Grand
empress dowager
Empress dowager (also dowager empress or empress mother; ) is the English language translation of the title given to the mother or widow of a monarch, especially in regards to Chinese, Japanese, Korean, or Vietnamese monarchs in the Chines ...
(also grand dowager empress or grand empress mother) ( (太皇太后) was a title given to the
grandmother
Grandparents, individually known as grandmother and grandfather, or Grandma and Grandpa, are the parents of a person's father or mother – paternal or maternal. Every sexually reproducing living organism who is not a genetic chimera has a maxi ...
,
or a
woman
A woman is an adult female human. Before adulthood, a female child or Adolescence, adolescent is referred to as a girl.
Typically, women are of the female sex and inherit a pair of X chromosomes, one from each parent, and women with functi ...
from the same generation, of a
Chinese
Chinese may refer to:
* Something related to China
* Chinese people, people identified with China, through nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity
**Han Chinese, East Asian ethnic group native to China.
**'' Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic ...
,
Japanese
Japanese may refer to:
* Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia
* Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan
* Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture
** Japanese diaspor ...
,
Korean
Korean may refer to:
People and culture
* Koreans, people from the Korean peninsula or of Korean descent
* Korean culture
* Korean language
**Korean alphabet, known as Hangul or Korean
**Korean dialects
**See also: North–South differences in t ...
, or
Vietnamese
Vietnamese may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to Vietnam, a country in Southeast Asia
* Vietnamese people, or Kinh people, a Southeast Asian ethnic group native to Vietnam
** Overseas Vietnamese, Vietnamese people living outside Vietna ...
emperor in the
Chinese cultural sphere
The Sinosphere, also known as the Chinese cultural sphere, East Asian cultural sphere, or the Sinic world, encompasses multiple countries in East Asia and Southeast Asia that were historically heavily influenced by Chinese culture. The Sinosph ...
.
Some grand empresses dowager held
regency
In a monarchy, a regent () is a person appointed to govern a state because the actual monarch is a minor, absent, incapacitated or unable to discharge their powers and duties, or the throne is vacant and a new monarch has not yet been dete ...
during the emperor's childhood. Some of the most prominent empress dowagers extended their regencies beyond the time when the emperor was old enough to govern alone. This was seen as a source of political turmoil, according to the traditional views of Chinese historians.
Chinese grand empresses dowager
Han dynasty
*
Grand Empress Dowager Lü Zhi (188 BC – 180 BC), during the reign of
Emperor Qianshao and
Emperor Houshao
*
Grand Empress Dowager Bo (156 BC – 155 BC), during the reign of
Emperor Jing
*
Grand Empress Dowager Dou (141 BC – 135 BC), during the reign of
Emperor Wu
*
Grand Empress Dowager Shangguan
Grand Empress Dowager Shangguan (上官太皇太后) (personal name unknown) (88 BC – 2 October 37 BC), also known as Empress Shangguan (上官皇后), Empress Xiaozhao (孝昭皇后) and Empress Dowager Shangguan (上官太后), was an Empress, ...
(74 BC – 37 BC), during the reign of
Emperor Xuan and
Emperor Yuan
*
Grand Empress Dowager Qiongcheng (33 BC – 16 BC), during the reign of
Emperor Cheng
*
Grand Empress Dowager Wang Zhengjun (7 BC – 13 AD), during the reign of
Emperor Ai and
Emperor Ping
*
Grand Empress Dowager Fu (帝太太后 instead of 太皇太后) (7 BC – 3 BC), during the reign of
Emperor Ai
Cao Wei
*
Grand Empress Dowager Bian
Lady Bian (29 January 161 – 9 July 230), also known as Empress Dowager Bian or Grand Empress Dowager Bian, formally known as Empress Wuxuan, was an empress dowager and later grand empress dowager of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdo ...
(226–230), during the reign of
Emperor Ming
Jin dynasty (266–420)
* Grand Empress Dowager
Li Lingrong
Li Lingrong (; ) (351 - 9 August 400), formally Empress Dowager Xiaowuwen (; literally "the filial, martial, and civil empress dowager") was an empress dowager during the Jin dynasty. She was a concubine of Emperor Jianwen and the mother of Em ...
(397–400), during the reign of
Emperor An
Liu Song dynasty
* Grand Empress Dowager
Xiao Wenshou
Xiao Wenshou (蕭文壽) (343–7 March 423''dingchou'' day of the 2nd month of the 1st year of the ''Jing'ping'' era, per vol. 4 of ''Song Shu''), formally Empress Xiaoyi (孝懿皇后, literally "the filial and benevolent empress") was an empre ...
(422–423), during the reign of
Emperor Shao
*
Grand Empress Dowager Lu Huinan (464–466), during the reign of
Emperor Qianfei
Chen dynasty
*
Grand Empress Dowager Zhang Yao'er (566–568), during the reign of
Emperor Fei
Northern Wei dynasty
*
Grand Empress Dowager Helian (452–453), during the reign of
Emperor Wencheng
*
Grand Empress Dowager Feng (471–490), during the reign of
Emperor Xiaowen
*
Grand Empress Dowager Lou Zhaojun (559–560), during the reign of
Emperor Fei
Northern Qi dynasty
*
Grand Empress Dowager Hu (577), during the reign of
Emperor Youzhu
Northern Zhou dynasty
*
Grand Empress Dowager Ashina (579–581), during the reign of
Emperor Jing
Tang dynasty
*
Grand Empress Dowager Guo (824–848), during the reign of
Emperor Jingzong,
Emperor Wenzong,
Emperor Wuzong and
Emperor Xuānzong
*
Grand Empress Dowager Zheng (859–865), during the reign of
Emperor Yizong
Song dynasty
*
Grand Empress Dowager Cao (1067–1085), during the reign of
Emperor Shenzong
*
Grand Empress Dowager Gao Taotao (1085–1093), during the reign of
Emperor Zhezong
Emperor Zhezong of Song (4 January 1077 – 23 February 1100), personal name Zhao Xu, was the seventh emperor of the Song dynasty of China. His original personal name was Zhao Yong but he changed it to "Zhao Xu" after his coronation. He reig ...
*
Grand Empress Dowager Wu (1189–1197), during the reign of
Emperor Guangzong
Emperor Guangzong of Song (30 September 1147 – 17 September 1200), personal name Zhao Dun, was the 12th emperor of the Song dynasty of China and the third emperor of the Southern Song dynasty.
He was the third son of his predecessor, Emper ...
*
Grand Empress Dowager Xie (1194–1203), during the reign of
Emperor Ningzong
Emperor Ningzong of Song (19 November 1168 – 17 September 1224), personal name Zhao Kuo, was the 13th emperor of the Song dynasty of China and the fourth emperor of the Southern Song dynasty. He reigned from 1194 until his death in 1224.
He ...
*
Grand Empress Dowager Xie Daoqing (1274–1276), during the reign of
Emperor Gong; the proceeding two emperors were her grandsons but they were fleeing from the Mongols
Liao dynasty
* Grand Empress Dowager
Xiao Yanmujin
Yaonian Yanmujin () or Xiao Yanmujin () (died 18 December 933''History of Liao'', :zh:s:遼史/卷3, vol. 3.Academia Sinica]Chinese-Western Calendar Converter), formally Empress Xuanjian (宣簡皇后), was an empress dowager of the Khitan people, ...
(died 933), during the reign of
Emperor Taizong of Liao, Emperor Taizong
* Grand Empress Dowager
Xiao Noujin
Xiao Noujin (蕭耨斤; 980? – 24 January 1058) was a Khitan empress dowager of China's Liao dynasty. She was a concubine of Emperor Shengzong, the mother of Emperor Xingzong, and one of the three Liao grand empresses dowager. She had grea ...
(1055–1057), during the reign of
Emperor Daozong
* Grand Empress Dowager Xiao Dali (1101–1118), during the reign of
Emperor Tianzuo
Emperor Tianzuo of Liao (5 June 1075 – 1128 or 1156), personal name Yelü Yanxi, courtesy name Yanning, was the ninth and last emperor of the Khitan-led Liao dynasty of China. He succeeded his grandfather, Emperor Daozong, in 1101 and reign ...
Jin dynasty (1115–1234)
* Tangkuo, Grand Empress Dowager of Qingyuan Palace (1135–1136), during the reign of
Emperor Xizong
* Heshilie, Grand Empress Dowager of Mingde Palace (1135–1143), during the reign of
Emperor Xizong
Yuan dynasty
* Grand Empress Dowager of Dagi (1321–?), during the reign of
Emperor Yingzong
*
Grand Empress Dowager Budashiri (1333–1338), during the reign of
Emperor Huizong
Ming dynasty
*
Grand Empress Dowager Zhang (1435–1442), during the reign of the
Zhengtong Emperor
, succession = Emperor of the Ming dynasty
, reign-type = First reign
, reign = 31 January 1435 – 22 September 1449
, coronation = 7 February 1435
, cor-type = Enthronement
, regent =
, reg-type = Regents
, ...
*
Grand Empress Dowager Zhou (1487–1504), during the reign of the
Hongzhi Emperor
The Hongzhi Emperor (30 July 1470 – 9 June 1505), also known by his temple name as the Emperor Xiaozong of Ming, personal name Zhu Youcheng, was the tenth emperor of the Ming dynasty, reigning from 1487 to 1505. He succeeded his father, the Ch ...
*
Grand Empress Dowager Wang (1505–1518), during the reign of both the
Hongzhi Emperor
The Hongzhi Emperor (30 July 1470 – 9 June 1505), also known by his temple name as the Emperor Xiaozong of Ming, personal name Zhu Youcheng, was the tenth emperor of the Ming dynasty, reigning from 1487 to 1505. He succeeded his father, the Ch ...
and the
Zhengde Emperor
The Zhengde Emperor (26 October 149120 April 1521), also known by his temple name as the Emperor Wuzong of Ming, personal name Zhu Houzhao, was the 11th List of emperors of the Ming dynasty, emperor of the Ming dynasty, reigning from 1505 to 1 ...
*
Grand Empress Dowager Shou'an (1521-1522)during the reign of the
Jiajing Emperor
The Jiajing Emperor (16September 150723January 1567), also known by his temple name as the Emperor Shizong of Ming, personal name Zhu Houcong, art name, art names Yaozhai, Leixuan, and Tianchi Diaosou, was the 12th List of emperors of the Ming ...
*
Grand Empress Dowager Zheng (1565–1630) (posthumous title), awarded by the
Hongguang Emperor
The Hongguang Emperor (1607–1646), personal name Zhu Yousong, childhood nickname Fuba, was the first emperor of the Chinese Southern Ming dynasty. He reigned briefly in southern China from 1644 to 1645. His era name, "Hongguang", means "great ...
Qing dynasty
*
Grand Empress Dowager Zhaosheng
Bumbutai (; mnc, m= ; zh, 布木布泰; 28 March 1613 – 27 January 1688), of the Khorchin Mongol Borjigit clan, was the consort of Hong Taiji. She was 21 years his junior. She was honoured as Empress Dowager Zhaosheng during the reign of ...
(1661–1688), during the reign of the
Kangxi Emperor
The Kangxi Emperor (4 May 165420 December 1722), also known by his temple name Emperor Shengzu of Qing, personal name Xuanye, was the third emperor of the Qing dynasty, and the second Qing emperor to rule over China proper. His reign of 61 ...
*
Grand Empress Dowager Ci'an (1875–1881), during the reign of the Guangxu Emperor (
Zaitian)
*
Grand Empress Dowager Cixi (1875–1908), during the reign of the Guangxu And Xuantong Emperor (
Puyi
Puyi (7 February 190617 October 1967) was the final emperor of China, reigning as the eleventh monarch of the Qing dynasty from 1908 to 1912. When the Guangxu Emperor died without an heir, Empress Dowager Cixi picked his nephew Puyi, aged tw ...
)
Japanese grand empresses dowager
{{see, Empress of Japan#List of grand empresses dowager
See also
*
Empress dowager
Empress dowager (also dowager empress or empress mother; ) is the English language translation of the title given to the mother or widow of a monarch, especially in regards to Chinese, Japanese, Korean, or Vietnamese monarchs in the Chines ...
*
Từ Dụ
Từ Dụ or Từ Dũ ( vi-hantu, 慈裕, 20 June 1810 – 22 May 1901), born Phạm Thị Hằng, was a Vietnamese empress, the wife of Thiệu Trị and mother of Tự Đức.
Life
Hằng was a daughter of mandarin . She was granted the ti ...
(1810–1902), Vietnamese royal and only ever person to be crowned Great Grand Empress Dowager
References
Titles