Empress Yuan Humo (died 616) was an empress of the Chinese

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 Northern Zhou

Northern Zhou

The Northern Zhou Dynasty followed the Western Wei, and ruled northern China from 557 to 581. It was overthrown by the Sui Dynasty.Northern Zhou's basis of power was established by Yuwen Tai, who was paramount general of Western Wei, following the split of Northern Wei into Western Wei and...

 (although during her husband Emperor Xiaomin

Emperor Xiaomin of Northern Zhou

Emperor Xiaomin of Northern Zhou , personal name Yuwen Jue , nickname Tuoluoni , was an emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei dynasty Northern Zhou Emperor Xiaomin of Northern Zhou ((北)周孝閔帝) (542–557), personal name Yuwen Jue (宇文覺), nickname Tuoluoni (陀羅尼), was an emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei dynasty...

 (Yuwen Jue)'s reign, her title was actually "princess" since he used the alternative title "Heavenly Prince" (Tian Wang

Tian Wang

Tian Wang , translatable as either "heavenly prince" or "heavenly king," was a Chinese regal title that was most frequently used during the Sixteen Kingdoms era, among the kingdoms founded by members of the Wu Hu tribes, often used as an intermediate stage from claiming a prince/king title to an...

)).

Yuan Humo was the fifth daughter of Emperor Wen of Western Wei

Emperor Wen of Western Wei

Emperor Wen of Western Wei , personal name Yuan Baoju , was an emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei state Western Wei -- a branch successor state to Northern Wei...

, and she carried the title Princess Jin'an during the reigns of her father and her brothers Emperor Fei of Western Wei

Emperor Fei of Western Wei

Emperor Fei of Western Wei , personal name Yuan Qin , was an emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei state Western Wei -- a branch successor state of Northern Wei. He, even more so than his father Emperor Wen, held little actual power in the face of overwhelming control of power by the paramount general...

 and Emperor Gong of Western Wei

Emperor Gong of Western Wei

Emperor Gong of Western Wei , personal name né Yuan Kuo , later changed to Tuoba Kuo , was the last emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei state Western Wei -- a branch successor state to Northern Wei. He was made emperor in 554 after his older brother Emperor Fei was deposed by the paramount general...

. Sometime after Yuwen Jue, the son and heir of then-paramount general Yuwen Tai

Yuwen Tai

Yuwen Tai , nickname Heita , formally Duke Wen of Anding , later further posthumously honored by Northern Zhou initially as Prince Wen then as Emperor Wen with the temple name Taizu , was the paramount general of the Chinese/Xianbei state Western Wei, a branch successor state of Northern Wei...

, was created the Duke of Lüeyang in 550, she married Yuwen Jue as his duchess. After Yuwen Tai died in 556, Yuwen Jue inherited his titles, under the guardianship of Yuwen Tai's nephew Yuwen Hu

Yuwen Hu

Yuwen Hu , with Chinese title Sabao , formally Duke Dang of Jin , was a regent of the Xianbei dynasty Northern Zhou in China...

. In spring 557, Yuwen Hu forced Duchess Yuan's brother Emperor Gong to yield the throne to Yuwen Jue, ending Western Wei and establishing Northern Zhou. Emperor Xiaomin, then carrying the title of Heavenly Prince, created her as his princess.

Later in 557, Emperor Xiaomin, unhappy about Yuwen Hu's hold on power, tried to have him killed. The news of the plot leaked, and Yuwen Hu deposed Emperor Xiaomin and replaced him with another son of Yuwen Tai, Emperor Ming

Emperor Ming of Northern Zhou

Emperor Ming of Northern Zhou , personal name Yuwen Yu , nickname Tongwantu , was an emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei dynasty Northern Zhou, although at the start of his reign he used the alternative title "Heavenly Prince" . He was made emperor after his younger brother Emperor Xiaomin was deposed...

. Soon, he had Yuwen Jue put to death. He also forced Princess Yuan to become a Buddhist nun. After another brother of Emperor Xiaomin, Emperor Wu

Emperor Wu of Northern Zhou

Emperor Wu of Northern Zhou , personal name Yuwen Yong , nickname Miluotu , was an emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei dynasty Northern Zhou. As was the case of the reigns of his brothers Emperor Xiaomin and Emperor Ming, the early part of his reign was dominated by his cousin Yuwen Hu, but in 572 he...

 killed Yuwen Hu in 572, he posthumously honored Emperor Xiaomin as emperor and honored her as empress, housing her at Chongyi Palace (崇義宮). She left the palace after Northern Zhou's throne was seized by Emperor Wen of Sui

Emperor Wen of Sui

Emperor Wen of Sui — personal name Yang Jian , Xianbei name Puliuru Jian , nickname Naluoyan — was the founder and first emperor of China's Sui Dynasty . He was a hard-working administrator and a micromanager. As a Buddhist, he encouraged the spread of Buddhism through the state...

 in 581 and lived in a private residence. She died in 616, during the reign of Emperor Wen's son Emperor Yang of Sui

Emperor Yang of Sui

Emperor Yang of Sui , personal name Yang Guang , alternative name Ying , nickname Amo , known as Emperor Ming during the brief reign of his grandson Yang Tong), was the second son of Emperor Wen of Sui, and the second emperor of China's Sui Dynasty.Emperor Yang's original name was Yang Ying, but...

.

Ancestry