fenrises:history meme | [2/9] kings/queens: empress wuEmpress Wu Zetian was the only woman in Chines

fenrises:history meme | [2/9] kings/queens: empress wuEmpress Wu Zetian was the only woman in Chinese history to rule as emperor.Wu was born into a rich and noble family. She was taught to play music, write, and read the Chinese classics, and by thirteen she was renowned for her wit and beauty. Wu was sent to the court of Emperor Taizong, where she became his favourite concubine.Upon Taizong’s death, Wu remained as a concubine for his son Gaozong. She gave birth to a number of his sons and managed to dispose of his wife Empress Wang by accusing her of both witchcraft and killing Wu’s newborn daughter. Gaozong replaced Empress Wang and married Wu Zetian.Five years into their marriage, Gaozong suffered a stroke. Wu took over duties of his court and acted in his place. She created a secret service to spy on opposition and jailed or killed anyone who stood in her way. Wu then moved her youngest, weakest son into power, knowing that unlike his stronger brothers, Ruizong would obey any orders she gave him.In order to challenge Confucius’ ideas on ruling women (that having a woman rule would be as unnatural as “a hen crowing like a rooster at daybreak”), Wu had scholars write biographies of famous women, raised the position of her mother’s family, and tried to establish a new dynasty of her own.In 690, Ruizong removed himself from office, and Wu Zetian was declared emperor of China. She was fair to peasants; lowering oppressive taxes and strengthening public works. She removed the influence of aristocratic military men on government and replaced them with scholars - people now had to compete for government positions by taking exams. Wu also invited the most gifted scholars to China to build Buddhist temples and sculptures.Empress Wu eventually gave up the throne in 705 in favour of her third son and she died peacefully at age 80 in the same year. -- source link

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