Empress Yang Lihua (楊麗華) (561-609) was an empress of the Chinese/Xianbei dynasty Northern Zhou, and later a princess of Sui Dynasty. Events By Place Europe Clotaire I dies and the Frankish kingdom is divided Sigebert I becomes king of Austrasia Events By Place Asia Edessa is taken by the Sassanids. The tax Census of the Sui Dynasty An emperor (from the Latin " Imperator " is a (male Monarch, usually the sovereign ruler of an Empire or another type of Chinese civilization originated in various city-states along the Yellow River ( valley in the Neolithic era The Xianbei ( were a significant nomadic people residing in Manchuria and eastern Mongolia, or Xianbei Shan. The Northern Zhou Dynasty (Chinese北周 followed the Western Wei, and ruled northern China from 557 to 581. The Sui Dynasty ( 581 - 618 AD and in the undertaking of other construction projects including the reconstruction of the Great Wall. Her husband was Emperor Xuan of Northern Zhou (Yuwen Yun), and her father was Emperor Wen of Sui (Yang Jian). Background Yuwen Yun was born in 559 as the oldest son of Yuwen Yong, then the Duke of Lu and younger brother of Emperor Ming. Background Yang Jian's clan was from Hongnong Commandery (弘農 roughly modern Sanmenxia, Henan)
Yang Lihua was born in 561, as the oldest child of Yang Jian, then the heir apparent to Yang Zhong (楊忠) the Duke of Sui, and Yang Jian's wife Dugu Qieluo. An heir apparent is an Heir who (short of a fundamental change in the situation cannot be displaced from inheriting the term is used in contrast to Heir presumptive Empress Dugu Qieluo (獨孤伽羅 ( 544 - September 10, 602) formally Empress Xian (獻皇后 literary meaning "the wise empress" In 568, her grandfather Yang Zhong died, and her father Yang Jian inherited the title of Duke of Sui. Events By Place Europe April 1 — King Alboin leads the Lombards into Italy refugees fleeing from them go on In fall 573, Emperor Wu took her as the wife to Yuwen Yun, then his crown prince, and she thereafter carried the title of crown princess. Events By Place Europe The Battle of Arfderydd is fought between Gwenddoleu ap Ceidio and the sons of Eliffer Gwrgi and Background Yuwen Yong was born in 543 as the fourth son of the Western Wei paramount general Yuwen Tai. Crown Princess redirects here for the ship see Crown Princess (ship. He was 14 and she was 12. In summer 578, Emperor Wu died, and Yuwen Yun took the throne (as Emperor Xuan). Events By Place Byzantine Empire Tiberius II Constantine succeeds Justin II as Byzantine Emperor. He created her empress. (She bore him no sons and one daughter, Yuwen Eying (宇文娥英), although Yuwen Eying's birth year is not clear. )
Emperor Xuan was excessive and erratic in his behavior, and less than a year after taking the throne, in spring 579, he formally passed the throne to his son Yuwen Chan (as Emperor Jing), born of his concubine Consort Zhu Manyue. Deaths February — Khosrau I, king of Persia Pope Benedict I Theodric, king of Bernicia Background Yuwen Chan was born in 573 initially with the name Yuwen Yan Concubinage is the state of a woman or youth in an ongoing quasi-matrimonial relationship with a man of higher social status Empress Zhu Manyue (朱滿月 (547-586 later Buddhist nun name Fajing (法淨 was a Concubine of Emperor Xuan of Northern Zhou (Yuwen Yun He took an atypical title for a retired emperor -- "Emperor Tianyuan" (天元皇帝, Tianyuan Huangdi). Taishang-huang ( was a Chinese title sometimes translated in English as Retired Emperor, Grand Emperor or Emperor Emeritus used throughout She thereafter took the title of "Empress Tianyuan" (天元皇后, Tianyuan Huanghou). However, as part of his unusual behavior, he soon decided that he would create four empresses, so he created three of his concubines -- Consort Zhu, Consort Chen Yueyi, and Consort Yuan Leshang -- empress titles as well, but different from Empress Yang's to distinguish them. Empress Chen Yueyi (陳月儀 (565?-650? later Buddhist nun name Huaguang (華光 was a Concubine of Emperor Xuan of Northern Zhou, an Empress Yuan Leshang (元樂尚 (born 565 later Buddhist nun name Huasheng (華勝 was a Concubine of Emperor Xuan of Northern Zhou, an (Empress Zhu was Tianyuan Di Hou (天元帝后); Empress Chen was Tian Zhuo Huanghou (天左皇后); and Empress Yuan was Tian You Huanghou (天右皇后). ) However, Empress Yang continued to be recognized as the most honored among his empresses. (He latered added one more empress, Empress Yuchi Chifan. Empress Yuchi Chifan (尉遲熾繁 or Yuchi Fanchi (尉遲繁熾 (566-595 later Buddhist nun name Huashou (華首 was a Concubine of ) In spring 580, he added Da (大, "great") to the empresses' titles, and therefore Empress Yang's title was changed to Tianyuan Da Huanghou (天元大皇后). Events By Place Europe Ethelbert becomes king of Kent. The Roman Senate sends an embassy to Constantinople
It was said that Empress Yang was meek and not jealous, and that she was loved and respected by the other four empresses and the other imperial consorts. As Emperor Xuan grew increasingly erratic and violent, on one occasion, he got angry at Empress Yang and wanted to punish her. When he summoned her, however, she was relaxed but firm in her defense of herself, which angered him more, and he ordered her to commit suicide. When her mother Lady Dugu heard of this, she rushed to the palace and prostrated herself, begging Emperor Xuan for mercy. His anger dissipated, and he pardoned Empress Yang.
Emperor Xuan fell suddenly ill in summer 580, and Yang Jian entered the palace to attend to him. Emperor Xuan died without being able to leave instructions, and his close associate Zheng Yi (鄭譯), a friend of Yang Jian's, issued an edict in Emperor Xuan's name appointing Yang Jian regent. A regent, from the Latin regens "who reigns" is a person selected to act as Head of state (ruling or not because the ruler is a minor Empresses Yang and Zhu were honored as empress dowagers, with Empress Yang taking the primary title of Huang Taihou (皇太后). Empress Dowager ( Chinese: 皇太后 Chinese, Korean Pronunciation: Hwang Tae Hu Japanese Pronunciation: Kōtaigō Vietnamese Pronunciation She was initially happy to hear that her father had become regent, but became apprehensive and displeased at her father when she sensed that he had designs on the throne, although she made no overt attempts to stop him. After defeating the generals Yuchi Jiong (Empress Yuchi's grandfather) and Sima Xiaonan (司馬消難) later in 580 after they had risen against him, Yang Jian seized the throne from Emperor Jing in spring 581, ending Northern Zhou and establishing Sui Dynasty as its Emperor Wen. Yuchi Jiong (尉遲迥 (d 580 Courtesy name Bojuluo (薄居羅 was a general of the Chinese / Xianbei states Western Wei and Events By Place Europe Tauric Chersonesus is besieged by the Gokturks. Emperor Wen created Emperor Jing the Duke of Jie, and while it was unclear what Empress Dowager Yang's title was at this point, it was likely she carried the title of Duchess Dowager of Jie. Emperor Wen soon slaughtered Emperor Jing and the other members of Northern Zhou's imperial Yuwen clan.
In 586, Emperor Wen changed the former Empress Yang's title to Princess Leping. Events By Place Byzantine Empire The Vlachs are first mentioned in a Byzantine chronicle She was, however, resentful of her father's usurpation, and often expressed her anger and grief. Emperor Wen tried to get her to remarry, but she refused. Later, she selected, for her daughter Yuwen Eying's husband, Li Min (李敏) the Duke of Guangzong -- who was raised in the palace on account of his father, the general Li Chong (李崇), having died in battle against Tujue in 583. Events By Place Byzantine Empire April — Fire devastates Constantinople. When the wedding occurred, Emperor Wen authorized that the ceremony be as grand as if a princess were to be married. When Emperor Wen subsequently summoned Li Min, intending to give him a mid-level official position, the Princess Leping advised him to not thank the emperor until and unless the emperor bestowed him the high rank of Zhuguo (柱國) (second rank, first division, under Sui's nine-rank system). When Emperor Wen initially stated that he was going to give him the rank of Yitong (fourth rank, first division), Li therefore said nothing. Emperor Wen then mentioned Kaifu (開府, third rank, second division), and Li still said nothing. Emperor Wen finally said, "The Princess has achieved so much for me. How can I be stingy as to her son-in-law? I will make you a Zhuguo. " Only then did Li bow and thank the emperor.
Emperor Wen died in 604, and was succeeded by Yang Lihua's brother Yang Guang (as Emperor Yang). Events By Place Ancient Japan Prince Shotoku issues a Seventeen-article constitution. Background Yang Guang was born in 569 during the reign of Emperor Wu of Northern Zhou. The princess often attended to her brother, but on one occasion became a source of friction between him and his son Yang Jian (note different character than his grandfather) the Prince of Qi, as once she told Emperor Yang that a daughter of the Liu clan was beautiful, but Emperor Yang initially took no action. Yang Jian (楊暕 (585-618 Courtesy name Shiku (世胐 nickname Ahai (阿孩 was an imperial prince of the Chinese dynasty Sui She then offered the woman to Yang Jian, who took her as a concubine. When Emperor Yang subsequently asked her about Lady Yang, she stated that she had already given her to Yang Jian, which brought displeasure to Emperor Yang.
In 609, while accompanying Emperor Yang on a visit to Zhangye, Yang Lihua grew ill, and she asked Emperor Yang to transfer her fief (five times the size of a usual ducal fief) to Li, stating that she was concerned for her daughter and therefore wanted her son-in-law to have her fief. Events By Place Asia Edessa is taken by the Sassanids. The tax Census of the Sui Dynasty Zhangye ( Simplified Chinese: 张掖 Pinyin: Zhāngyì is a Prefecture-level city Emperor Yang agreed, and did so after she died thereafter. However, in 615, when Emperor Yang became suspicious of Li Min over popular rumors that the next emperor would be from the Li clan, he had his associate Yuwen Shu investigate the matter. Events By Place Europe The Edict of Paris grants extensive rights to the Frankish nobility Yuwen Shu (宇文述 (d 616 Courtesy name Botong (伯通 formally Duke Gong of Xu (許恭公 was an official and general of the Chinese Yuwen Shu persuaded Yuwen Eying that Li Min and his uncle Li Hun (李渾) (who had previously offended Yuwen Shu by refusing to pay Yuwen Shu a bribe that he had promised) were beyond help, and that she needed to save herself -- and therefore got her to submit a confession stating that members of the Li clan were planning a coup to support Li Min as emperor. When Emperor Yang saw the confession, he believed the truth thereof, and he executed Li Hun, Li Min, and 30 other members of their clan. Several months later, Yuwen Eying was also poisoned to death.
| Preceded by Empress Ashina |
Empress of Northern Zhou 578-579 |
Succeeded by Empress Sima Lingji |
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