Biography

Zhu Changxun was born in 1586 to Noble Consort Zheng. He was her third child and the third son of the Chinese Wanli Emperor.

He was made Prince of Fu (福) in 1601. He was married in August 1604, for which his father levied taxes to fund the celebrations and wedding gifts. His first son, Yousong, was born to a concubine and enfeoffed as Prince of Dechang (德昌) in 1613. He moved his household to Luoyang in 1614, when he governed Henan as a fiefdom.

Zhu was killed in 1641 during an uprising led by Li Zicheng. After his soldiers fell to Li's army, Zhu fled to Ying'en Temple (迎恩寺 yíng'ēn sì) with his eldest son. Whilst Zhu was captured, his son managed to escape. The next day, Zhu was executed in front of a large crowd, presided over by Li Zicheng, at Zhougong Temple (周公庙 Zhōugōng miào). Reports claim that Zhu was killed, then his body boiled with that of a deer to make stew, and his flesh was eaten by Li Zicheng and his soldiers. A memorial stone erected by the Hongguang Emperor states that his body was interred near Mt. Mang (邙), but was moved to Nanjing later on.

Imperial succession

In 1586, the Wanli Emperor decreed that Zhu's mother should be given the title of Imperial Noble Consort. However, this met with much opposition, as the mother of the emperor's eldest son was only referred to as Consort. The emperor's actions were perceived as the precursor to declaring Zhu heir apparent, instead of his elder brother, Zhu Changluo. The emperor's advisers argued that, if Zheng were to be made Imperial Noble Consort, then the emperor should simultaneously elevate Gong to Noble Consort. Over the next decade, advisers also attempted to persuade the emperor that abandoning the tradition of primogeniture had made Zheng the object of anger and disgust, not only in the court, but also across the country.

Finally, the emperor declared his eldest son heir apparent in 1601 and gave Zhu Changxun the title Prince of Fu. However, Zhu was not made to leave the imperial court in keeping with tradition until 1614, when he moved his household to Luoyang.

Family

• Consorts

• Lady Yao (姚氏) or Tian (田氏), the primary consort and mother of Zhu Yousong. Posthumously honoured as "Empress Dowager Xiaocheng Duanhui Cishun Zhenmu" (孝诚端惠慈顺贞穆皇太后) by Zhu Yousong, Zhu Youlang changed the posthumous title to "Empress Xiaocheng Duanhui Cishun Zhenmu Futian Dusheng Gong" (孝诚端惠慈顺贞穆符天笃圣恭皇后)

• Lady Zou (邹氏) the primary consort. Honoured as Empress Dowager with the title Empress Dowager Kezhen Renshou (恪贞仁寿皇太后) by Zhu Yousong

• Issues:

• Zhu Yousong succeeded the title of Prince of Fu, later enthroned as the Hongguang Emperor of Southern Ming

• Zhu Youju (朱由榘) (26 July 1609 - 1618), held the commandery princely title under the title Comm. Prince of Yingshang (颍上郡王). Later posthumously bestowed as "Prince Chong of Ying" (颍冲王) by Zhu Yousong

• Zhu Youhua (朱由桦), held the commandery princely title under the title Comm. Prince of Dechang (德昌郡王). Later posthumously bestowed as "Prince Huai of De" (德怀王) by Zhu Yousong

生平

朱常洵生于万历十四年正月初五日，子以母贵，神宗极为疼爱。但是按《皇明祖训》立储的原则，应该册立王恭妃所生长子朱常洛为太子。神宗则想册立朱常洵，被众大臣极力反对。神宗因此不再上朝，以示抗议，是为万历怠政，最后在慈圣太后的干预与大臣们的坚持之下，神宗终于在万历廿九年（1601年）屈服，立皇长子朱常洛为太子，朱常洵为福王。

万历四十二年（1614年）三月二十四日，朱常洵就藩洛阳，得庄田一万九千顷。崇祯十四年（1641年）正月二十一日，李自成攻克洛阳，杀朱常洵及前南京兵部尚书吕维祺，宫眷内官百馀人自杀或被处死。李自成割朱常洵肉，和皇家园林里的梅花鹿一同烹煮，分而食之，名曰「福禄宴」或者「福禄酒饭」。朱常洵终年五十六岁。崇祯帝辍朝三日，予祭葬从优，一切丧礼较其他藩王倍厚，赐諡曰「忠」，崇祯十六年（1643年）正月初八日葬于邙山之原。

由于朱常洵接受了明神宗大量赏赐，加上历年来横徵暴敛，财宝无数，「民间藉藉，谓先帝耗天下以肥王，洛阳富于大内」。朱常洵的财产成了李自成的军队在此之后几年的军费的来源。

墓志

家人

妻妾

• 孝诚端惠慈顺贞穆符天笃圣恭皇后姚氏（或作田氏）

• 恪贞仁寿皇后邹氏

• 选侍孟氏

• 选侍萧氏

• 选侍张氏

子

• 明安宗 朱由崧

• 颍冲王 朱由矩（1609年7月26日（万历37年6月二十六日乙亥）－1618年（万历46年5月初一日巳时）），原封颍上郡王，10岁夭折，葬邙山之原。

• 德怀王 朱由桦，原封德昌郡王

女

• 郡主某，仪宾张尔晟

諡号

其子朱由崧从洛阳逃脱，流落江淮。两年后袭福王。1644年李自成攻入北京，明思宗在煤山上吊自杀后，他在南京被马士英、卢九德拥立为皇帝，定年号「弘光」。国号依旧为「明」，史称「南明」，朱常洵被追諡为贞纯肃哲圣敬仁毅恭皇帝，陵曰熙陵。不久张元以恭字为逊帝之諡，议改为共皇帝，但最终改称贞纯肃哲圣敬仁懿孝皇帝。后来永历帝追封庙号恭宗，諡号慕天敷道贞纯肃哲修文显武圣敬仁毅孝皇帝。