Empress Xiaojing (孝景皇后, 180s? BC – 25 June 126 BC ), of the Wang clan, also known by her birth name Wang Zhi (王娡) and by the title Madame Wang ( 王夫人 ), was an empress during the Han dynasty . She was the second wife of Emperor Jing and the mother of Emperor Wu . She was also the first known empress of China who was previously married to another man before becoming empress.
28-498: Empress Wang may refer to: Wang Zhi (empress) (王娡) (died 126 BC), empress of the Han dynasty, married to Emperor Jing Empress Wang (Xuan) (王皇后, given name unknown) (died 16 BC), empress of the Han dynasty, married to Emperor Xuan Wang Zhengjun (王政君) (71 BC–AD 13), empress of the Han dynasty, married to Emperor Yuan Empress Wang (Ping) (王皇后, given name unknown) (8 BC–AD 23), empress of
56-551: A man surnamed Tian (田), and had two more sons: Tian Fen (田蚡) and Tian Sheng (田勝). When Wang Zhi was young, she was married to a local man named Jin Wangsun (金王孫), and had a daughter named Jin Su (金俗). However, her mother was told by a soothsayer that both of her daughters would become extremely honoured. Zang Er decided to offer her daughters to the crown prince , Liu Qi , and, to do so, forcibly divorced Wang Zhi from her husband. Wang Zhi
84-482: A minister to advise Emperor Jing to make Lady Li empress as Liu Rong was already the crown prince. Emperor Jing, already of the view that Lady Li must not be made empress, was enraged and believed that Lady Li had conspired with government officials. He executed that minister who put forward that proposal, and demoted Liu Rong to the Prince of Linjiang (臨江王) in 150 BC and exiled him out of the capital city Chang'an . Lady Li
112-621: A result, Zang Tu attacked Han Guang and killed him at Wuzhong, thereby becoming king of a united Yan kingdom . In 204 BC, after his victory against the Zhao kingdom at the Battle of Jingxing , Han Xin followed Li Zuoche's advice and sent a messenger to Zang Tu, asking him to pledge allegiance to Liu Bang , the King of Han . Zang Tu agreed. In 202 BC, Liu Bang defeated Xiang Yu and unified China under his rule, proclaiming himself Emperor of China and establishing
140-548: The Qin dynasty , Zang Tu was sent to lead an army to assist rebel forces from the insurgent Zhao state , which were under attack by a Qin army led by Zhang Han . Following the defeat of Qin forces at the Battle of Julu , Zang Tu joined a coalition rebel army under the command of Xiang Yu of the Chu state , and followed Xiang Yu as they fought their way to the Qin capital Xianyang . In 206 BC, after
168-613: The Emperor's other favourite concubine, Lady Li (栗姬), was created crown prince in May 153 BC. Lady Li, feeling certain that her son would become the emperor, grew arrogant and intolerant, and frequently threw tantrums at Emperor Jing out of jealousy over his favouring of other concubines. Her lack of tact would prove to be Consort Wang's chance. When Emperor Jing's older sister, Elder Princess Guantao (館陶長公主) Liu Piao (劉嫖), offered to marry her daughter Chen Jiao (陳嬌) to Liu Rong, Lady Li rudely rejected
196-498: The Han dynasty on 28 February. Zang Tu became a vassal of the Han Empire and retained his kingly title and territories. Later that year in c. August, Zang Tu rebelled against the Han Empire, invading and capturing territory in the Dai kingdom. Liu Bang personally led an army to suppress the rebellion. Zang Tu was defeated in battle and captured in c. October. He refused to surrender and
224-592: The Han dynasty, married to Emperor Ping Empress Wang (Xin dynasty) (王皇后, given name unknown) (died 21), empress of the Xin dynasty Empress Wang (Cao Fang) (王皇后, given name unknown) ( fl. 254), empress of the Cao Wei state Wang Muzhi (王穆之) (died 365), empress of the Jin dynasty, married to Emperor Ai Wang Fahui (王法慧) (360–380), empress of the Jin dynasty, married to Emperor Xiaowu Wang Shen'ai (王神愛) (384–412), empress of
252-529: The Jin dynasty, married to Emperor An Wang Xianyuan (王憲嫄) (427–464), empress of the Liu Song dynasty, married to Emperor Xiaowu Wang Zhenfeng (王貞風) (436–479), empress of the Liu Song dynasty, married to Emperor Ming Wang Shaoming (王韶明) (fl. 490–494), empress of Southern Qi, married to Xiao Zhaowen Wang Shunhua (王蕣華) (fl. 499–502), empress of Southern Qi, married to Xiao Baorong Empress Wang (Jing) (王皇后, given name unknown) (fl. 552–557), empress of
280-567: The Liang dynasty, married to Xiao Fangzhi Empress Wang (Xiao Cha) (王皇后, given name unknown) (died 563), empress of the Liang dynasty, married to Xiao Cha Wang Shaoji (王少姬) (fl. 560–583), empress of the Chen dynasty Empress Wang (Gaozong) (王皇后, given name unknown) (died 655), empress of the Tang dynasty, married to Emperor Gaozong Empress Wang (Xuanzong) (王皇后, given name unknown) (died 724), empress of
308-469: The Ming dynasty, married to Chenghua Emperor Empress Wang (Southern Ming) (王皇后, given name unknown) (died 1662), empress of Southern Ming See also [ edit ] Empress Dowager Wang (disambiguation) Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Empress Wang . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change
SECTION 10
#1732908509332336-461: The Prince Xiao of Liang, and the favoured young son of Empress Dowager Dou, when Liu Wu assassinated a number of court officials in 148 BC for opposing the proposal to have him appointed the heir apparent . It was because of this that Empress Dowager Dou wanted to create Wang Xin a marquess, a move initially blocked by his prime minister, Zhou Yafu (周亞夫), although Emperor Jing eventually carried out
364-613: The Song dynasty, married to Emperor Huizong Empress Wang (Western Xia) (罔皇后, given name unknown) (died 1167/1168), empress of the Western Xia dynasty Empress Rensheng (仁聖皇后, given name unknown) (fl. 1213–1233), empress of the Jurchen Jin dynasty Empress Wang (Jingtai) (汪皇后, given name unknown) (died 1505), empress of the Ming dynasty, married to Jingtai Emperor Empress Wang (Chenghua) (王皇后, given name unknown) (died 1518), empress of
392-498: The Tang dynasty, married to Emperor Xuanzong Empress Wang (Dezong) (王皇后, given name unknown) (died 786), empress of the Tang dynasty, married to Emperor Dezong Empress Wang (Yang Pu) (王皇后, given name unknown) (fl. 933–937), empress of the Wu state Empress Wang (Taizu) (王皇后, given name unknown) (942–963), empress of the Song dynasty, married to Emperor Taizu Empress Wang (Huizong) (王皇后, given name unknown) (1084–1108), empress of
420-633: The aftermath of the failed attempt to capture the Xiongnu Chanyu at the Battle of Mayi , Emperor Wu wanted to execute the key strategist, Wang Hui (王恢, unrelated to her), who bribed Tian, who in turn persuaded her to speak on Wang Hui's behalf. Emperor Wu refused to accept her intercession, and forced Wang Hui to commit suicide. However, it was at her behest that Emperor Wu executed his grand uncle Dou Ying (竇嬰) (Empress Dou's cousin) in 132 BC for having insulted Tian. Empress Dowager Wang died in June 126 BC, and
448-459: The commander of the armed forces and exerted power even beyond the military affairs. Initially, her influence was balanced and outweighed by that of her mother-in-law, Grand Empress Dowager Dou . With Grand Empress Dowager Dou's death in June 135 BC, Empress Dowager Wang became the paramount figure at court. Later in 135 BC Tian Fen was made prime minister, although her son gradually justified this position as he matured. For example, in 133 BC, in
476-644: The fall of the Qin dynasty, Xiang Yu divided the former Qin Empire into the Eighteen Kingdoms and appointed Zang Tu as the King of Yan ( 燕王 ). Part of the former Yan kingdom was granted to Han Guang, who was appointed by Xiang Yu as the King of Liaodong. Zang Tu then returned to the Yan kingdom and attempted to force Han Guang to move to his allocated kingdom in the Liaodong Peninsula , but the latter refused to comply. As
504-680: The lesson of Empress Bo's and Lady Li's fate, despite her highest rank and honoured position as empress, Empress Wang did not try to assert as much influence on her husband as her mother-in-law, Empress Dowager Dou , had asserted over her father-in-law, Emperor Wen . Although Empress Wang was her husband's favorite and Liu Che was Emperor Jing's heir and favorite son, she was very tolerant and submissive of her mother-in-law and sister-in-law because of her and her son's position. She had good relations with her mother-in-law, and both she and her brother Wang Xin played important parts in calming Emperor Jing over his anger against his younger brother Liu Wu (劉武),
532-459: The link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Empress_Wang&oldid=1207684738 " Categories : Disambiguation pages Title and name disambiguation pages Lists of empresses by surname Hidden categories: Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Wang Zhi (empress) Wang Zhi
560-477: The promotion of Wang Xin. She was probably pleased when Zhou Yafu committed suicide in 143 BC after being falsely accused of treason and arrested. When Emperor Jing died in March 141 BC, Crown Prince Che succeeded to the throne as Emperor Wu, and Empress Wang became empress dowager. After Empress Wang became empress dowager, her son carried out several immediate acts to honour her family members. Her mother Lady Zang Er
588-668: The proposal, complaining that Princess Guantao often offered new concubines as prostitutes to Emperor Jing. Angered by this snub, Elder Princess Guantao encouraged Emperor Jing not to favour Lady Li. Consort Wang, who had been observing quietly and waiting for her chance, took the opportunity and secured a marriage alliance by offering to marry her 5-year-old son Liu Che with Chen Jiao. Now siding with Consort Wang, Princess Guantao constantly criticised Lady Li in front of Emperor Jing. Gradually accepting his sister's concerns, Emperor Jing decided to test out Lady Li. One day he asked Lady Li that whether she would happily look after and properly raise
SECTION 20
#1732908509332616-406: The rest of his children if he was to pass away, only to have Lady Li rudely (and foolishly) refuse to comply. This made Emperor Jing angry and he became worried that if Liu Rong was to inherit the throne and Lady Li became Empress Dowager, many of his concubines might suffer the fate of Consort Qi . Seizing the opportunity, Consort Wang put in place the final straw against Lady Li. She persuaded
644-631: Was born to Wang Zhong (王仲) and Zang Er (臧兒), who was a granddaughter of Zang Tu , the one-time King of Yan appointed by Xiang Yu until the fifth year of Emperor Gaozu (202 BC). Zang Tu rebelled against the Emperor and was defeated. He and his entire family was massacred, but Zang Er managed to escape. Wang Zhi's parents had, in addition to her, an older son, Wang Xin (王信) and a younger daughter, Wang Erxu (王兒姁). They lived in Huaili (槐里, in modern Xianyang , Shaanxi ). After her father died, her mother remarried
672-458: Was buried with her second husband Emperor Jing. Zang Tu Zang Tu (died c. October 202 BC) was a Chinese military general, monarch, politician, and warlord who lived during the late Qin dynasty and early Han dynasty of China. Zang Tu was originally a military general serving under Han Guang , the king of the Yan state . Around 207 BC, when rebellions broke out all over China to overthrow
700-522: Was created the Lady of Pingyuan, and her half-brothers were created marquesses. Her daughter Jin Su, from her previous marriage, was tracked down and personally visited by Emperor Wu, and he created her the Lady of Xiucheng (修成君). She was awarded 300 servants, 100 acres of land, and a grand mansion. Jin Su's daughter was married to a prince. Empress Dowager Wang exerted significant influence on her son. For example, with her approval, her half-brother Tian Fen became
728-427: Was pregnant with Liu Che, she claimed that she dreamed that the sun had fallen into her womb. Emperor Jing was ecstatic over the divine implication, and made Liu Che (his 10th son) the Prince of Jiaodong (膠東王) in May 153 BC. Wang Zhi was also promoted to a consort for giving birth to a royal prince. Emperor Jing's formal wife, Empress Bo , was childless. As a result, Emperor Jing's oldest son Liu Rong (劉榮), born of
756-470: Was stripped of her titles and placed under house arrest, and died of frustration and depression not long after. Since Empress Bo's deposition one year earlier, the position of empress was open. Emperor Jing, who had always considered Liu Che to be his favourite son, soon made Consort Wang empress on 6 June. Liu Che, now legally the oldest son of the Empress, was later made crown prince on 18 June. Remembering
784-808: Was then sent along with her sister, Wang Erxu, to the Crown Prince's palace to join his concubinage. After being offered to the Crown Prince, both Wang Zhi and Wang Erxu became favoured. She then bore him three daughters: Grand Princess Yangxin (陽信長公主), Princess Nangong (南宮公主) and Princess Longlü (隆慮公主), and later a son named Liu Che (劉徹) who was still in the womb when Liu Qi ascended to the throne as Emperor Jing of Han after Emperor Wen's death in July 157 BC. Her sister bore Liu Qi four sons: Liu Yue, Prince Hui of Guangchuan (廣川惠王 劉越), Liu Ji, Prince Kang of Jiaodong (膠東康王 劉寄), Liu Cheng, Prince Ai of Qinghe (清河哀王 劉乘), and Liu Shun, Prince Xian of Changshan (常山憲王 劉舜). When Wang Zhi
#331668