847), and Yixun (1849–1871).

The information provided focuses on Mianyu's titles, military roles, literary contributions, familial relationships, and historical context during the Qing Dynasty.