grand princess linchuan
China

Grand Princess Linchuan – The overly jealous princess who killed her husband

Grand Princess Linchuan was the daughter of Emperor Wen of the Liu-Song Dynasty. She was known to be a very jealous princess.[1] When her husband cheated on her, Grand Princess Linchuan had her husband killed.[2] However, Grand Princess Linchuan’s lasting legacy is her memorial in which she expresses remorse for her ruthless actions.[3] Her famous memorial has [read more]
barsine
Iran

Princess Barsine – Mistress of Alexander the Great and mother of his illegitimate son

Princess Barsine was a princess of the Achaemenid Persian Empire. She was the great-granddaughter of King Artaxerxes II.[1] Princess Barsine is most famous for being King Alexander the Great’s mistress.[2] Their love affair would last six years.[3] Princess Barsine would bear King Alexander the Great an illegitimate son named Prince Heracles.[4] However, King Alexander the Great would abandon her [read more]
lady gan
China

Empress Gan – Emperor Liu Bei of the Shu’s Kingdom posthumous Empress who was as beautiful as a jade figurine

Empress Gan was the posthumous empress to Emperor Liu Bei of the Shu kingdom during the Three Kingdoms era. She was a commoner but was said to be very beautiful.[1] She was originally Emperor Liu Bei’s concubine.[2] Even though she assumed the duties of a principal wife, he never elevated her to that position.[3] Yet, Empress Gan proved [read more]
Empress Jia Nanfeng
China

Empress Jia Nanfeng – Reexamining the life of one of China’s most notorious, villainous, and wanton Empresses

Empress Jia Nanfeng was one of China’s most infamous empresses.[1] She was the first empress of Emperor Hui of the Jin Dynasty. Ancient historians have called her a “butcher”[2] and a “tyrant.”[3] They have also portrayed her as “jealous, cruel, licentious, and a usurper of imperial authority.”[4] However, modern historians have recently started to attempt to rehabilitate [read more]
empress dowager yang zhi
China

Empress Dowager Yang Zhi – The tragic victim of imperial politics who died of starvation

Empress Dowager Yang Zhi was Emperor Wu’s second empress. She has often been portrayed as a “tragic victim of imperial politics.”[1] She is most famous for being locked in a power struggle against Empress Jia Nanfeng.[2] Empress Dowager Yang Zhi lost and was forced to die of starvation.[3] Therefore, Empress Dowager Yang Zhi was one of the Jin [read more]