empress jianwenshun
China

Empress Jianwenshun – Emperor Jianwen of the Eastern Jin Dynasty’s posthumous Empress who lost both of her sons and had a miserable end

Empress Jianwenshun was the posthumous Empress of Emperor Jianwen of the Eastern Jin Dynasty. Empress Jianwenshun bore Prince Sima Rui (the future Emperor Jianwen) two children.[1] However, her two children would have tragic deaths.[2] The deaths of her children would lead to Empress Jianwenshun’s unfortunate end.[3] The birthdate of Empress Jianwenshun is unrecorded.[4] She was from the Wang [read more]

Empress Yuanjing
China

Empress Yuanjing – Emperor Yuan of the Eastern Jin Dynasty’s beloved posthumous Empress

Empress Yuanjing was the posthumous empress of Emperor Yuan of the Eastern Jin Dynasty. However, very little is known about her.[1] She had a loving marriage with Emperor Yuan when he was still a vassal prince.[2] She was also barren.[3] Empress Yuanjing was often in conflict with her husband’s imperial concubine, Imperial Consort Xun.[4] Eventually, Imperial Consort [read more]

imperial consort xun
China

Imperial Consort Xun – The expelled Imperial Consort of Emperor Yuan of the Eastern Jin Dynasty who was forced to remarry a commoner

Imperial Consort Xun was once an imperial concubine to Emperor Yuan of the Eastern Jin Dynasty.[1] She was also the mother of Emperor Ming and the grandmother of Emperor Cheng of the Eastern Jin Dynasty.[2] However, Imperial Consort Xun was often in conflict with the future Emperor Yuan’s principal wife, Princess Yu Mengmu (the posthumous Empress [read more]

parysatis ii
Iran

Parysatis II – The Babylonian Princess who was King Alexander the Great’s wife and was murdered by his other wife, Queen Roxane

Queen Parysatis II was the third wife and queen to King Alexander the Great.[1] She was also the daughter of King Artaxerxes III of the Achaemenid Empire.[2] After the Battle of Issus, Queen Parysatis II was a hostage under King Alexander the Great.[3] He eventually married her for political reasons.[4] The birthdate of Queen Parysatis II is unknown.[5] Her [read more]

empress dowager zheng achun
China

Empress Dowager Zheng Achun – The widow who became a respected Empress Dowager of the Eastern Jin Dynasty and whose name was tabooed

Empress Dowager Zheng Achun was the imperial concubine of Emperor Yuan of the Eastern Jin Dynasty. She was the mother of Emperor Jianwen and the grandmother of Emperor Xiaowu of the Eastern Jin Dynasty. Before Empress Dowager Zheng Achun met Emperor Yuan, she was a widow with a young son.[1] However, he could only make her [read more]