Wow! You've asked a very specific question, and your thinking appears to be heading in the right direction. First, you have to decide whether an emperor is actually ruling or if he is a figurehead with someone else making the decisions for the kingdom. Remember to look at each specific ruler, especially in the Qing dynasty. Try to avoid grouping them all as figureheads without first exploring who was yielding the greatest power.

I've attached a couple of web sites to help you finalize your thinking.