The story of Wu Zetian: the first and only female Emperor of China

At the heart of the Tang Dynasty, rightfully sits a woman who can claim something no one else can: the title of the first and only female Emperor of China. Wu Zetian (or Wu Zhao) ruled for a total of 50 years, and the empire only prospered under her reign.

Born in 624 AD, she ruled the Tang Dynasty as empress between 655 and 690 AD, then took on the Emperor’s mantle for 15 years after that. With the Tang era being the main inspiration for Season VIII: Dynasty, we wonder if the citizens of Hao Jing and Longting would accept her as their ‘Holy and Divine Emperor’ as the people of Ancient China did over a thousand years ago?

Making Herstory

The story of Wu Zetian and her rise to power is one tinged with bloodlust, deceit, and more than enough scandal to go around.

Wu’s upbringing was not a rags to riches story; she was from a wealthy family and was highly educated for the time. She learned about politics, literature, and music, all of which contributed to her intelligent accession to power, and had a hand in her record speed of gaining favour with almost every man she met.

Wu Zetian began in the court of the emperor as a servant and worked her way into Emperor Taizong’s favour until his death, at which time she was sent to a nunnery - but escaped! She returned to the court as a concubine to Emperor Gaozong. After becoming his favourite (and his new empress consort), she began her wicked plot to seize power by any means necessary…

After the now-Consort Wu gave birth to two of Gaozong’s sons, his wife Empress Wang began to worry that she had lost favour with her own husband. Seeing this sudden shift in the dynamic, Wu knew she had to strike while the iron was hot and devised a plan to cement herself as Gaozong’s favourite forever by ousting his wife.

That same year, Consort Wu gave birth to a daughter, who sadly died shortly after birth from strangulation. Wu accused Empress Wang of murder, and Gaozong (knowing his wife was jealous) took Wu’s side. While no scientific evidence exists to name the true killer, the power-hungry legend of Wu Zetian points to the theory that she killed her own child to frame Empress Wang, and remove her from her position.

The Empress was exiled, and Wu stepped up to the role. Wang’s bad luck wasn’t over yet, though, as when Emperor Gaozong later considered releasing her, the newly appointed Empress Wu ordered her death.

During her time with Gaozong, Wu was effectively making all of the major decisions and often held the court on her own.

Impressive Empress

Skipping ahead to 690 AD, Wu had her son Emperor Ruizong relinquish the throne to her, and her reign officially began.

In 692 AD, Wu Zetian ordered an attack on the Tibetan Empire and recaptured four garrisons – Kucha, Yutian, Kashgar, and Suyab.

It wasn’t just military prowess that she possessed; she also brought culture to the time, adding the “Twelve Suggestions” to the required reading for imperial university students, writing many poems, and founding an institute to produce the Collection of Biographies of Famous Women.

While her reputation may be bloody and her victims numerous, Wu’s evil notoriety may be the result of her gender. Many male emperors were just as ruthless, but the history books painted her as particularly abhorrent, possibly due to the unusual circumstance of being a female emperor. She achieved much during her sovereignty, expanding the territory of the Tang empire under her rule, and is responsible for the empire becoming relatively peaceful, powerful, and prosperous.

Think you could give Wu a run for her money as the most powerful ruler of your time? Prove yourself by competing in Ranked Battles, take part in the Season VIII Campaign, and then sit back and relax with the Sun Dragon Festival - it’s what Wu would have wanted.