Zhao Hede ( Chinese : 趙合德 ; died c. April 7 BC) was an imperial consort of the rank zhaoyi (昭儀) during the Han dynasty . She was a consort to Emperor Cheng and younger sister of the empress Zhao Feiyan .
89-684: It is not known when Zhao Hede was born, but it is clear she was younger than her sister Feiyan. According to historical accounts, she was a daughter of two hereditary servants of imperial princes or princesses. Her father's name was Zhao Lin (趙臨). She was probably later assigned to the household of Princess Yang'a (陽阿公主), with her sister Zhao Feiyan, but that is not clear. What is clear is that when Emperor Cheng became enamored with her sister circa 19 BC, he took not only her sister, but also her, as imperial consorts, and they became highly favored, over Empress Xu and Consort Ban . In 18 BC, they falsely accused Empress Xu and Consort Ban of witchcraft; Empress Xu
178-430: A contemporary source. King Sancho III of Navarre conquered Leon in 1034 and began using it. His son, Ferdinand I of Castile also took the title in 1039. Ferdinand's son, Alfonso VI of León and Castile took the title in 1077. It then passed to his son-in-law, Alfonso I of Aragon in 1109. His stepson and Alfonso VI's grandson, Alfonso VII was the only one who actually had an imperial coronation in 1135. The title
267-473: A dynastic succession started when the title Empress of India was created for Queen Victoria . The government led by Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli , conferred the additional title upon her by an Act of Parliament, reputedly to assuage the monarch's irritation at being, as a mere Queen, notionally inferior to the emperors of Russia, Germany, and Austria. That included her own daughter ( Princess Victoria , who
356-495: A kingdom or empire may determine precedence in international diplomatic relations, but currently, precedence among heads of state who are sovereigns—whether they be kings, queens, emperors, empresses, princes, princesses and presidents may be determined by the size and scope or time that each one has been continuously in office . Outside the European context, "emperor" was the translation given to holders of titles who were accorded
445-507: A report that suggested that Empress Xu's power be reduced and that the emperor spread his affection to other concubines. In response, Emperor Cheng reduced the budget of the empress' palace. She filed a formal objection with her husband, to which he made a formal reply in the form of an edict upholding the reduction in expenditures, also Emperor Cheng was no longer only in a relationship with Empress Xu and had sex with other concubines as well. Nevertheless, it did not appear that their relationship
534-524: A running feud. Wang Li, happy with Chunyu's gift, submitted a petition requesting that Chunyu be allowed to remain at the capital—which drew Emperor Cheng's suspicion because he knew of the feud between Wang Li and Chunyu. He ordered Wang Rong be arrested, and Wang Li, in his panic, ordered his son to commit suicide—which in turn caused Emperor Cheng to become even more suspicious. He therefore had Chunyu arrested and interrogated. Chunyu admitted to how he had deceived Empress Xu and received bribes from her, and he
623-640: Is fire, so Chuofang was expressing her belief that Consort Zhao would lead to the destruction of the Han dynasty. The term that Chuofang used, huoshui (禍水), later became idiomatic to describe a woman who would lead to disaster, and is often extended to a longer form hongyan huoshui (红颜禍水) to describe women who were, fairly or not, viewed as the cause of their dynasties' destruction.) Consort Zhao and her sister Empress Zhao would also be alleged to have been involved in something even more sinister around this period. Based on an investigative report later authored in 6 BC (after
712-610: Is known as the Dominate (284 AD – 527 AD), during which Emperor Diocletian tried to put the empire on a more formal footing. Diocletian sought to address the challenges of the Empire's now vast geography and the instability caused by the informality of succession by the creation of co-emperors and junior emperors. At one point, there were as many as five sharers of the imperium (see: Tetrarchy ). In 325 AD Constantine I defeated his rivals and restored single emperor rule, but following his death
801-596: Is translated into English as "Emperor". Both emperors and kings are monarchs or sovereigns, both emperor and empress are considered monarchical titles. In as much as there is a strict definition of emperor, it is that an emperor has no relations implying the superiority of any other ruler and typically rules over more than one nation. Therefore, a king might be obliged to pay tribute to another ruler, or be restrained in his actions in some unequal fashion, but an emperor should in theory be completely free of such restraints. However, monarchs heading empires have not always used
890-665: The Athenian Empire of the late 5th century BC, the Angevin Empire of the Plantagenets and the Soviet and American "empires" of the Cold War era. However, such "empires" did not need to be headed by an "emperor". "Empire" became identified instead with vast territorial holdings rather than the title of its ruler by the mid-18th century. For purposes of protocol, the size and scope of
979-446: The Book of Han : Consort Zhao was also described to have been so perfect in her beauty that when she arrived at the palace, every person who saw her could not stop praising her beauty. A senior lady in waiting to Emperor Cheng's grandfather Emperor Xuan named Chuofang Cheng (淖方成), however, commented: "She is water of disaster, and will surely put out the fire!" (A symbol of the Han dynasty
SECTION 10
#17330853308121068-553: The Byzantine Empire after Byzantium , the original name of the town that Constantine I would elevate to the Imperial capital as New Rome in AD 330. (The city is more commonly called Constantinople and is today named Istanbul ). Although the empire was again subdivided and a co-emperor sent to Italy at the end of the fourth century, the office became unitary again only 95 years later at
1157-662: The Despotate of Epirus . In 1248, Epirus recognized the Nicaean emperors, who subsequently recaptured Constantinople in 1261. The Trapezuntine emperor formally submitted in Constantinople in 1281, but frequently flouted convention by styling themselves emperor back in Trebizond thereafter. Byzantium 's close cultural and political interaction with its Balkan neighbors Bulgaria and Serbia , and with Russia (Kievan Rus', then Muscovy) led to
1246-572: The Eastern Roman Empire or (after the Battle of Yarmouk in 636 AD) the Later Roman or Byzantine Empire . The subdivisions and co-emperor system were formally abolished by Emperor Zeno in 480 AD following the death of Julius Nepos last Western Emperor and the ascension of Odoacer as the de facto King of Italy in 476 AD. Historians generally refer to the continuing Roman Empire in the east as
1335-650: The German Empire with the proclamation of the Prussian king Wilhelm I as German Emperor in the Hall of Mirrors at the Palace of Versailles , to the humiliation of the French, who ceased to resist only days later. After his death he was succeeded by his son Frederick III who was only emperor for 99 days. In the same year his son Wilhelm II became the third emperor within a year. He was
1424-588: The Habsburg Archdukes of Austria and, following the Thirty Years' War , their control over the states (outside the Habsburg monarchy , i.e. Austria , Bohemia and various territories outside the empire) had become nearly non-existent. However, Napoleon Bonaparte was crowned Emperor of the French in 1804 and was shortly followed by Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor , who declared himself Emperor of Austria in
1513-568: The Lands of the Crown of Saint Stephen (Hungary) were given self-government in 1867, the non-Hungarian portions were called the Empire of Austria. They were officially known as the "Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council ( Reichsrat )". The title of Emperor of Austria and the associated Empire were both abolished at the end World War I in 1918, when German Austria became a republic and
1602-569: The Latin Empire of Constantinople , installing Baldwin IX , Count of Flanders , as Emperor. However, Byzantine resistance to the new empire meant that it was in constant struggle to establish itself. Byzantine Emperor Michael VIII Palaiologos succeeded in recapturing Constantinople in 1261. The Principality of Achaea , a vassal state the empire had created in Morea (Greece) intermittently continued to recognize
1691-708: The Ottoman Empire in 1908, its monarch, who was previously styled Knyaz , Prince , took the traditional title of Tsar , this time translated as King . Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha is the former Tsar Simeon II of Bulgaria. The kings of the Ancien Régime and the July Monarchy used the title Empereur de France in diplomatic correspondence and treaties with the Ottoman emperor from at least 1673 onwards. The Ottomans insisted on this elevated style while refusing to recognize
1780-670: The Patriarch of Constantinople and Imperial regent Nicholas Mystikos outside the Byzantine capital. In its final expanded form, under the Second Bulgarian Empire the title read "Emperor and Autocrat of all Bulgarians and Greeks" (Цар и самодържец на всички българи и гърци, Car i samodăržec na vsički bălgari i gărci in the modern vernacular). The Roman component in the Bulgarian imperial title indicated both rule over Greek speakers and
1869-729: The Second Mexican Empire (headed by his choice of Maximilian I of Mexico , a member of the House of Habsburg ), to regain France's hold in the Americas and to achieve greatness for the 'Latin' race. Napoleon III was deposed on 4 September 1870, after France's defeat in the Franco-Prussian War . The Third Republic followed and after the death of his son Napoleon (IV), in 1879 during the Zulu War,
SECTION 20
#17330853308121958-634: The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland , is according to English law an Empire ruled by a King endowed with the imperial dignity. However, this has not led to the creation of the title of Emperor in England, nor in Great Britain , nor in the United Kingdom. In 1801, George III rejected the title of Emperor when offered. The only period when British monarchs held the title of Emperor in
2047-730: The Bonapartist movement split, and the Third Republic was to last until 1940. The role of head of the House of Bonaparte is claimed by Jean-Christophe Napoléon and Charles Napoléon . The origin of the title Imperator totius Hispaniae ( Latin for Emperor of All Spain ) is murky. It was associated with the Leonese monarchy perhaps as far back as Alfonso the Great ( r. 866–910). The last two kings of its Astur-Leonese dynasty were called emperors in
2136-571: The Byzantine Empire. This idea was represented more emphatically in the composition the monk Filofej addressed to their son Vasili III . In 1480, after ending Muscovy's dependence on its overlords of the Great Horde , Ivan III began the usage of the titles Tsar and Autocrat ( samoderzhets ). His insistence on recognition as such by the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire since 1489 resulted in
2225-506: The Byzantine imperial title evolved from simply "emperor" ( basileus ) to "emperor of the Romans" ( basileus tōn Rōmaiōn ) in the 9th century, to "emperor and autocrat of the Romans" ( basileus kai autokratōr tōn Rōmaiōn ) in the 10th. In fact, none of these (and other) additional epithets and titles had ever been completely discarded. One important distinction between the post Constantine I (reigned AD 306–337) emperors and their pagan predecessors
2314-486: The Emperor Cheng, and ordered an investigation into the matter and the removal of all Zhaos except Empress Zhao, who was honored as Empress Dowager. Grieving over the death of her husband, upset at the loss of her status and wealth and apparently fearful of reprisal, Consort Zhao Hede killed herself. Empress Xu (Cheng) Empress Xu (許皇后) (personal name unknown, but likely Xu Kua [許誇]) (died c. December 8 BC )
2403-563: The French ( Empereur des Français ) on 18 May 1804, thus creating the French Empire ( Empire Français ). Napoleon relinquished the title of Emperor of the French on 6 April and again on 11 April 1814. Napoleon's infant son, Napoleon II , was recognized by the Council of Peers, as Emperor from the moment of his father's abdication, and therefore reigned (as opposed to ruled) as Emperor for fifteen days, 22 June to 7 July 1815. Since 3 May 1814,
2492-767: The Holy Roman emperors or the Russian tsars because of their rival claims of the Roman crown . In short, it was an indirect insult by the Ottomans to the HRE and the Russians. The French kings also used it for Morocco (1682) and Persia (1715). Napoleon Bonaparte , who was already First Consul of the French Republic ( Premier Consul de la République française ) for life, declared himself Emperor of
2581-705: The Russian emperors are better known by their Russian-language title of Tsar even after Peter the Great adopted the title of Emperor of All Russia in 1721. Historians have liberally used "emperor" and "empire" anachronistically and out of its Roman and European context to describe any large state from the past or the present. Some titles are considered equivalent to "emperor" or are translated as "emperor". Examples of that are Roman emperors' titles, King of Kings , Khalifa , Huangdi , Cakravartin , Great Khan , Aztec monarchs' title, Inca monarchs' title, etc. Sometimes this reference has even extended to non-monarchically ruled states and their spheres of influence, such as
2670-719: The Sovereign Principality of Elba was created as a miniature non-hereditary monarchy under the exiled French Emperor Napoleon I. According to the Treaty of Fontainebleau (1814) , Napoleon I was allowed to enjoy the imperial title for life. The islands were not restyled an empire. On 26 February 1815, Napoleon abandoned Elba for France, reviving the French Empire for a Hundred Days ; the Allies declared an end to Napoleon's sovereignty over Elba on 25 March 1815, and on 31 March 1815 Elba
2759-808: The Zhao sisters engaged in many tactics, such as forced abortions, assassinations, and poisonings, to make sure that no other concubine would bear an imperial heir. Emperor Cheng died suddenly in April 7 BC, apparently from a stroke. His death took place at the residence of Consort Zhao (although historians also report the possibility of an overdose of aphrodisiacs given to him by Consort Zhao). Immediately, there were many rumors that he had in fact had concubines who bore him sons, but that those sons and their mothers were murdered by Consort Zhao (out of jealousy) and possibly Emperor Cheng himself. On behalf of Empress Dowager Wang , Emperor Cheng's mother, accused Zhao Hede of killing her son
Zhao Hede - Misplaced Pages Continue
2848-620: The act of accession to the head of state . Other honorifics used by the Roman emperors have also come to be synonyms for Emperor: After the turbulent Year of the Four Emperors in 69, the Flavian dynasty reigned for three decades. The succeeding Nervan-Antonian dynasty , ruling for most of the 2nd century, stabilised the empire. This epoch became known as the era of the Five Good Emperors , and
2937-525: The adoption of Byzantine imperial traditions in all of these countries. The Emperor of the Romans' title was a reflection of the translatio imperii ( transfer of rule ) principle that regarded the Holy Roman emperors as the inheritors of the title of Emperor of the Western Roman Empire , despite the continued existence of the Roman Empire in the east, hence the problem of two emperors . From
3026-471: The authority of the Roman emperors , thus linking themselves to Roman institutions and traditions as part of state ideology. Although initially ruling much of Central Europe and northern Italy, by the 19th century, the emperor exercised little power beyond the German-speaking states. Although technically an elective title, by the late 16th century, the imperial title had in practice come to be inherited by
3115-554: The authority of the crusader emperors for another half century. Pretenders to the title continued among the European nobility until circa 1383. With Constantinople occupied, claimants to the imperial succession styled themselves as emperor in the chief centers of resistance: The Laskarid dynasty in the Empire of Nicaea , the Komnenid dynasty in the Empire of Trebizond and the Doukid dynasty in
3204-457: The complex of Habsburg lands as a whole) had been part of the Archduchy of Austria since the 15th century, and most of the other territories of the Empire had their own institutions and territorial history. There were some attempts at centralization, especially during the reign of Maria Theresa and her son Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor . These efforts were finalized in the early 19th century. When
3293-557: The death of her husband Han Bao (韓寶), the Marquess of Long'e, carried on an affair with Emperor Cheng's powerful cousin Chunyu Zhang, who was well-trusted by Emperor Cheng and considered a possible successor to their uncle Wang Gen as the commander of the armed forces. Empress Xu asked her sister to ask Chunyu to intercede on her behalf, and she gave Chunyu many gifts. Her intent was to regain her freedom and again become an imperial consort—she
3382-425: The deaths of Emperor Cheng and Consort Zhao herself), Emperor Cheng had two sons—one born to Consort Cao in 12 BC and one born to Consort Xu (a relative of the deposed Empress Xu) in 11 BC. However, both of the sons were murdered in their infancy by orders of Consort Zhao, with at least tacit agreement from Emperor Cheng; Consort Cao was forced to commit suicide after her son was murdered. The report further alleged that
3471-439: The derivation of the imperial tradition from the Romans, however this component was never recognised by the Byzantine court. Byzantine recognition of Simeon's imperial title was revoked by the succeeding Byzantine government. The decade 914–924 was spent in destructive warfare between Byzantium and Bulgaria over this and other matters of conflict. The Bulgarian monarch, who had further irritated his Byzantine counterpart by claiming
3560-606: The emperor as a semi-republican official to the emperor as an absolute monarch . Of particular note was the translation of the Latin Imperator into the Greek Basileus , after Emperor Heraclius changed the official language of the empire from Latin to Greek in AD 620. Basileus, a title which had long been used for Alexander the Great was already in common usage as the Greek word for the Roman emperor, but its definition and sense
3649-542: The emperor harem and the control of the imperial palace, she began to lose favor from Emperor Cheng; while her sister Hede acquired the eminent title of “Zhaoyi” (second in rank; one lower rank than the Empress, which meant “the concubine behind the Empress”), and received the nearly exclusive affection and proximity of Emperor Cheng. While the sisters initially were jealous of each other, they later reconciled, and continued to dominate
Zhao Hede - Misplaced Pages Continue
3738-436: The empire was divided among his sons. For a time the concept was of one empire ruled by multiple emperors with varying territory under their control, however following the death of Theodosius I the rule was divided between his two sons and increasingly became separate entities. The areas administered from Rome are referred to by historians the Western Roman Empire and those under the immediate authority of Constantinople called
3827-508: The end of the Holy Roman Empire in 1806 (except in the years 1742 to 1745) only members of the House of Habsburg were Holy Roman emperors. Karl von Habsburg is currently the head of the House of Habsburg. The first Austrian Emperor was the last Holy Roman Emperor, Franz II . In the face of aggressions by Napoleon , Francis feared for the future of the Holy Roman Empire . He wished to maintain his and his family's Imperial status in
3916-592: The event that the Holy Roman Empire should be dissolved, as it indeed was in 1806 when an Austrian-led army suffered a humiliating defeat at the Battle of Austerlitz . After which, the victorious Napoleon proceeded to dismantle the old Reich by severing a good portion from the empire and turning it into a separate Confederation of the Rhine . With the size of his imperial realm significantly reduced, Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor became Francis I, Emperor of Austria . The new imperial title may have sounded less prestigious than
4005-454: The fall of the Byzantine Empire, the legitimate heir to the throne, Andreas Palaiologos , willed away his claim to Ferdinand and Isabella in 1503. After the independence and proclamation of the Empire of Brazil from the Kingdom of Portugal by Prince Pedro , who became Emperor, in 1822, his father, King John VI of Portugal briefly held the honorific style of Titular Emperor of Brazil and
4094-470: The first Roman emperor , established his hegemony by collecting on himself offices, titles, and honours of Republican Rome that had traditionally been distributed to different people, concentrating what had been distributed power in one man. One of these offices was princeps senatus , ("first man of the Senate") and became changed into Augustus' chief honorific, princeps civitatis ("first citizen") from which
4183-409: The highest monarchic honour and rank , surpassing king . In Europe , the title of Emperor has been used since the Middle Ages , considered in those times equal or almost equal in dignity to that of Pope due to the latter's position as visible head of the Church and spiritual leader of the Catholic part of Western Europe . The emperor of Japan is the only currently reigning monarch whose title
4272-411: The last German emperor. After the empire's defeat in World War I the empire, called the German Reich , had a president as head of state instead of an emperor. The use of the word Reich was abandoned following World War II . In 1472, the niece of the last Byzantine emperor, Sophia Palaiologina , married Ivan III , grand prince of Moscow, who began championing the idea of Russia being the successor to
4361-480: The meantime, the Bulgarian imperial title may have been also tacitly confirmed by the pope , as claimed in later Bulgarian diplomatic correspondence. The Bulgarian imperial title "tsar" was adopted by all Bulgarian monarchs up to the fall of Bulgaria under Ottoman rule. Despite the attempt of Pope Innocent III to limit the Bulgarian monarch to the title of King ( Rex ), Kaloyan of Bulgaria considered himself an Emperor ( Imperator ) and his successor Boril of Bulgaria
4450-429: The modern English word and title prince is descended. The first period of the Roman Empire , from 27 BC to AD 284, is called the principate for this reason. However, it was the informal descriptive of Imperator ("commander") that became the title increasingly favored by his successors. Previously bestowed on high officials and military commanders who had imperium , Augustus reserved it exclusively to himself as
4539-439: The old one, but Francis' dynasty continued to rule from Austria and a Habsburg monarch was still an emperor ( Kaiser ), and not just merely a king ( König ), in name. According to the historian Friedrich Heer, the Austrian Habsburg emperor remained an "auctoritas" of a special kind. He was "the grandson of the Caesars", he remained the patron of the Holy Church . The title lasted just a little over one century until 1918, but it
SECTION 50
#17330853308124628-476: The other kingdoms and lands represented in the Imperial Council established their independence or adhesion to other states. The Kaisers of the Austrian Empire (1804–1918) were Franz I (1804–1835), Ferdinand I (1835–1848), Franz Joseph I (1848–1916) and Karl I (1916–1918). The current head of the House of Habsburg is Karl von Habsburg . In 913, Simeon I of Bulgaria was crowned Emperor ( Tsar , originally more fully Tsesar, cěsar' ) of his own people by
4717-418: The palace together. However, neither of them would produce any children who could serve as imperial heir—something greatly troubling to Emperor Cheng (whose earlier favorites Empress Xu and Consort Ban were also childless, and no other consort of whom was known to have had children). Emperor Cheng so attached and loved Consort Zhao that the palace she lived in, Zhaoyang Palace (昭陽宮), was described in this way in
4806-418: The relatively exclusive status that Empress Xu had with regard to Emperor Cheng's affection, the officials also began to become concerned about the lack of an imperial heir and even her private palace budget was very high, twice that of the previous empress; also in the imperial palace she had absolute authority. In 28 BC, the Confucian scholar and astrologer Liu Gengsheng (劉更生, later named Liu Xiang 劉向) submitted
4895-399: The request of the Roman Senate and following the death of Julius Nepos , last Western Emperor. This change was a recognition of the reality that little remained of Imperial authority in the areas that had been the Western Empire, with even Rome and Italy itself now ruled by the essentially autonomous Odoacer . These Later Roman "Byzantine" emperors completed the transition from the idea of
4984-487: The rival German states to achieve his aim of a conservative, Prussian-dominated Germany. Three wars led to military successes and helped to convince German people to do this: the Second war of Schleswig against Denmark in 1864, the Austro-Prussian War against Austria in 1866, and the Franco-Prussian War against the Second French Empire in 1870–71. During the Siege of Paris in 1871, the North German Confederation , supported by its allies from southern Germany , formed
5073-467: The rule of Henry VIII the Statute in Restraint of Appeals declared that 'this realm of England is an Empire...governed by one Supreme Head and King having the dignity and royal estate of the imperial Crown of the same'. This was in the context of the divorce of Catherine of Aragon and the English Reformation , to emphasize that England had never accepted the quasi-imperial claims of the papacy. Hence England and, by extension its modern successor state,
5162-413: The same precedence as European emperors in diplomatic terms. In reciprocity, these rulers might accredit equal titles in their native languages to their European peers. Through centuries of international convention, this has become the dominant rule to identifying an emperor in the modern era. When Republican Rome turned into a de facto monarchy in the second half of the 1st century BC, at first there
5251-422: The same year. The position of Holy Roman Emperor nonetheless continued until Francis II abdicated that position in 1806. In Eastern Europe , the monarchs of Russia also used translatio imperii to wield imperial authority as successors to the Eastern Roman Empire . Their status was officially recognized by the Holy Roman Emperor in 1514, although not officially used by the Russian monarchs until 1547. However,
5340-436: The throne as Emperor Cheng . On 13 May 31 BC, he created her empress. He favored her greatly, but also had another favorite, Consort Ban , who also was childless. Because both the empress and Consort Ban lacked children, Emperor Cheng's mother Empress Dowager Wang Zhengjun became concerned, and she encouraged him to take on more and more concubines in the hopes of producing an imperial heir, but none would come. Because of
5429-410: The time of Otto the Great onward, much of the former Carolingian kingdom of Eastern Francia became the Holy Roman Empire . The prince-electors elected one of their peers as King of the Romans and King of Italy before being crowned by the Pope . The emperor could also pursue the election of his heir (usually a son) as King, who would then succeed him after his death. This junior king then bore
SECTION 60
#17330853308125518-590: The title " Emperor of India " by the British monarch , but this was not executed by King George VI until a royal proclamation on 22 June 1948. Despite this, George VI continued as king of India until 1950 and as king of Pakistan until his death in 1952. The last Empress of India was George VI's wife, Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother . Under the guise of idealism giving way to realism, German nationalism rapidly shifted from its liberal and democratic character in 1848 to Prussian prime minister Otto von Bismarck 's authoritarian Realpolitik . Bismarck wanted to unify
5607-440: The title "Emperor of the Romans" ( basileus tōn Rōmaiōn ), was eventually recognized, as "Emperor of the Bulgarians" ( basileus tōn Boulgarōn ) by the Byzantine Emperor Romanos I Lakapenos in 924. Byzantine recognition of the imperial dignity of the Bulgarian monarch and the patriarchal dignity of the Bulgarian patriarch was again confirmed at the conclusion of permanent peace and a Bulgarian-Byzantine dynastic marriage in 927. In
5696-403: The title in all contexts—the British sovereign did not assume the title Empress of the British Empire even during the incorporation of India , though she was declared Empress of India . In Western Europe , the title of Emperor was used exclusively by the Holy Roman Emperor , whose imperial authority was derived from the concept of translatio imperii , i.e., they claimed succession to
5785-430: The title of King of the Romans. Although technically already ruling, after the election he would be crowned as emperor by the pope. The last emperor to be crowned by the pope was Charles V ; all emperors after him were technically emperors-elect , but were universally referred to as emperor . The Holy Roman emperor was considered the first among those in power. He was also the first defender of Christianity. From 1452 to
5874-408: The title. Napoleon I's nephew, Napoleon III , resurrected the title of emperor on 2 December 1852, after establishing the Second French Empire in a presidential coup , subsequently approved by a plebiscite. His reign was marked by large scale public works, the development of social policy, and the extension of France's influence throughout the world. During his reign, he also set about creating
5963-435: The treatment of His Imperial and Royal Majesty under the 1825 Treaty of Rio de Janeiro , by which Portugal recognized the independence of Brazil. The style of Titular Emperor was a life title, and became extinct upon the holder's demise. John VI held the imperial title for a few months only, from the ratification of the Treaty in November 1825 until his death in March 1826. During those months, however, as John's imperial title
6052-405: The ultimate holder of all imperium . ( Imperium is Latin for the authority to command, one of a various types of authority delineated in Roman political thought.) Beginning with Augustus, Imperator appeared in the title of all Roman monarchs through the extinction of the Empire in 1453. After the reign of Augustus' immediate successor Tiberius , being proclaimed imperator was transformed into
6141-417: The west with the rise of Roman Catholicism . The Byzantine Empire also produced three women who effectively governed the state: the Empress Irene and the Empresses Zoe and Theodora . In 1204 Constantinople fell to the Venetians and the Franks in the Fourth Crusade . Following the tragedy of the horrific sacking of the city, the conquerors declared a new "Empire of Romania", known to historians as
6230-513: The young couple got married, then-Crown Prince Ao loved his wife dearly. However, they had no children; then-Consort Xu miscarried a male child while her husband was crown prince, and would miscarry a female child when she later became empress, but she would have no births. She was described to have been, unlike even most noble women of the time, well-learned in literature and formal writing. In July 33 BC, then-Consort Xu's father-in-law Emperor Yuan died, and her husband Crown Prince Ao succeeded to
6319-429: Was cesaropapism , the assertion that the emperor (or other head of state) is also the head of the Church. Although this principle was held by all emperors after Constantine, it met with increasing resistance and ultimately rejection by bishops in the west after the effective end of Imperial power there. This concept became a key element of the meaning of "emperor" in the Byzantine and Orthodox east, but went out of favor in
6408-597: Was "King" in Greek, essentially equivalent with the Latin Rex . Byzantine period emperors also used the Greek word "autokrator", meaning "one who rules himself", or "monarch", which was traditionally used by Greek writers to translate the Latin dictator . Essentially, the Greek language did not incorporate the nuances of the Ancient Roman concepts that distinguished imperium from other forms of political power. In general usage,
6497-463: Was a daughter of Xu Jia (許嘉), the Marquess of Ping'en and a brother of Emperor Xuan 's first wife Empress Xu Pingjun , who was the mother of Emperor Yuan . Emperor Yuan frequently grieved for his mother because she was murdered while he was still young by Huo Guang 's wife Xian (顯), so he resolved to marry a daughter of the Xu clan to his son, Crown Prince Ao (劉驁), and he eventually decided on his cousin. When
6586-537: Was an empress during the Han dynasty , who came from a powerful family. She was initially loved by her husband Emperor Cheng , but she eventually lost favor, and as a result of the machinations of her eventual successor, Empress Zhao Feiyan , she was deposed. After she was removed, she tried in vain to regain a measure of dignity by conspiring with her husband's cousin Chunyu Zhang (淳于長), but that conspiracy would eventually lead to her being forced to commit suicide. Empress Xu
6675-526: Was ceded to the restored Grand Duchy of Tuscany by the Congress of Vienna. After his final defeat, Napoleon was treated as a general by the British authorities during his second exile to Atlantic Isle of St. Helena . His title was a matter of dispute with the governor of St Helena, who insisted on addressing him as "General Bonaparte", despite the "historical reality that he had been an emperor" and therefore retained
6764-495: Was deposed and put under house arrest in a subsidiary palace. Consort Ban was spared after successfully pleading her case, but she did not wish to return to the same environment and instead became a lady in waiting for Empress Dowager Wang. Empress Xu was presumably still given the proper supplies as a former empress, but was distressed about the loss of her favor, her status and her freedom. Circa 10 BC, she made an attempt to better her situation. At that time, her sister Xu Mi, after
6853-421: Was deposed, and while Consort Ban was able to successfully plead her case, she did not wish to return to the same environment and instead became a lady in waiting for Empress Dowager Wang . The Zhao sisters now dominated the palace. Feiyan was created empress in 16 BC. After Feiyan was created empress; despite having the most outstanding and highest power a woman can have, and the first and unrivaled position in
6942-509: Was executed. In the end, Emperor Cheng forced Empress Xu to commit suicide. Empress#China The word emperor (from Latin : imperator , via Old French : empereor ) can mean the male ruler of an empire . Empress , the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife ( empress consort ), mother/grandmother ( empress dowager / grand empress dowager ), or a woman who rules in her own right and name ( empress regnant or suo jure ). Emperors are generally recognized to be of
7031-619: Was followed by the short-lived Severan dynasty . During the Crisis of the 3rd century , barracks emperors succeeded one another at short intervals. Three short lived secessionist attempts had their own emperors: the Gallic Empire , the Britannic Empire , and the Palmyrene Empire though the latter used rex more regularly. The Principate (27 BC – 284 AD) period was succeeded by what
7120-401: Was initially not hopeful of regaining her empress status. Chunyu, in order to continue to get gifts from her, deceived her and told her that he would try to have her made "left empress"—i.e., returned to empress status in an inferior role to Empress Zhao. Chunyu had no actual intentions to help her, however. Chunyu himself was in trouble, however, in 8 BC. Wang Gen was ill at the time, and there
7209-582: Was never clear what territory constituted the " Empire of Austria ". When Francis took the title in 1804, the Habsburg lands as a whole were dubbed the Kaisertum Österreich . Kaisertum might literally be translated as "emperordom" (on analogy with "kingdom") or "emperor-ship"; the term denotes specifically "the territory ruled by an emperor", and is thus somewhat more general than Reich , which in 1804 carried connotations of universal rule. Austria proper (as opposed to
7298-486: Was no consistent title for the king of England before 1066, and monarchs chose to style themselves as they pleased. Imperial titles were used inconsistently, beginning with Athelstan in 930 and ended with the Norman conquest of England . Empress Matilda (1102–1167) is the only English monarch commonly referred to as "emperor" or "empress", but she acquired her title through her marriage to Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor . During
7387-530: Was no name for the title of the new type of monarch. Ancient Romans abhorred the name Rex ("king") , and it was critical to the political order to maintain the forms and pretenses of republican rule. Julius Caesar had been Dictator , an acknowledged and traditional office in Republican Rome. Caesar was not the first to hold it, but following his assassination the term was abhorred in Rome. Augustus , considered
7476-674: Was not exactly hereditary but self-proclaimed by those who had, wholly or partially, united the Christian northern part of the Iberian Peninsula , often at the expense of killing rival siblings. The popes and Holy Roman emperors protested at the usage of the imperial title as a usurpation of leadership in western Christendom. After Alfonso VII's death in 1157, the title was abandoned, and the kings who used it are not commonly mentioned as having been "emperors", in Spanish or other historiography. After
7565-657: Was purely honorific while his son, Pedro I, remained the sole monarch of the Brazilian Empire. Duarte Pio is the current head of the House of Braganza . In the late 3rd century, by the end of the epoch of the barracks emperors in Rome, there were two Britannic emperors , reigning for about a decade. After the end of Roman rule in Britain , the Imperator Cunedda forged the Kingdom of Gwynedd in northern Wales, but all his successors were titled kings and princes. There
7654-457: Was severely strained. However, a decade later, Empress Xu would meet her downfall. Circa 19 BC, when Emperor Cheng was visiting Princess Yang'a (陽阿公主), he became enamored with her dancing girl Zhao Feiyan (趙飛燕) and her sister Zhao Hede (趙合德) and made them his concubines, and they were favored over Empress Xu and Consort Ban. In late 18 BC, the Zhao sisters falsely accused Empress Xu and Consort Ban of witchcraft. On 8 January 17 BC, Empress Xu
7743-522: Was specifically accused of improperly using the imperial title by his neighbor, the Latin Emperor Henry of Flanders . Nevertheless, the Bulgarian imperial title was recognized by its neighbors and trading partners, including Byzantium, Hungary, Serbia, Venice, Genoa, Dubrovnik. 14th-century Bulgarian literary compositions saw the Bulgarian capital ( Tarnovo ) as a successor of Rome and Constantinople . After Bulgaria obtained full independence from
7832-554: Was speculation that Chunyu would succeed him. Wang Gen's nephew Wang Mang (王莽), who also wanted to succeed Wang Gen, obtained information about Chunyu's corruption and reported the information to Wang Gen and Empress Dowager Wang, who became so angry that she had Emperor Cheng expel Chunyu from the imperial court and be returned to his march . Chunyu, before he left the capital, gave his horses and luxurious carts to his cousin Wang Rong (王融)—the son of his uncle Wang Li (王立), with whom he had
7921-402: Was the wife of the reigning German Emperor ). Hence, "Queen Victoria felt handicapped in the battle of protocol by not being an Empress herself". The Indian Imperial designation was also formally justified as the expression of Britain succeeding the former Mughal Emperor as suzerain over hundreds of princely states . The Indian Independence Act 1947 provided for the abolition of the use of
#811188