生平

身世

朱由崧小字福八，明神宗孫，福忠王朱常洵嫡長子。萬曆三十五年七月乙巳生于福王府邸，生母姚氏。萬曆四十二年隨福王朱常洵就藩于洛陽。萬曆四十八年七月甲辰封「德昌王」，後進封「福王世子」。

崇禎十四年正月，流賊李自成陷洛陽，福王常洵縋城出，藏匿于迎恩寺，後被搜出，遇害。朱由崧縋城逃脫，前往懷慶避難，崇禎十六年五月襲封福王。崇禎帝手擇宮中玉帶，遣內使賜之。

崇禎十七年正月，懷慶聞警，朱由崧逃亡衛輝，投奔潞王朱常淓。三月初四衛輝聞警，朱由崧隨潞王逃往淮安，與南逃的周王、崇王一同寓居于湖嘴舟中。三月十一日周王朱恭枵薨于舟上，三月十八日福王上岸，住在杜光紹園中。三月十九日李自成陷北京，崇禎帝自縊，是為甲申之變。廿九日，消息傳至淮安。

四月崇禎帝自盡的消息，傳至南京，北京淪陷後，南京以及南方各省仍在明朝的控制之下。南京諸臣皆認為國不可一日無君，議立新帝。但對大寶誰屬，則有一番論戰。

從血統上來說，崇禎帝殉國，其子太子朱慈烺及永王朱慈炤、定王朱慈炯陷入清軍之手，而崇禎帝已無在世兄弟，而崇禎兄長天啟帝無子，其他兄弟皆在未成年之前已死而無後，而故應從崇禎帝父親明光宗諸弟中選擇。福王朱常洵為光宗諸弟中居長，雖於崇禎十四年被李自成殺害，但朱由崧為朱常洵長子，因此在崇禎太子及定、永二王無法至南京繼位的情況下，福王本為第一順位。然而東林黨人卻持相反意見，他們恐朱由崧即位後追究昔日「三案」及國本之爭攻訐鄭貴妃（朱由崧祖母）之事，主張立明神宗之侄潞王朱常淓。史可法並稱福王「在藩不忠不孝，恐難主天下」。四月二十六日，張慎言、高弘圖、姜曰廣、李沾、郭維經、誠意伯劉孔昭、司禮太監韓贊周等在朝中會議，李沾、劉孔昭、韓贊周議立福王，議遂定以福王繼統，告廟並修武英殿。鳳陽總督馬士英與江北四鎮黃得功、高傑、劉良佐、劉澤清等人前往淮安迎接朱由崧。四月二十七日甲申，南京禮部率百司迎福王于儀真。

即位

崇禎十七年四月二十八日乙酉，朱由崧至浦口，魏國公徐弘基等渡江迎接。翌日舟泊觀音門燕子磯。四月三十日丁亥，南京百官迎見朱由崧于龍江關舟中，請其為監國。朱由崧身穿角巾葛衣，坐于臥榻之上，推說自己未攜宮眷一人，準備避難浙東。眾臣力勸，朱由崧乃同意。

五月初一戊子，朱由崧騎馬自三山門環城而東，拜謁孝陵和懿文太子陵，隨後經朝陽門入東華門，謁奉先殿，出西華門，以南京內守備府為行宮。五月初二群臣至行宮勸進，朱由崧以太子及定王、永王不知下落，且瑞王、惠王、桂王均為叔父行，應擇賢迎立。諸臣再三勸進，乃依明代宗故事監國。五月初三庚寅自大明門入大內，至武英殿行監國禮。是日吳三桂引清攝政王多爾袞入北京。

崇禎十七年五月十五日壬寅，朱由崧即皇帝位于武英殿，以次年為弘光元年。其國號依舊為「大明」，史稱「南明」。

朱由崧即位後，于六月戊午追封祖母鄭貴妃為孝寧太皇太后，父福忠王朱常洵為貞純肅哲聖敬仁毅恭皇帝（後改謚孝皇帝），立廟于南京，墓園稱熙陵。上嫡母鄒氏尊號為恪貞仁壽皇太后，生母姚氏為孝誠端惠慈順貞穆皇太后。追封洛陽城陷時遇害的胞弟潁上王朱由矩為潁王，謚曰衝。六月辛酉上崇禎帝廟號為思宗，謚號烈皇帝。七月己丑追複懿文太子帝號，追崇建文帝、景泰帝廟號謚號。

政治

東林黨人編撰的史書說朱由崧生性暗弱，不忠不孝，荒淫無恥，政事則悉委于馬士英、阮大鋮。馬、阮二人日以賣官鬻爵、報撼私仇為事，導致南明政事萎靡，不斷髮生內訌；而名臣李清則力為弘光辯冤，說這些記載都是謠言，又說弘光帝很少接近女色。在外以史可法督師江北，設淮、揚、鳳、廬四鎮，以黃得功、劉良佐、劉澤清、高傑為總兵統領，南明出現軍閥化的趨勢。前線將領不但因爭權而互相攻擊，也有掠奪平民的行為。

朱由崧即位後，下令選淑女入宮，派宦官于南京城中四出搜巷，凡是有女之家，必以黃紙貼額，持之而去，南京城中騷動。朱由崧又下令修西宮西一路為慈禧殿，以安置繼母鄒太后。當年八月鄒太后自河南至南京，八月十四日諭戶、兵、工三部「太后光臨，限三日內搜括萬金，以備賞賜」。八月十六日御用監又令造龍鳳床座、床頂架、宮殿陳設金玉等項，越數十萬兩。造皇后冠，命內臣採購貓眼石、祖母綠及大珠重一錢以上者百餘顆。崇禎十七年除夕，弘光帝獨坐興寧宮中，愀然不樂。太監韓贊周問道：「宮殿新落成，皇上應當歡喜，而悶悶不樂，是思念皇兄嗎？」弘光帝不應，繼而回答說：「梨園殊少佳者」。弘光元年（1645年）正月，弘光帝又下令修南京奉先殿、午門及左右掖門，並派太監田成至杭州、嘉興二府選淑女。

崇禎十七年九月初三，弘光帝下令為北京殉難諸臣上謚號，計文臣二十一人、勛臣二人、戚臣一人。隨後又給郢國公馮國用、宋國公馮勝、濟國公丁德興、德慶侯廖永忠、長興侯耿炳文等開國功臣追上謚號；給方孝孺、齊泰、黃子澄、陳迪、景清、卓敬、練子寧等建文朝死難諸臣，蔣欽、陸震等正德朝死諫諸臣，左光斗、周朝瑞、周宗建、袁化中、顧大章、周起元等天啟朝死閹黨諸臣上謚號。

弘光元年三月初一甲申，有自稱崇禎太子朱慈烺者至南京，朱由崧命令將其關入兵馬司監獄，後命百官審北來太子于午門外，終裁斷為偽太子王之明，是為崇禎太子案。三月庚申，寧南侯左良玉乃舉兵于武昌，以「救太子、誅士英」為名順流而下，黃得功、阮大鋮率兵御之，南明發生內訌。正值此時，清軍在豫王多鐸率領下大舉南下，攻陷歸德、潁州、太和、泗州等地。

弘光元年四月辛未，清軍圍攻江北重鎮揚州。督師江北的兵部尚書史可法率城中百姓抵禦清軍，清軍圍困百日，損失慘重。史可法急忙向朝廷求援，但卻因為鎮將們個個擁兵自重、意圖觀望，最終揚州在被圍五天後淪陷。清軍攻破揚州之後進行了十天屠殺，史稱「揚州十日」。四月甲子，弘光帝在南京貢院選淑女，七十人中選中一人，即阮大鋮的侄女。四月壬戌，杭州送來淑女五十人，弘光帝選中周姓一人，王姓一人。

弘光元年五月初八己丑，清軍自瓜洲渡江，鎮江巡撫楊文驄逃奔蘇州，靖虜伯鄭鴻逵逃入東海，總兵蔣雲台投降。南京閉城門。五月初十辛卯，朱由崧傳旨放歸所選淑女，當天午夜尤召梨園入宮演劇。翌日凌晨二漏時，朱由崧率內官四五十人騎馬出通濟門，莫知所蹤。天亮後百官入朝，見宮女、內臣、優伶雜沓逃奔西華門外，方知弘光帝已出逃。南京城內大嘩，馬士英攜鄒太后出奔，市民救北來太子出獄，扶其入宮，在武英殿即位。五月十二日癸巳，朱由崧至太平府，以按察院為行宮，尋即移駕蕪湖，投奔靖國公黃得功軍營。五月十五日丙申，清軍入南京，魏國公徐胤爵、保國公朱國弼、靈璧侯湯國祚、定遠侯鄧文鬱，及尚書錢謙益、大學士王鐸、都御史唐世濟等人剃髮降清。

清軍攻克南京後，多鐸命降將劉良佐帶清兵追擊弘光帝。五月二十二日癸卯，總兵田雄、馬得功、丘鉞、張杰、黃名、陳獻策衝上御舟，劫持弘光帝，將其獻給清軍。豫王多鐸命去鎖鏈，以紅繩捆綁。五月二十五日丙午，朱由崧乘無幔小轎入南京聚寶門，頭蒙緇素帕，身衣藍布袍，以油扇掩面，兩妃乘驢隨後，夾路百姓唾罵，有投瓦礫者。多鐸在靈璧侯府設宴，命朱由崧居于北來太子之下。宴罷，拘弘光帝于江寧縣署。

被害

南明弘光元年（1645年）閏六月，唐王朱聿鍵即位于福州，改元隆武，遙上朱由崧尊號為「上皇聖安皇帝」。同年九月甲寅，朱由崧與皇太后鄒氏、潞王朱常淓等人被押送至北京，由清朝太醫院安置居住，日時饋宴，朱由崧酣飲極樂。

清順治三年（1646年）四月九日，有人向清攝政王多爾袞告發，稱居住北京的前明衡王、荊王欲謀反。同年五月甲子，弘光帝與秦王朱存極、晉王朱審烜、潞王朱常淓、荊王朱慈煃、徳王朱由櫟、衡王朱由棷等十七人被斬首於菜市口（一說弘光帝以弓弦絞死）。

陵墓

朱由崧王妃黃氏之弟黃調鼎購得棺木，與黃妃合葬于河南孟津縣東山頭村。

追謚

弘光帝凶訊南傳後，監國魯王朱以海上謚號為赧皇帝，不久又上廟謚為質宗安皇帝。永曆帝立，于永曆十一年四月改弘光帝廟號曰安宗，謚號奉天遵道寬和靜穆修文布武溫恭仁孝簡皇帝。

爭議

根據明末清初筆記記載，朱由崧是個十分昏庸腐朽的君主，整日只知吃喝玩樂，沉湎于酒色之中，不理朝政。崇禎十七年（1644年）除夕，當清軍南下之際，朱由崧卻在群臣面前感嘆「後宮寥落，旦新春南都無新聲」，下令廣選美女。由於縱欲無度，還命人替他捉蛤蟆配製春藥，金陵的百姓叫他「蛤蟆天子」。

在其即位之前，史可法曾寫信給馬士英說明「福王七不可立」──貪、淫、酗酒、不孝、虐下、無知和專橫。由史可法、張慎言、高弘圖等17人簽名送與馬士英。後人稱其為明朝及南明最昏庸的帝王，唯知享樂，不問政事，沉湎酒色，荒淫透頂。然而細檢史籍可知竟傳聞難據，推其緣由多為東林黨人因國本之爭對福王藩一系的成見所致。而其本來的經歷顯現的是並非昏庸且頗有個性的政治家形象。如曾任弘光朝給事中李清《三垣筆記》、《南渡錄》及《甲申日記》對荒淫縱欲之事，且加辯誣。此外，朱由崧為靖難之變殉難的明惠帝一系君臣平反，並貶抑當時擴大迫害的陳瑛及轉投依附的胡廣。因此其政治得失尚有爭議。

錢海岳《南明史》評價弘光帝「北京顛覆，上膺鼎籙，豐芑奠磐，徵用俊耆。卷阿翽羽，相得益彰。故初政有客觀者。性素寬厚，馬、阮欲以《三朝要典》起大獄，屢請不允。觀其諭解良玉，委任繼咸，詞婉處當；拒納銀贖罪之議，禁武臣罔利之非，皆非武、熹昏騃之比。顧少讀書，章奏未能親裁，政事一出士英，不從中制，坐是狐鳴虎噬，咆哮恣睢，紀綱倒持。及大鋮得志，眾正去朝，羅罻高張，黨禍益烈。上燕居神功，輒頓足謂士英誤我，而太阿旁落，無可如何，遂日飲火酒，親伶官優人為樂，卒至觸蠻之爭，清收漁利。時未一朞，柱折維缺。故雖遺愛足以感其遺民，而卒不能保社稷云。」

家庭

后妃

皇后

• 孝哲懿莊溫正仁靖儀天昭聖簡皇后黃氏

• 孝義端仁肅明貞潔熙天詒聖皇后李氏

妃

• 金貴妃，洛陽人，本為鄒太后侍女，弘光帝即位後入宮；其後弘光帝被清軍拘拿在江寧縣，鄒太后與金妃同居一室，之後被清軍驅趕北渡，渡淮河時，乘間隙投水而死。

• 童妃，存疑，見童妃案

• 陳妃，淮陽妓女，被清軍拘拿

• 汪妃，淮陽妓女，被清軍拘拿

• 淑女黃氏

• 淑女郭氏

• 選侍某，南京失陷後出家，法名真修

• 張宮人，南京失陷後投水自殺

• 王宮人，南京失陷後出家

• 葉子眉

• 宮人徐淑秀，南京失陷後再嫁邵某，號「昭陽遺子」

兄弟

• 福王 朱由崧

• 潁衝王 朱由榘，原封潁上郡王

• 德懷王 朱由樺

子女

子

無子

•

女

• （夭折）

Biography

Zhu Yousong was a member of Ming imperial family. He was eldest son of Zhu Changxun, and a grandson of the Wanli Emperor and Noble Consort Zheng. He followed his father to his fief at Luoyang in 1614 and later granted the title "Commandery Prince of Dechang" (德昌郡王). He was later designated as Hereditary Prince of Fu.

In 1641, Li Zicheng's forces invaded Luoyang, and Zhu managed to escape but his father was killed. He held his father's princely title in two years later. In 1644, he escaped again to Weihui to seek asylum from his distant uncle, Zhu Changfang, Prince of Lu (grandson of Longqing Emperor and nephew of Wanli Emperor). They later escaped to Huai'an together, and were on the same boat with Zhu Gonghao (Prince of Zhou) and Zhu Cilun (Prince of Chong). On 25 April, Chongzhen Emperor committed suicide.

Accession to the throne

Chongzhens Death

The news of the Chongzhen Emperor's suicide was met with consternation when it reached Nanjing in mid May 1644. The highest officials in Nanjing soon met to deliberate about how to face the crisis. Since the fate of the official heir apparent was still unknown at the time, many thought it was too early to proclaim a new emperor, but most agreed that an imperial figure was necessary to rally loyalist support for the Ming in the south.

From the perspective of pedigree, Taichang Emperor had only two sons: Tianqi Emperor and Chongzhen Emperor. Tianqi Emperor was sonless, and the 3 sons of Chongzhen Emperor were missing. The successor can be only choose from uncles of Chongzhen Emperor, which were brothers of Taichang Emperor and other sons of Wanli Emperor. Zhu Changxun (Prince of Fu) was Wanli's 3rd son, Zhu Changhao (Prince of Rui) was 5th son, Zhu Changrun (Prince of Hui) was 6th son and the youngest was Zhu Changying (Prince of Gui, Zhu Youlang's father). Among these imperial uncles, Zhu Changxun was the eldest uncle, and Zhu Yousong was the eldest son of Zhu Changxun. As the imperial sons were missing, Zhu Yousong became the first in line to the succession.

Officials support

In early June 1644, the court decided that the caretaker government would be centered around Zhu Yousong, Prince of Fu, who was next in line for succession after the dead emperor's sons. When he arrived in the vicinity of Nanjing (he had come from his princedom in Henan), the Prince could count on the military and political support of Ma Shiying (馬士英). Many officers allied with the Donglin Movement preferred Zhu Changfang (朱常淓), Prince of Lu (潞王), to succeed. On June 5 the Prince of Fu entered the city, the next day he accepted the title of "Protector of the State" (監國, sometimes translated as "Regent"), and on June 7 he moved into the imperial palace, where he received the insignia of his new office.

3 choices for throne

• 15px Zhu Zaihou, Longqing Emperor

　• 3 15px Zhu Yijun, Wanli Emperor

　　• 1 15px Zhu Changluo, Taichang Emperor

　　　• 1 15px Zhu Youjiao, Tianqi Emperor

　　　• 5 15px Zhu Youjian, Chongzhen Emperor

　　• 3 Zhu Changxun, Prince Zhong of Fu

　　　• 1 15px Zhu Yousong, Prince of Fu

　　• 7 Zhu Changying, Prince of Gui

　• 4 Zhu Yiliu, Prince Jian of Lu

　　• 1 Zhu Changfang, Prince of Lu

Reign

Prodded by some court officials, the Prince of Fu immediately started to consider becoming Emperor. Fearing confrontation with Ma Shiying and other supporters of the Prince, Shi Kefa convinced reluctant members of the court to accept the enthronement. The Prince of Fu was officially crowned as Emperor on June 19, 1644, under the protection of Ma Shiying, who had arrived in Nanjing two days earlier with a large war fleet. It was decided that the next lunar year would be the first year of the Hongguang (弘光) reign with the capital city of Nanjing. The Hongguang court proclaimed that its goal was "to ally with the Tartars to pacify the bandits" (聯虜平寇), that is, to seek co-operation with Qing military forces in order to annihilate rebel peasant militia led by Li Zicheng and Zhang Xianzhong.

The Hongguang regime had been being plagued by political struggles from the beginning between the party which was formerly pro-Wei Zhongxian, including the influential officer Ma Shiying, and the pro-Donglin Movement party, including General Shi Kefa. Shi Kefa, who was sent to defend the area north of the Yangtze, could not have support from Ma Shiying. Even the generals in the front attacked each other for power and looted the civilians.

In 1645, The Qing army moved rapidly and captured Suzhou,. Subsequently, on 25 April of the same year, Yangzhou also fell to the Qing army. General Shi Kefa, who defended Yangzhou, attempted suicide, survived, and was captured. Prince Dodo of the Qing spared his life and even offered Shi a position. Shi, however, remained loyal to the Ming, so he refused the offer and was executed.

When the news reached Nanjing, Hongguang Emperor, Ma Shiying and a few eunuchs fled in panic to Wuhu city. On May 15, Minister Zhao Long, Wang Feng, Qian Xian surrendered to the Qing. As a result, Nanjing and a few other cities fell. Hongguang was captured on May 28.

Manchu Qing Prince of Yu, Dodo berated and attacked Zhu Yousong over his battle strategy in 1645, telling him that the Southern Ming would have defeated the Qing if only the southern Ming assaulted the Qing military before they forded the Yellow river was forded instead of tarrying. The Prince of Fu could find no words to respond when he tried to defend himself.

Death

Hongguang was captured and sent to Beijing to face the Qing court. He was then executed in 1646 at Caishikou, which ended his reign as the Southern Ming Emperor. However, resistance continued until 1662, where the last remnants of Ming resistance were finally put down.

In popular culture

• The Peach Blossom Fan (桃花扇), a historical drama completed in 1699 by Kong Shangren, depicted the life under the Hongguang regime. The work has been adapted into various plays, including the televised 16-episode Taiwanese opera "Qinhuai Yanyu (秦淮煙雨)" in 2001.

• Portrayed by Lee Keun-hee in the 1981 KBS1 TV Series Daemyeong.