Empress Erzhu (Yuan Ye)
Encyclopedia
Empress Erzhu (personal name unknown) was briefly an empress of the Chinese
/Xianbei
dynasty Northern Wei
. Her husband was Yuan Ye
, also known as the Prince of Changguang.
Empress Erzhu was the daughter of Erzhu Zhao
, the nephew of Northern Wei's paramount general Erzhu Rong
. In 530, Emperor Xiaozhuang
, suspecting Erzhu Rong of plotting a coup, ambushed and killed him, and Erzhu Rong's relatives rose in rebellion. They declared Yuan Ye the Prince of Changguang, a distant member of the imperial clan, emperor, probably because Yuan Ye's aunt was Erzhu Rong's wife the Princess Beixiang. It is not known whether Empress Erzhu was already married to Yuan Ye by this point, but in any case he created her empress. In 531
, after the Erzhus had defeated and killed Emperor Xiaozhuang, they concluded that Yuan Ye was too distant from the lineage of recent emperors, being the grandson of Emperor Wencheng
's brother Yuan Zhen (元禎) the Prince of Nan'an, and they deposed him and replaced him with Yuan Gong
the Prince of Guangling, who took the throne as Emperor Jiemin. During the reign of Emperor Jiemin, Yuan Ye was treated with respect and created the Prince of Donghai, so Empress Erzhu presumably would have carried the title of Princess of Donghai. However, Yuan Ye was subsequently forced to commit suicide in 532 after Emperor Jiemin and the Erzhus were overthrown by a coalition led by the general Gao Huan
and replaced with Emperor Xiaowu
.
At a point unknown subsequent to Yuan Ye's death, the former Empress Erzhu became a concubine of Gao Huan, who became the paramount general of Northern Wei (and its branch state Eastern Wei
after Northern Wei's division into Eastern Wei and Western Wei
in 534). She bore him one son, Gao Jie (高湝), later created the Prince of Rencheng during Northern Qi
. Soon after giving birth, however, she had an affair with Gao Huan's brother Gao Chen (高琛) the Duke of Zhao Commandery. After the affair was discovered, Gao Huan killed Gao Chen by caning
, and while he did not kill Lady Erzhu, he had her relocated to Ling Province (靈州, roughly modern Yinchuan, Ningxia
). At some point, probably after Gao Huan's death, she was allowed to marry Lu Jingzhang (盧景璋), of whom nothing is known in history other than his place of origin. It is not known when she died.
History of China
Chinese civilization originated in various regional centers along both the Yellow River and the Yangtze River valleys in the Neolithic era, but the Yellow River is said to be the Cradle of Chinese Civilization. With thousands of years of continuous history, China is one of the world's oldest...
/Xianbei
Xianbei
The Xianbei were a significant Mongolic nomadic people residing in Manchuria, Inner Mongolia and eastern Mongolia. The title “Khan” was first used among the Xianbei.-Origins:...
dynasty Northern Wei
Northern Wei
The Northern Wei Dynasty , also known as the Tuoba Wei , Later Wei , or Yuan Wei , was a dynasty which ruled northern China from 386 to 534 . It has been described as "part of an era of political turbulence and intense social and cultural change"...
. Her husband was Yuan Ye
Yuan Ye
Yuan Ye , courtesy name Huaxing , nickname Penzi , often known as the Prince of Changguang , was briefly an emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei dynasty Northern Wei...
, also known as the Prince of Changguang.
Empress Erzhu was the daughter of Erzhu Zhao
Erzhu Zhao
Erzhu Zhao , courtesy name Wanren , was a general of the Chinese/Xianbei dynasty Northern Wei. He was ethnically Xiongnu and a nephew of the paramount general Erzhu Rong. After Erzhu Rong was killed by Emperor Xiaozhuang, Erzhu Zhao came to prominence by defeating, capturing, and killing Emperor...
, the nephew of Northern Wei's paramount general Erzhu Rong
Erzhu Rong
Erzhu Rong , courtesy name Tianbao , formally Prince Wu of Jin , was a general of the Chinese/Xianbei dynasty Northern Wei...
. In 530, Emperor Xiaozhuang
Emperor Xiaozhuang of Northern Wei
Emperor Xiaozhuang of Northern Wei , personal name Yuan Ziyou , was an emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei dynasty Northern Wei. He was placed on the throne by the general Erzhu Rong, who refused to recognize the young emperor Yuan Zhao that Emperor Xiaoming's mother Empress Dowager Hu placed on the...
, suspecting Erzhu Rong of plotting a coup, ambushed and killed him, and Erzhu Rong's relatives rose in rebellion. They declared Yuan Ye the Prince of Changguang, a distant member of the imperial clan, emperor, probably because Yuan Ye's aunt was Erzhu Rong's wife the Princess Beixiang. It is not known whether Empress Erzhu was already married to Yuan Ye by this point, but in any case he created her empress. In 531
531
Year 531 was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year after the Consulship of Lampadius and Probus...
, after the Erzhus had defeated and killed Emperor Xiaozhuang, they concluded that Yuan Ye was too distant from the lineage of recent emperors, being the grandson of Emperor Wencheng
Emperor Wencheng of Northern Wei
Emperor Wencheng of Northern Wei , personal name Tuoba Jun , was an emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei dynasty Northern Wei...
's brother Yuan Zhen (元禎) the Prince of Nan'an, and they deposed him and replaced him with Yuan Gong
Emperor Jiemin of Northern Wei
Emperor Jiemin of Northern Wei , also known as Emperor Qianfei , at times referred to by pre-ascension title Prince of Guangling , personal name Yuan Gong , courtesy name Xiuye , was an emperor of the Chinese dynasty Northern Wei...
the Prince of Guangling, who took the throne as Emperor Jiemin. During the reign of Emperor Jiemin, Yuan Ye was treated with respect and created the Prince of Donghai, so Empress Erzhu presumably would have carried the title of Princess of Donghai. However, Yuan Ye was subsequently forced to commit suicide in 532 after Emperor Jiemin and the Erzhus were overthrown by a coalition led by the general Gao Huan
Gao Huan
Gao Huan , nickname Heliuhun , formally Prince Xianwu of Qi , later further formally honored by Northern Qi initially as Emperor Xianwu , then as Emperor Shenwu with the temple name Gaozu , was the paramount general of the...
and replaced with Emperor Xiaowu
Emperor Xiaowu of Northern Wei
Emperor Xiaowu of Northern Wei , personal name Yuan Xiu , courtesy name Xiaoze , at times known as Emperor Chu , was an emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei dynasty Northern Wei...
.
At a point unknown subsequent to Yuan Ye's death, the former Empress Erzhu became a concubine of Gao Huan, who became the paramount general of Northern Wei (and its branch state Eastern Wei
Eastern Wei
The Eastern Wei Dynasty followed the disintegration of the Northern Wei, and ruled northern China from 534 to 550.In 534 Gao Huan, the potentate of the eastern half of what was Northern Wei territory following the disintegration of the Northern Wei dynasty installed Yuan Shanjian a descendant of...
after Northern Wei's division into Eastern Wei and Western Wei
Western Wei
The Western Wei Dynasty followed the disintegration of the Northern Wei, and ruled northern China from 535 to 556.After the Xianbei general Yuwen Tai killed the Northern Wei emperor Yuan Xiu, he installed Yuan Baoju as emperor of Western Wei while Yuwen Tai would remain as the virtual ruler...
in 534). She bore him one son, Gao Jie (高湝), later created the Prince of Rencheng during Northern Qi
Northern Qi
The Northern Qi Dynasty was one of the Northern dynasties of Chinese history and ruled northern China from 550 to 577.-History:The Chinese state of Northern Qi was the successor state of the Chinese/Xianbei state of Eastern Wei and was founded by Emperor Wenxuan...
. Soon after giving birth, however, she had an affair with Gao Huan's brother Gao Chen (高琛) the Duke of Zhao Commandery. After the affair was discovered, Gao Huan killed Gao Chen by caning
Caning
Caning is a form of corporal punishment consisting of a number of hits with a single cane usually made of rattan, generally applied to the offender's bare or clothed buttocks or hand . Application of a cane to the knuckles or the shoulders has been much less common...
, and while he did not kill Lady Erzhu, he had her relocated to Ling Province (靈州, roughly modern Yinchuan, Ningxia
Ningxia
Ningxia, formerly transliterated as Ningsia, is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China. Located in Northwest China, on the Loess Plateau, the Yellow River flows through this vast area of land. The Great Wall of China runs along its northeastern boundary...
). At some point, probably after Gao Huan's death, she was allowed to marry Lu Jingzhang (盧景璋), of whom nothing is known in history other than his place of origin. It is not known when she died.