Empress Zhangsun was the wife of Emperor Taizong and the mother of Emperor Gaozong.
14 Facts About Empress Zhangsun
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Empress Zhangsun was well educated, and her ancestors were of Xianbei ethnicity.
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Empress Zhangsun's father was the Sui dynasty general Zhangsun Sheng, and her mother was Zhangsun Sheng's wife Lady Gao, the daughter of the official Gao Jingde.
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The future Empress Zhangsun was said to be studious and proper in her actions.
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Empress Zhangsun appointed his son, Li Shimin, as the Prince of Qin, his wife as the Princess of Qin.
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Princess Empress Zhangsun was said to serve her father-in-law Emperor Gaozu carefully, forming friendships with his concubines which she would use to cover up the mistakes of her husband and his faction.
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When Li Shimin mobilized his personal troops within his mansion, and as he did so, Princess Empress Zhangsun was said to have personally made an appearance before the troops to encourage them.
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Empress Zhangsun often gave Emperor Taizong examples from history to inspire him to rule better, and if there was a problem with the decision of Emperor Taizong about the administration, or for the officials and officers, she respectfully asked him to change the decision.
9.
When one of Emperor Taizong's concubines died giving birth to a daughter, Empress Zhangsun raised the daughter, Princess Yuzhang, as her own.
10.
Emperor Taizong agreed and informed Empress Zhangsun, who was greatly impressed with Wei's honest advice, and therefore, after receiving permission from Emperor Taizong, she had her eunuchs send rewards of money and silk to Wei, praising him for his honesty.
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Empress Zhangsun was surprised, and asked her what the reason was.
12.
Empress Zhangsun herself was said to suffer from severe asthma, and her conditions were exacerbated in 634 when she was ill, but nevertheless attended to Emperor Taizong when he was forced to wake up in the middle of the night and put on armor and weapons due to an emergency report by his brother-in-law, Chai Shao the Duke of Qiao.
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Empress Zhangsun, knowing that Emperor Taizong had long disapproved of Buddhism and Taoism and herself believing overuse of pardons to be improper, refused.
14.
Empress Zhangsun summoned Fang back to his chancellor position, and then he buried her with honors due an empress, but reduced the expenditures as much as possible, as she wished.