Articles by Lauralee Swann

About Lauralee Swann

I am a former elementary teacher in Tennessee. I have a bachelor’s degree in Liberal and Civic Studies from St. Mary’s College of California, a master’s in Elementary Education from the University of Phoenix, and a doctorate in Educational Leadership from the College of Saint Mary. Because my family are from East Asia, I have a passion for historical Chinese and Korean television shows. I always wanted to separate fact from fiction in dramas. Writing articles from History of Royal Women gives me a chance to dig deeper and explore these royal women as they might have been in real life. Also, it gives me a chance to look at the history and culture of where my family originated. I love researching East Asian royalty because they rarely get enough attention in the West often being overshadowed by European royalty. I find these royal women to be just as fascinating and their stories deserve to be told. Thus, I am excited to write for History of Royal Women!

Empress Xiao – The tragic life of the last Empress of the Sui Dynasty

Saturday, 14 March 2026, 6:00 Lauralee Swann 0

Empress Xiao was the last Empress of the Sui Dynasty. She was the empress consort of Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty. She was originally a princess of the Western Liang Dynasty.[1] After Emperor Yang’s death, she spent fourteen years in exile. Empress Xiao has recently garnered some attention when archaeologists unearthed her crown in [read more]

Queen Glaphyra of Cappadocia – Mark Antony’s mistress before Queen Cleopatra VII of Egypt

Thursday, 12 March 2026, 6:00 Lauralee Swann 0

Before Mark Antony’s and Queen Cleopatra VII of Egypt’s famous meeting at Tarsus (which began their famous love affair), Mark Antony had another passionate love affair earlier that year.[1] His mistress was Glaphyra of Cappadocia.[2] His love affair with Glaphyra was said to have made his Roman wife, Fulvia, so jealous that she asked Octavian to engage [read more]

Queen Eunoe Maura – The Queen who became Julius Caesar’s mistress

Tuesday, 24 February 2026, 6:00 Lauralee Swann 0

Queen Eunoe Maura was the wife of King Bogudes II of the western region of Mauretania.[1] Yet, she is most famous for being Julius Caesar’s lover.[2] Queen Eunoe Maura and Queen Cleopatra VII of Egypt were the only queens who became mistresses of Julius Caesar.[3] Unlike the famous Queen Cleopatra VII, very little is known about [read more]

Empress Dowager Mu – The unobtrusive Empress

Thursday, 19 February 2026, 6:00 Lauralee Swann 0

Empress Dowager Mu was the empress consort of Emperor Liu Bei of Shu during the Three Kingdoms era.[1] Empress Dowager Mu lived during a tumultuous time.[2] She was born at the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, which was plagued by internal conflicts and peasant uprisings. Empress Dowager Mu was once an orphan.[3] Yet a physiognomist once [read more]

Queen Amastris of Heraclea – The first Hellenistic Queen

Wednesday, 18 February 2026, 6:00 Lauralee Swann 0

Queen Amastris of Heraclea is generally considered to be the first Hellenistic queen.[1] She was a Persian princess and married three times.[2] Her third husband, King Lysimachus, made her queen regnant of Heraclea.[3] She was the first queen to mint coins in her own name.[4] Therefore, Queen Amastris of Heraclea proved to be a very proficient queen.[5] In circa [read more]

Empress Dowager Wang Zhenfeng – The Empress Dowager who refused to look at the Emperor’s naked Imperial Consorts

Wednesday, 11 February 2026, 6:00 Lauralee Swann 0

Empress Dowager Wang Zhenfeng was Empress to Emperor Ming of the Liu-Song Dynasty. She also witnessed the fall of her own dynasty.[1] She was said to be a smart Empress, but could not save her own dynasty.[2] Empress Dowager Wang Zhenfeng is also known as the Empress who refused to look at Emperor Ming’s naked [read more]