The Qing Dynasty (1644–1912) was the last imperial dynasty of China.

It was founded not by Han Chinese, but by the Manchus, a people from Manchuria, a region northeast of China.

In the early 17th century, the native Chinese Ming Dynasty was weakening due to internal corruption, rebellions, and economic problems.

A Ming general invited the Manchus into China to help suppress a massive peasant rebellion.

The Manchus seized this opportunity to take power for themselves, capturing the capital, Beijing, in 1644.

It took several more decades for the Manchus to consolidate their control over all of China.

To maintain their dominance as a minority ruling class, the Manchus required Han Chinese men to adopt the Manchu hairstyle, the queue (a shaved forehead and a long braid).

The early Qing period, particularly under emperors Kangxi and Qianlong, was a time of stability, prosperity, and territorial expansion.

The Qing empire reached its greatest territorial extent during this period.

The dynasty eventually declined in the 19th century due to internal decay and external pressure from Western imperial powers.