Empress Dowager Wang (Rui)
Encyclopedia
Empress Dowager Wang (d. 928) was a concubine of the late-Tang Dynasty
warlord Yang Xingmi
and the mother of his son Yang Pu, the final ruler and the only emperor of the Wu
state founded upon the territory that Yang Xingmi took. During Yang Pu's reign as emperor, she was honored as empress dowager
.
's fourth son Yang Pu.
, Yang Pu's older half-brother Yang Longyan (Yang Xingmi's second son), who was then the King of Wu, was gravely ill. While Yang Pu was not Yang Xingmi's oldest surviving son at that point — Yang Meng, Yang Xingmi's third son, was — Xu Wen
, who was in effective control of Wu's government by that point, was apprehensive of Yang Meng, who had ambitions to restore the Yang family's effective power. Xu therefore, claiming that it was Yang Longyan's wishes, welcomed Yang Pu, who was then the Duke of Danyang, to the palace, and had Yang Pu take the title of regent. Yang Longyan died soon thereafter, and Yang Pu took the throne as King of Wu. He honored his mother Lady Wang as queen dowager.
In 927
, after Xu's death, Yang Pu, pursuant to Xu's urging prior to his death, took the title of Emperor of Wu. He honored Queen Dowager Wang as empress dowager. She died the next year (928
).
Tang Dynasty
The Tang Dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire...
warlord Yang Xingmi
Yang Xingmi
Yang Xingmi , né Yang Xingmin , courtesy name Huayuan , formally Prince Wuzhong of Wu , later posthumously honored King Xiaowu of Wu then Emperor Wu of Wu with the temple name of Taizu , was a military governor of...
and the mother of his son Yang Pu, the final ruler and the only emperor of the Wu
Wu (Ten Kingdoms)
Wu , also referred to as Huainan , Hongnong , Southern Wu , or Yang Wu , was one of the Ten Kingdoms in south-central China which was in existence between the years of 907 and 937. Its capital was Jiangdu Municipality...
state founded upon the territory that Yang Xingmi took. During Yang Pu's reign as emperor, she was honored as empress dowager
Empress Dowager
Empress Dowager was the title given to the mother of a Chinese, Korean, Japanese or Vietnamese emperor.The title was also given occasionally to another woman of the same generation, while a woman from the previous generation was sometimes given the title of Grand empress dowager. Numerous empress...
.
Background
Virtually nothing is known about Lady Wang's background, including when or where she was born. The only thing that was known about her early life is that she was the mother of Yang XingmiYang Xingmi
Yang Xingmi , né Yang Xingmin , courtesy name Huayuan , formally Prince Wuzhong of Wu , later posthumously honored King Xiaowu of Wu then Emperor Wu of Wu with the temple name of Taizu , was a military governor of...
's fourth son Yang Pu.
As queen dowager and empress dowager
In 920920
Year 920 was a leap year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* The Icelandic volcano Katla erupts.* The Saxons retake East Anglia from the Danes....
, Yang Pu's older half-brother Yang Longyan (Yang Xingmi's second son), who was then the King of Wu, was gravely ill. While Yang Pu was not Yang Xingmi's oldest surviving son at that point — Yang Meng, Yang Xingmi's third son, was — Xu Wen
Xu Wen
Xu Wen , born April 13, 1986 in Shanghai), is a versatile Chinese footballer, who plays as either a defensive midfielder or defender for Nanchang Bayi.-Club career:...
, who was in effective control of Wu's government by that point, was apprehensive of Yang Meng, who had ambitions to restore the Yang family's effective power. Xu therefore, claiming that it was Yang Longyan's wishes, welcomed Yang Pu, who was then the Duke of Danyang, to the palace, and had Yang Pu take the title of regent. Yang Longyan died soon thereafter, and Yang Pu took the throne as King of Wu. He honored his mother Lady Wang as queen dowager.
In 927
927
Year 927 was a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar.- Asia :* The Chu State is founded by Ma Yin....
, after Xu's death, Yang Pu, pursuant to Xu's urging prior to his death, took the title of Emperor of Wu. He honored Queen Dowager Wang as empress dowager. She died the next year (928
928
Year 928 was a leap year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar.- Asia :* Dao Kang Di succeeds Gong Hui Di and is followed in the same year by Tai Zu, all of the Dali Gu Dynasty in southeast China.* Jayavarman IV succeeds Isanavarman II in the Khmer Empire, and moves the capital north from...
).