The history of the Qing dynasty began in 1636, when Manchu chieftain Hong Taiji (Emperor Taizong) founded the dynasty, and lasted until 1912, when Puyi (Xuantong Emperor) abdicated the throne in response to the Xinhai Revolution. The final orthodox imperial dynasty of China, the Qing dynasty reached heights of power unlike any of the Chinese dynasties which preceded it, engaging in large-scale territorial expansion. However, the Qing dynasty's inability to successfully counter Western and Japanese imperialism ultimately led to its downfall, and the instability which emerged in China during the final years of the dynasty ultimately paved the way for the Warlord Era.