A quiz question · medium
In what year did Wu Zetian declare herself Emperor and found the Zhou dynasty — the only woman in 2,000 years of Chinese imperial history to do so?
Wu took the imperial title Shengshen Huangdi in autumn 690, aged 66. She ruled in her own name until February 705, when a palace coup deposed her in favour of her son Zhongzong. She left her tombstone blank.
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The Only Woman in 2,000 Years of Chinese Imperial History to Rule as Emperor in Her Own Name and Found Her Own Dynasty Wu Zetian (624-705) entered the Tang court at age 14 as a concubine, became empress consort to Emperor Gaozong in 655, ruled as effective regent for 23 years through her sons, and declared herself Emperor of the new Zhou dynasty in 690 at age 66. She is the only woman in 2,000 years of Chinese imperial history to hold the title of Emperor (huangdi) in her own name.
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