Empress Gao (Xiaojing)
Encyclopedia
Empress Gao was an empress of the Chinese
/Xianbei
dynasty Eastern Wei
— a branch successor state to Northern Wei
. Her husband was Emperor Xiaojing
, Eastern Wei's only emperor.
She was the second daughter of the paramount general Gao Huan
, who, after a formal break with Emperor Xiaowu of Northern Wei
in 534, made Emperor Xiaojing, then age 10, emperor, thus dividing Northern Wei into Eastern Wei and Western Wei
. In 539, he married her to Emperor Xiaojing as Emperor Xiaojing's empress. It is not known whether Emperor Xiaojing's only son known by name, Yuan Zhangren (元長仁), who was created crown prince
in 549, was her son or not. (He had two other sons whose names are lost to history.)
In 550, Empress Gao's brother Gao Yang
, who had by that point succeeded Gao Huan and another son of Gao Huan's, Gao Cheng
, forced Emperor Xiaojing to yield the throne to him, ending Eastern Wei and starting Northern Qi
as its Emperor Wenxuan. He created the former Emperor Xiaojing the Prince of Zhongshan, and created the former Empress Gao the Princess Taiyuan, and she therefore carried double titles. Fearful that her brother, who was known for his violent nature, would harm her husband, she took her husband wherever she went, and she also tasted all of his food to make sure that it was not poisoned. Despite her precautions, however, she could not prevent his death, as around the new year 552, Emperor Wenxuan invited her to the palace for a feast, and then, as she was attending the feast, he sent assassins to force the Prince of Zhongshan and his three sons to drink poisoned wine.
Later in 552, Emperor Wenxuan married the Princess Taiyuan to one of his officials, Yang Yin
. That was the last reference to her in history, and it is not known whether she survived to 560, when Yang was killed by another brother of hers, Gao Yan
the Prince of Changshan in a power struggle.
History of China
Chinese civilization originated in various regional centers along both the Yellow River and the Yangtze River valleys in the Neolithic era, but the Yellow River is said to be the Cradle of Chinese Civilization. With thousands of years of continuous history, China is one of the world's oldest...
/Xianbei
Xianbei
The Xianbei were a significant Mongolic nomadic people residing in Manchuria, Inner Mongolia and eastern Mongolia. The title “Khan” was first used among the Xianbei.-Origins:...
dynasty Eastern Wei
Eastern Wei
The Eastern Wei Dynasty followed the disintegration of the Northern Wei, and ruled northern China from 534 to 550.In 534 Gao Huan, the potentate of the eastern half of what was Northern Wei territory following the disintegration of the Northern Wei dynasty installed Yuan Shanjian a descendant of...
— a branch successor state to Northern Wei
Northern Wei
The Northern Wei Dynasty , also known as the Tuoba Wei , Later Wei , or Yuan Wei , was a dynasty which ruled northern China from 386 to 534 . It has been described as "part of an era of political turbulence and intense social and cultural change"...
. Her husband was Emperor Xiaojing
Emperor Xiaojing of Eastern Wei
Emperor Xiaojing of Eastern Wei , personal name Yuan Shanjian , was the only emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei dynasty Eastern Wei – a branch successor state to Northern Wei...
, Eastern Wei's only emperor.
She was the second daughter of the paramount general Gao Huan
Gao Huan
Gao Huan , nickname Heliuhun , formally Prince Xianwu of Qi , later further formally honored by Northern Qi initially as Emperor Xianwu , then as Emperor Shenwu with the temple name Gaozu , was the paramount general of the...
, who, after a formal break with Emperor Xiaowu of Northern Wei
Emperor Xiaowu of Northern Wei
Emperor Xiaowu of Northern Wei , personal name Yuan Xiu , courtesy name Xiaoze , at times known as Emperor Chu , was an emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei dynasty Northern Wei...
in 534, made Emperor Xiaojing, then age 10, emperor, thus dividing Northern Wei into Eastern Wei and Western Wei
Western Wei
The Western Wei Dynasty followed the disintegration of the Northern Wei, and ruled northern China from 535 to 556.After the Xianbei general Yuwen Tai killed the Northern Wei emperor Yuan Xiu, he installed Yuan Baoju as emperor of Western Wei while Yuwen Tai would remain as the virtual ruler...
. In 539, he married her to Emperor Xiaojing as Emperor Xiaojing's empress. It is not known whether Emperor Xiaojing's only son known by name, Yuan Zhangren (元長仁), who was created crown prince
Crown Prince
A crown prince or crown princess is the heir or heiress apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The wife of a crown prince is also titled crown princess....
in 549, was her son or not. (He had two other sons whose names are lost to history.)
In 550, Empress Gao's brother Gao Yang
Emperor Wenxuan of Northern Qi
Emperor Wenxuan of Qi , personal name Gao Yang , courtesy name Zijin , was the first emperor of the Chinese dynasty Northern Qi. He was the second son of Eastern Wei's paramount general Gao Huan, and the death of his brother and Gao Huan's designated successor Gao Cheng in 549 became the regent...
, who had by that point succeeded Gao Huan and another son of Gao Huan's, Gao Cheng
Gao Cheng
Gao Cheng , courtesy name Zihui , formally Prince Wenxiang of Bohai , later further posthumously honored by Northern Qi as Emperor Wenxiang with the temple name Shizong , was the paramount official of the Chinese/Xianbei state Eastern Wei, a branch successor state of Northern Wei...
, forced Emperor Xiaojing to yield the throne to him, ending Eastern Wei and starting Northern Qi
Northern Qi
The Northern Qi Dynasty was one of the Northern dynasties of Chinese history and ruled northern China from 550 to 577.-History:The Chinese state of Northern Qi was the successor state of the Chinese/Xianbei state of Eastern Wei and was founded by Emperor Wenxuan...
as its Emperor Wenxuan. He created the former Emperor Xiaojing the Prince of Zhongshan, and created the former Empress Gao the Princess Taiyuan, and she therefore carried double titles. Fearful that her brother, who was known for his violent nature, would harm her husband, she took her husband wherever she went, and she also tasted all of his food to make sure that it was not poisoned. Despite her precautions, however, she could not prevent his death, as around the new year 552, Emperor Wenxuan invited her to the palace for a feast, and then, as she was attending the feast, he sent assassins to force the Prince of Zhongshan and his three sons to drink poisoned wine.
Later in 552, Emperor Wenxuan married the Princess Taiyuan to one of his officials, Yang Yin
Yang Yin
Yang Yin , courtesy name Zhunyan , nickname Qinwang , was a high level official of the Chinese dynasty Northern Qi.- Background :Yang Yin came from a clan that produced many officials of Northern Wei...
. That was the last reference to her in history, and it is not known whether she survived to 560, when Yang was killed by another brother of hers, Gao Yan
Emperor Xiaozhao of Northern Qi
Emperor Xiaozhao of Northern Qi , personal name Gao Yan , courtesy name Yan'an , was an emperor of the Chinese dynasty Northern Qi. He was generally considered a capable ruler, but ruled only less than two years before dying from injuries suffered from falling off a horse...
the Prince of Changshan in a power struggle.