Those high-ranking emperors and concubines in history, are their lives as glamorous as they are in the TV series? Today we are going to talk about a queen of the Tang Dynasty - Empress He, her fate can be described as extremely bumpy. An ordinary Sichuan woman, who was elected to the palace and finally ascended to the throne of the queen, does it sound very much like the plot in a fairy tale? History is often more brutal than fiction. What happened to Empress He in the troubled times is not only a sigh, but also full of the cruelty of political conspiracy. Her husband, Tang Zhaozong, although he was emperor, was repeatedly war-torn and even forced to flee four times, and she herself was not spared.
The story of Empress He begins in the last years of the Tang Dynasty, which was an era of chaos and precariousness. During the reign of Tang Zhaozong, the Tang Dynasty was already in turmoil, with constant internal and external troubles. He was originally just a concubine of King Shou, and because of her beauty and intelligence, she was deeply favored by King Shou. Under this pampering, He gave birth to two sons and a daughter, including the later Tang Emperor Li Ji. A new chapter seemed to have opened in He's fate at this time, and in 898, Tang Zhaozong canonized him empress.
The good times did not last long, and Tang Zhaozong's emperor career was full of twists and turns. During his reign, the territory of the Tang Dynasty was constantly eroded, and there were many situations in the country where eunuchs were in power and warlords were divided. Tang Zhaozong himself was forced to "run away" four times due to frequent wars, and each time he fled was a life-and-death disaster. In this context, Empress He's life is not easy, and together with Tang Zhaozong, she has experienced countless crises and challenges.
The turning point came in 904, when Tang Zhaozong was forcibly deposed by the eunuch Liu Jishu and subsequently imprisoned. Empress He showed great forbearance and wisdom in this coup d'état, and she persuaded Tang Zhaozong to adapt to the situation and avoid a greater bloody conflict. The good times did not last long, Liu Jishu was killed soon after, and although Tang Zhaozong temporarily regained his freedom, the situation in the country was out of control.
In the following years, the lives of Empress He and Tang Zhaozong became even more bleak. They were controlled by Li Maozhen, the envoy of Fengxiang Jiedu, and lived in an extremely difficult environment, and even food became a luxury. Under these circumstances, Empress He was forced to endure unimaginable pain and humiliation with Tang Zhaozong. Unfortunately, Tang Zhaozong fell ill and died in 907, leaving Empress He and their children to survive in this troubled time.
Empress He's tragedy did not end with Tang Zhaozong's death. Her life is even more difficult, and in the face of new powers, she has to fight again to keep herself and her children safe. However, Game of Thrones is always brutal, and in the end, Queen Ho failed to escape a tragic fate. Zhu Wen, an ambitious general, gradually took power. In order to consolidate his dominance, Zhu Wen decided to eradicate all potential threats, and Empress He and her children naturally became a thorn in the side.
In the process of seizing power, Zhu Wen not only used force, but also used various political means to achieve his goals. Zhu Wen took the most extreme measure against Empress He - giving her the charge of "fornication" and putting her to death. Such accusations are undoubtedly baseless and are entirely the result of political persecution. But in that era, the empress was given such a charge that it was enough to make her infamous, thus erasing the public's sympathy and support for her.
The tragic experience of Empress He is not only a tragedy of personal fate, but also a cruel and ruthless portrayal of the political struggle of that era. From an ordinary woman, to becoming an empress, to being accused and murdered, her life was full of ups and downs, reflecting the complex struggles and social upheavals inside and outside the court in the late Tang Dynasty. The story of Empress He is not just a footnote to history, it is more like a mirror, reflecting the living conditions and spiritual outlook of the people of that era.
The story of Empress Ho is a magnificent history, and her life is full of countless misfortunes and challenges. As a queen, she experienced not only the shattering of family affection, but also the victim of power struggle. In that troubled era, Queen He's fate can be described as helpless and tragic. Her story makes us deeply realize that history is not only the narrative of the victors, but also the gathering of tears and blood and sweat of countless little people.