March 22, 1621 · Liaodong (modern Liaoning) Theater
March 22, 1621
Following his victory at Sarhu, Nurhaci turned his bannermen against the principal Ming cities of Liaodong. Shenyang, the regional capital, fell after a brief siege when a coordinated attack overwhelmed its defenses. The Ming governor Yuan Yingtai drowned himself rather than surrender. Liaoyang, the other great fortress, fell days later. The twin conquests gave the Manchus the urban and agricultural base they needed to sustain a state capable of challenging China proper.
Commanders