It is relatively likely that some of the accusations specific to Wu’s own family interactions were true, including, perhaps, murder. Which of these accusations are true, and which are not? It is even claimed that she smothered her own week-old daughter to blame one of the Emperor’s other wives. She was accused of killing her sister and older brothers, murdering the Emperor and killing her own mother. Not only was she female, she was a usurper without birthright to the imperial throne. Over the course of her life, she was first the consort of the Gaozong Emperor, then held power as the mother of the emperor, and finally in her own name as Empress of China.Ĭhinese histories don’t look favorably on Wu. She held power, through several avenues for more than 50 years. For this article, we’ve chosen a range of cultures and historical periods-it’s not conclusive, nor are these the only good examples.Įmpress Wu Zetian ruled China in 700 CE she was the only woman to do so in her own right and her own name. Their reigns vary, as do their abilities as a queen and ruler.
These are only a few of history’s notable, and sometimes brutal, queens. You’ll likely be surprised by some of these names, and not at all by others, after all, Mary Tudor is most commonly called Bloody Mary. Some, like Elizabeth I, are remembered more for their other achievements and less for either their bloody rule or their military might. Some of these queens were truly awful others were skilled rulers and military leaders, perhaps viewed less favorably than is fair by history.
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