When Jesus's Younger Brother Started a War

Описание: The Taiping Rebellion (1850–1864) was one of the deadliest uprisings in world history, shaking the Qing Dynasty in China and leaving an estimated 20–30 million dead. Sparked by social unrest, poverty, and resentment of the ruling Manchu elite, it was led by Hong Xiuquan, a failed scholar who declared himself the younger brother of Jesus Christ. Inspired by his visions, he founded the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, calling for radical reforms—shared property, gender equality in certain roles, and the replacement of Confucianism and Buddhism with his version of Christianity.

The rebellion quickly gained momentum, capturing vast territories and even establishing Nanjing as its capital. Taiping forces organized massive armies, introducing new social structures in the areas they controlled. However, despite early successes, the movement eventually faltered under internal divisions, strategic errors, and the combined counterattacks of Qing forces aided by Western military advisors.

By 1864, the rebellion was brutally crushed after a long siege of Nanjing. The devastation left China weakened, deeply scarred, and vulnerable to further foreign intervention during the 19th century. The Taiping Rebellion remains a defining event in Chinese history—an explosive mixture of millenarian religion, social revolution, and civil war on an almost unimaginable scale.