Princess Poyang
China

Princess Poyang – Daughter and Sister of the Last Emperors of the Jin Dynasty, Grandmother of an Empress of the Liu-Song Dynasty

Princess Poyang was the daughter of Emperor Xiaowu of the Eastern Jin Dynasty. She was also the sister of Emperor An and Emperor Gong of the Eastern Jin Dynasty. Princess Poyang was the grandmother of Empress Wang Xianyuan of the Liu-Song Dynasty. During the Liu-Song Dynasty, Princess Poyang received a grander princess title.[1] Therefore, Princess Poyang [read more]

Stateira I Shahbanu
Iran

Stateira I Shahbanu – The powerful Queen of the Achaemenid Empire who was murdered by her mother-in-law

Stateira I Shahbanu was queen consort to King Artaxerxes II of the Achaemenid Empire. She was also the mother of Artaxerxes III of the Achaemenid Empire. She was very popular and influential during King Artaxerxes II’s reign. Stateira I Shahbanu was locked in a bitter power struggle with her mother-in-law, Parysatis I Shahbanu. This conflict [read more]

Empress Wang Shen'ai
China

Empress Wang Shen’ai – The twice-crowned Empress of the Eastern Jin Dynasty whose husband was mute and intellectually disabled

Empress Wang Shen’ai was the empress consort of Emperor An of the Eastern Jin Dynasty. Due to turbulent events in her lifetime, Empress Wang Shen’ai was invested as empress twice.[1] Her reign as empress was often unhappy.[2] Her husband, Emperor An, was intellectually disabled and could not speak.[3] She was also a hostage of three powerful [read more]