Empress Dou, formally Empress Zhangde, was an empress of the Chinese Han dynasty.
13 Facts About Empress Zhangde
1.
2.
Empress Zhangde was already influential and powerful during her husband's reign, but became particularly highly powerful and influential as empress dowager and regent between 88 and 92 for her adoptive son Emperor He after Emperor Zhang's death.
3.
Empress Zhangde's mother was Princess Piyang, a daughter of Liu Jiang, the Prince of Donghai, who was a highly honored older brother to Emperor Ming and was Emperor Guangwu's first crown prince; therefore, she was created a princess even though her father was not an emperor.
4.
Empress Zhangde Dou was a jealous woman, and she became engaged in power struggles with other imperial consorts soon after she became empress.
5.
Empress Zhangde was completely in control of the palace and exercised the power of rewards and punishments stubbornly over the palace.
6.
In 78, the elder Consort Song gave birth to a son named Liu Qing, and because Empress Zhangde Dou was sonless, Prince Qing was created crown prince in 79.
7.
Empress Zhangde had her brothers collect dossiers on faults of the Song clan while bribing the servants and eunuchs of Consorts Song to gather their own faults.
Related searches
Liu Gang 8.
Empress Zhangde Dou seized the cuscuta and falsely accused Consort Song of using it for witchcraft.
9.
Empress Zhangde had the Consorts Song arrested and interrogated by the eunuch Cai Lun.
10.
Empress Zhangde Dou began to give false reports about Prince Zhao's birth mother Consort Liang and her sister, an imperial consort, and they lost Emperor Zhang's favor.
11.
Empress Zhangde Dou wore the clothes of concubines and apologized on Dou Xian's behalf, causing Emperor Zhang to spare him.
12.
Empress Zhangde therefore had Liu assassinated and blamed Liu's brother Liu Gang, the Marquess of Li.
13.
Empress Zhangde had another major victory over the North Xiongnu in 91, essentially wiping North Xiongnu out as a political entity.