queensansa-stark:History Meme:1/6 Women » Wu Zetian (c.625 – 705)Empress Wu, was a Chinese sovereign
queensansa-stark:History Meme:1/6 Women » Wu Zetian (c.625 – 705)Empress Wu, was a Chinese sovereign, who ruled officially under the name of her self-proclaimed “Zhou Dynasty”, from 690 to 705; however, she had previous imperial positions under both Emperor Taizong of Tang and his son Emperor Gaozong of Tang, of the Tang Dynasty of China. Wu was a concubine of Emperor Taizong; after his death she married his successor and 9th son, Emperor Gaozong, officially becoming Gaozong’s furen (variously translated as “empress”, “wife”, or “first consort”) in 655, although having considerable political power previous to this. After Gaozong’s debilitating stroke in 660, Wu Zetian ruled as effective sovereign until 705. She is the only woman to rule China in her own right. [X] [X] -- source link