#321 - Opium War 6: Imperial Ouroboros
From The History of China by Chris Stewart
March 10, 2026 · 37 min
About this episode
This episode discusses the events of the Opium War, focusing on the Ransom of Canton and key military operations.
The Ransom of Canton.The lame-duck Superintendent watches helplessly as a triumvirate of Qing officials arrives to reverse every compromise his predecessor had wrought... & promptly launches the most ambitious Chinese military operation of the entire war. In the midst of that rain-soaked battlefield, a brief skirmish between British soldiers and peasant militiamen plants the seed of a legend that will haunt Chinese politics for the next century. Time Period Covered:Feb. 1841–Oct. 1841 Major Historical Figures: The Qing Empire:The Daoguang Emperor (Aisin-Gioro Minning) [r. 1820–1850]Yishan, Imperial Commissioner and Pacifier-General of the Rebellious (靖逆) [1790–1878]Longwen, Manchu nobleman and ministerial attaché [d. 1841]Yang Fang, Governor-General and military commander [c. 1770–1846]She Baoshun, Prefect of Canton [fl. 1840s]Yuqian, Imperial Commissioner for Military Operations in Zhejiang [fl. 1841] The British Empire:Queen Victoria [r. 1837–1901]Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston, Foreign Secretary [1784–1865]Charles Elliot, Chief Superintendent of British Trade in China [1801–1875]Sir Henry Pottinger, incoming Plenipotentiary to China [1789–1856]Sir Hugh Gough…
People in this episode
Host: Chris Stewart
Topics covered
- Opium War
- Qing Empire
- British Empire
- military operations
- historical figures
- Chinese politics
Keywords
- Opium War
- Qing Empire
- British Empire
- Daoguang Emperor
- military history
- Canton
- historical figures
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: The Qing Empire, The British Empire
Books & works: Canton Trade and the Opium War, Strangers at the Gate: Social Disorder in South China
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