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Grand empress dowager facts for kids

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Grand empress dowager (also grand dowager empress or grand empress mother) (Chinese and Japanese: 太皇太后; pinyin: tàihuángtàihòu; rōmaji: taikōtaigō; Korean: 태황태후 (太皇太后); romaja: Tae Hwang Tae Hu; Vietnamese: Thái Hoàng thái hậu (太皇太后) was a title given to the grandmother, or a woman from the same generation, of a Chinese, Japanese, Korean, or Vietnamese monarch in the Chinese cultural sphere.

The great empress dowager was preferred over the empress dowager and had priority over the emperor in terms of respect. Some grand empresses dowager held regency during the emperor's childhood. Some of the most prominent empress dowagers extended their regencies beyond the time when the emperor was old enough to govern alone. This was seen as a source of political turmoil, according to the traditional views of Chinese historians.

Chinese grand empresses dowager

Han dynasty

Cao Wei

  • Grand Empress Dowager Bian (226–230), during the reign of Emperor Ming

Jin dynasty (266–420)

  • Grand Empress Dowager Li Lingrong (397–400), during the reign of Emperor An

Liu Song dynasty

  • Grand Empress Dowager Xiao Wenshou (422–423), during the reign of Emperor Shao
  • Grand Empress Dowager Lu Huinan (464–466), during the reign of Emperor Qianfei

Chen dynasty

  • Grand Empress Dowager Zhang Yao'er (566–568), during the reign of Emperor Fei

Northern Wei dynasty

  • Grand Empress Dowager Helian (452–453), during the reign of Emperor Wencheng
  • Grand Empress Dowager Feng (471–490), during the reign of Emperor Xiaowen
  • Grand Empress Dowager Lou Zhaojun (559–560), during the reign of Emperor Fei

Northern Qi dynasty

  • Grand Empress Dowager Hu (577), during the reign of Emperor Youzhu

Northern Zhou dynasty

  • Grand Empress Dowager Ashina (579–581), during the reign of Emperor Jing

Tang dynasty

  • Grand Empress Dowager Guo (824–848), during the reign of Emperor Jingzong, Emperor Wenzong, Emperor Wuzong and Emperor Xuānzong
  • Grand Empress Dowager Zheng (859–865), during the reign of Emperor Yizong

Song dynasty

Liao dynasty

  • Grand Empress Dowager Xiao Yanmujin (died 933), during the reign of Emperor Taizong
  • Grand Empress Dowager Xiao Noujin (1055–1057), during the reign of Emperor Daozong
  • Grand Empress Dowager Xiao Dali (1101–1118), during the reign of Emperor Tianzuo

Jin dynasty (1115–1234)

  • Tangkuo, Grand Empress Dowager of Qingyuan Palace (1135–1136), during the reign of Emperor Xizong
  • Heshilie, Grand Empress Dowager of Mingde Palace (1135–1143), during the reign of Emperor Xizong

Yuan dynasty

  • Grand Empress Dowager of Dagi (1321–?), during the reign of Emperor Yingzong
  • Grand Empress Dowager Budashiri (1333–1338), during the reign of Emperor Huizong

Ming dynasty

Qing dynasty

Japanese grand empresses dowager

Further information: Empress of Japan#List of grand empresses dowager

See also

  • Empress dowager
  • Từ Dụ (1810–1902), Vietnamese royal and only ever person to be crowned Great Grand Empress Dowager
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