Empress Wu

Empress Wu went by many names including Wu Zetian, Empress Consort Wu, Wu Hou, and Wu Zhao. She lived from 624 to 705 CE and reigned from 690 to 704 CE. She was the concubine to the first emperor of the Tang Dynasty, Taizong then married his son, Gaozong after he had a died. After her marriage to Gaozong, she became empress consort and gained more power by putting her sons on the throne then removing them.

Her life before coming a concubine was prestigious. She came from a wealthy family with a father as a chancellor. She studied and became literate. Taizong became fascinated with her when she was 14 and took her as his concubine and later as his secretary. However, she fell in love with his son Gaozong and had an affair with him, but she was not destined to be his concubine after Taizong's death. She had been sent to a nunnery, but Gaozong loved her so much that he had her back in court.

Once she came to power, the dynasty shifted from Tang to Zhou. She also gave many important roles to women in a patriarchal China. She promoted Buddhism in the country as well. She established well organized secret police and spy networks as she know the men of China would be highly unhappy with her reforms because of her being a woman and for many other policy reforms she set forth. She never really could escape her concubine tendencies and often took young men as her lovers. Double standards were set in place in China, so she received severe backlash for her numerous affairs.

Towards the end of her reign, she (like Stalin) purged her own administration due to her paranoia. In 704 CE, her health began to decline and she had to pass on the power to her son and his wife. The same year, she not only abdicated, but died.

http://www.ancient.eu/Wu_Zetian/