Prince Yu of the First Rank, or simply Prince Yu, was the title of a princely peerage used in China during the Manchu-led Qing dynasty. It was also one of the 12 "iron-cap" princely peerages in the Qing dynasty, which meant that the title could be passed down without being downgraded. The first bearer of the title was Dodo, the 15th son of Nurhaci, the founder of the Qing dynasty. He was awarded the title in 1636 by his half-brother, Huangtaiji, who succeeded their father as the ruler of the Qing Empire. The peerage was renamed to Prince Xin of the First Rank when Dodo's son, Duoni, inherited his father's title in 1649. In 1652, the Shunzhi Emperor downgraded the peerage to Prince Xin of the Second Rank. In 1778, the Qianlong Emperor restored the peerage as "Prince Yu of the First Rank". The title was passed down over ten generations and was held by 14persons – nine as Prince Yu, and five as Prince Xin.
Members of the Prince Yu / Prince Xin peerage
Dodo, Nurhaci's 15th son, held the title Prince Yu of the First Rank from 1636 to 1649, posthumously honoured as Prince Yu Tong of the First Rank
* Duoni , Dodo's second son, held the title Prince Yu of the First Rank from 1649 to 1651 before it was renamed to Prince Xin of the First Rank and downgraded to Prince Xin of the Second Rank in 1652, posthumously honoured as Prince Yu Xuanhe of the First Rank
** Ezha , Duoni's second son, held the title Prince Xin of the Second Rank from 1661 to 1702, posthumously honoured as Prince Yu of the First Rank
*** Dezhao , Ezha's fifth son, held the title Prince Xin of the Second Rank from 1706 to 1762, posthumously honoured as Prince Yuque of the First Rank
**** Houling , Dezhao's 15th son, held the title Prince Yu of the First Rank from 1778 to 1786, posthumously honoured as Prince Yu Liang of the First Rank
***** Yufeng , Houling's second son, held the title Prince Yu of the First Rank from 1786 to 1814, stripped of his title in 1814
***** Yuxing, Houling's third son, held the title Prince Yu of the First Rank from 1814 to 1820, stripped of his title in 1820
***** Yuquan, Houling's fifth son, held the title Prince Yu of the First Rank from 1820 to 1840, posthumously honoured as Prince Yu Hou of the First Rank
****** Yidao, Yuquan's son, held the title Prince Yu of the First Rank from 1841 to 1868, posthumously honoured as Prince Yu Shen of the First Rank
******* Benge, Yidao's son, held the title Prince Yu of the First Rank from 1868 to 1898, posthumously honoured as Prince Yu Cheng of the First Rank
**** Xingling, Dezhao's son
***** Mingxiang'a, Xingling's son
****** Enrui, Mingxiang'a's son
******* Shengzhao, Enrui's son
******** Maolin, Shengzhao's son, adopted as Benge's son, held the title Prince Yu of the First Rank from 1899 to 1913
********* Duanzhen, Maolin's son, held the title Prince Yu of the First Rank from 1913 to 1945
