text: Zhu Qiyu was born on 11 September 1428. He was the second son of the Xuande Emperor, who ruled the Ming dynasty from 1425 to 1435. When the Xuande Emperor died in 1435, his eldest son, Emperor Yingzong, became the new ruler of the Ming dynasty and created Zhu Qiyu as the Prince of Cheng.
  As the Prince of Cheng, Zhu Qiyu was said to have lived in Shandong (present-day Wenshang County, Jining) as an adult. He was naturally shy, weak, and indecisive, and had no desire for power. He had a close relationship with his brother, which may have been the reason he remained in the capital, even though he was old enough to move to Wenshang in the latter half of the 1440s.
  Ascension
  In the summer of 1449, there was growing unrest along the northern border of the Ming dynasty. In late July, reports reached Beijing that the Mongols, under the leadership of their de facto ruler Esen, had launched an attack on Datong as part of a massive invasion. Emperor Yingzong made the decision to personally lead the campaign against the Mongols, with the support of his trusted advisor Wang Zhen and a number of generals and officials.