China. Beijing falls to the rebel leader Li Zicheng. The last Ming emperor, Chongzen, hangs himself shortly before the arrival of the Manchus. Since he had Jesuits at court, he had also sent a letter to the Pope asking him to send troops to protect China and expel the Manchus (but he had not fully understood the nature of papal power…). The consequences of the collapse of the Ming dynasty will be devastating for China: in little more than a generation, the population will drop by 40% due to conflicts and epidemics. The Qing dynasty begins.
