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 Yuan Qigui – The Empress whose ghost saved an innocent Imperial Consort

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

Empress Yuan Qigui was the empress consort of Emperor Wen of the Liu-Song Dynasty. Empress Yuan Qigui believed that Emperor Wen treated her unfairly. [1] She held a grudge for him that lasted until her death.[2] Empress Yuan Qigui’s ghost was believed to have saved a wrongfully accused imperial consort from death.[3] In 405 C.E., Empress [read more]

Empress Dowager Yang Lihua – The Empress Dowager of Northern Zhou Dynasty who became a Princess of the Sui Dynasty

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

Empress Dowager Yang Lihua was the last Empress of the Northern Zhou Dynasty. She was the empress consort of Emperor Xuan of the Northern Zhou Dynasty. After Emperor Xuan’s death, Yang Lihua became the Empress Dowager. She was empress dowager for one year because her father, Yang Jian, took the throne and became the first [read more]

Queen Qianjin – The Queen who was the Sui Dynasty’s greatest enemy

Tuesday, 17 March 2026, 6:00 Lauralee Swann 0

Queen Qianjin was the wife of three Turkic Khans. She was made queen in her third marriage to her stepson, Khan Tulan Qaghan.[1] Queen Qianjin was originally a princess of the Northern Zhou Dynasty.[2] However, the Northern Zhou Dynasty was destroyed, and the Sui Dynasty killed her family.[3] Queen Qianjin harboured a deep hatred for the [read more]

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]