What role did Wu Sangui and Dorgon play in the Manchu capture of Beijing?
The Manchu capture of Beijing in 1644 was facilitated by a strategic alliance between the Ming general Wu Sangui and the Manchu regent Dorgon.21
When the rebel leader Li Zicheng conquered Beijing and caused the suicide of the last Ming emperor, Wu Sanguiāwho had been defending the northeast frontierāfound himself caught between the rebels and the Manchu forces. Rather than allow Li Zicheng to establish a new dynasty, Wu appealed to the Manchu for assistance.213
Dorgon, acting as regent for the young Qing emperor, accepted this appeal and led an expeditionary force into China. The combined armies of Wu Sangui and the Manchu inflicted a heavy defeat on Li Zichengās troops, allowing Dorgon to enter Beijing in June 1644. Following this victory, Dorgon established Beijing as the capital of the new Qing dynasty, while Wu Sangui initially served the new regime, receiving high rank and assisting in the suppression of remaining Ming resistance.231