Song, Liao, and Jin · Ruler and Consort

Empress Dowager 皇太后

Attested AD 983

Passages: 11
Chapters: 1
Histories: 1

Overview

Empress Dowager was a ruler and Consort.

Life and dates

Attested activity

AD 983 統和元年
Directly stated · History of Liao 82, passage 94

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Parent of Emperor Shengzong of Liao (遼聖宗)
empress dowager 太后
Strongly inferred · History of Liao 82, passage 94
Spouse of Yelü Xian (耶律賢)
empress 皇后
Directly stated · History of Liao 82, passage 94

Career and standing

Assumed
Regent
Directly stated · History of Liao 82, passage 94

References in the histories

Search passages

History

11 passages

History of Liao, Chapter 82Volume 82 Biographies 12: Yelu Longyun, Yelu Boguzhe, Xiao Yanga, Wu Bai, Xiao Changge, Yelu Hugu · 11 passages

景宗疾大漸，與耶律斜軫俱受顧命，立梁王為帝，皇后為皇太后，稱制。 When Emperor Jingzong fell gravely ill, he and Yelu Xiezhen together received the dying command: they enthroned the Prince of Liang as emperor, made the empress the empress dowager, and she assumed regency.

隆運總宿衛事，太后益寵任之。 Longyun took overall charge of the palace guards, and the empress dowager favored and trusted him all the more.

四年，宋遣曹彬、米信將十萬眾來侵，隆運從太后出師敗之，加守司空，封楚國公。 In the fourth year, when Song sent Cao Bin and Mi Xin with a hundred thousand men to invade, Longyun accompanied the empress dowager on campaign and routed them. He received the additional title Defender of the Minister of Works and was enfeoffed as Duke of Chu.

六年，太后觀擊鞠，胡裏室突隆運墜馬，命立斬之。 In the sixth year, while the empress dowager watched a cuju match, Hu Lishi charged out and knocked Longyun from his horse; she ordered him beheaded on the spot.

又表請任賢去邪，太后喜曰：「進賢輔政，真大臣之職。」 He also memorialized requesting appointment of the worthy and removal of the corrupt. The empress dowager said with pleasure, "To advance the worthy and assist governance is truly the duty of a great minister."

二十二年，從太后南征，及河，許宋成而還。 In the twenty-second year he accompanied the empress dowager on the southern campaign; reaching the river, Song sued for peace and the army withdrew.

聖宗即位，太后稱制，會群臣議軍國事，勃古哲上疏陳便宜數事，稱旨，即日兼領山西路諸州事。 When Emperor Shengzong succeeded and the empress dowager assumed regency, ministers met to deliberate on military and state affairs. Boguzhe submitted a memorial with several expedient proposals; it pleased the throne, and that same day he was given concurrent charge of the western-circuit prefectures of Shanxi.

統和初，皇太后稱制，召赴京師。 At the opening of Tonghe, when the empress dowager assumed regency, he was summoned to the capital.

四年，宋侵燕，太后親征。 In the fourth year, when Song invaded Yan, the empress dowager took the field in person.

太后既至，磨魯古以創不能戰，與北府宰相蕭繼先巡邏境上。 Once the empress dowager arrived, Morlugu, too wounded to fight, joined Northern Chancellery Chancellor Xiao Jixian in patrolling the frontier.

至賜姓名，王齊、晉，抑有寵於太后而致然歟？ As for his grant of the imperial surname and name, and his princedoms of Qi and Jin—was this not rather the fruit of favor from the empress dowager?