Moniek Bloks's Blog, page 2

Empress He Fani – The overlooked Empress

Empress He Fani was the empress consort to Emperor Mu of the Eastern Jin Dynasty. Her uncle was regent during Emperor Mu’s reign. Empress He Fani lived through five emperors of the Eastern Jin Dynasty.[1] After Emperor Mu’s death, Empress He Fani lived quietly in her imperial residence for most of her life.[2]

In 339 C.E., Empress He Fani was born in Suzhou.[3] She was from the He family. She was the daughter of He Zhun.[4] Her mother was Lady Kong. Her uncle was He Chong, who was regent during Emperor Mu’s reign.[5] He Fani married Emperor Mu. On 19 September 357 C.E., He Fani was invested as empress. Empress He Fani remained childless and did not give Emperor Mu any children.[6]

In 361 C.E., Emperor Mu died. He had no sons to succeed him.[7] He was succeeded by his cousin, Emperor Ai.[8] Empress Fani was not made empress dowager.[9] Instead, she became known as Empress Yong’an because that was the name of her residence in the imperial palace. Empress Yong’an still lived during the reigns of five Eastern Jin emperors: Emperor Ai, Emperor Fei, Emperor Jianwen, Emperor Xiaowu, and Emperor An.[10] Yet, it is clear that she wielded no political influence and lived quietly in the imperial palace.[11]

In 403 C.E., Huan Xuan invaded the Eastern Jin’s capital of Jiankang.[12] He deposed Emperor An of the Eastern Jin Dynasty.[13] He proceeded to proclaim himself emperor.[14] He formed a new dynasty known as the Huan-Chu Dynasty. Huan Xuan would become known in history as Emperor Wudao of the Huan-Chu Dynasty. However, his reign lasted a few months. During his short reign, Huan Xuan banished Empress Yong’an from her palace.

In 404 C.E., Liu Yu (the Duke of Song) temporarily restored the Eastern Jin Dynasty.[15] Duke Liu Yu killed Huan Xuan and restored Emperor An’s throne.[16] Empress Yong’an was escorted back to Jiankang. Empress Yong’an died soon afterwards, in late 404 C.E.[17] Empress Yong’an was buried with the rites of an empress. She was laid to rest next to Emperor Mu in Mound Yongping.[18] She was given the posthumous name of Empress Muzhang.

Very little is known about Empress He Fani of the Eastern Jin Dynasty.[19] Yet, it is clear that she wielded no political influence.[20] She failed to give Emperor Mu a son to succeed him. She lived quietly in Yong’an Palace and was forgotten by the Jin court.[21] Therefore, Empress He Fani still remains one of China’s most forgotten empresses.[22]

Sources:

Milburn, O.; Trans. (2015). Urbanization in Early and Medieval China: Gazetteers for the City of Suzhou. Seattle: University of Washington Press.

Milburn, O.(2021). The Empress in the Pepper Chamber: Zhao Feiyan in History and Fiction. Seattle: University of Washington Press.

Theobald, U. (2018, June 16). “Jin Andi 晉安帝 Sima Dezong 司馬德宗”. Chinaknowledge.de- An Encyclopedia on Chinese History, Literature, and Art. Retrieved on 25 November 2024 from http://www.chinaknowledge.de/History/....

Theobald, U. (2018, June 23). “Jin Mudi 晉穆帝 Sima Dan 司馬聃”. Chinaknowledge.de- An Encyclopedia on Chinese History, Literature, and Art. Retrieved on December 12, 2024 from http://www.chinaknowledge.de/History/....

[1] Milburn, 2021

[2] Milburn, 2021

[3] Milburn, Translator, 2015

[4] Milburn, Translator, 2015

[5] Milburn, Translator, 2015

[6] Theobald, June 23, 2018, “Jin Mudi 晉穆帝 Sima Dan 司馬聃”

[7] Theobald, June 23, 2018, “Jin Mudi 晉穆帝 Sima Dan 司馬聃”

[8] Theobald, June 23, 2018, “Jin Mudi 晉穆帝 Sima Dan 司馬聃”

[9] Milburn, 2021

[10] Milburn, 2021

[11] Milburn, 2021

[12] Theobald, June 16, 2018, “Jin Andi 晉安帝 Sima Dezong 司馬德宗”

[13] Theobald, June 16, 2018, “Jin Andi 晉安帝 Sima Dezong 司馬德宗”

[14] Theobald, June 16, 2018, “Jin Andi 晉安帝 Sima Dezong 司馬德宗”

[15] Theobald, June 16, 2018, “Jin Andi 晉安帝 Sima Dezong 司馬德宗”

[16] Theobald, June 16, 2018, “Jin Andi 晉安帝 Sima Dezong 司馬德宗”

[17] Milburn, 2021

[18] Theobald, June 23, 2018, “Jin Mudi 晉穆帝 Sima Dan 司馬聃”

[19] Milburn, 2021

[20] Milburn, 2021

[21] Milburn, 2021

[22] Milburn, 202

The post Empress He Fani – The overlooked Empress appeared first on History of Royal Women.

Who would be Queen of Greece today?

The Kingdom of Greece existed from 1832 to 1924 and from 1935 to 1973. The last King of Greece was King Constantine II, who reigned from 1964 to 1973.

The claim to the Greek throne still survives today. There has not been a Queen of Greece in her own right. Any Queens mentioned here are consorts, and any Greek titles mentioned since the abolition of the monarchy are titular.

King Constantine II of Greece married Princess Anne-Marie of Denmark in 1964 – the same year he succeeded his father as King. Princess Anne-Marie was the youngest daughter of King Frederik IX of Denmark and Ingrid of Sweden. Her elder sister would succeed their father as Queen Margrethe II of Denmark in 1972. King Constantine and now Queen Anne-Marie would go on to have five children together, including the heir – Crown Prince Pavlos.

Queen Anne-Marie (Photo: Keld Navntoft, Kongehuset)

The family was exiled at the end of 1967, but still formally remained the King and Queen of Greece. The Greek Republic referendum of 1974 officially dethroned them. For a long time, the family was not allowed to return to Greece, and their Greek citizenship was taken from them. Eventually, this ban was lifted, and in 2013, Constantine and Anne-Marie returned to live in Greece. The former King died in Athens on 10 January 2023, passing his claim to the Greek throne to his eldest son, Crown Prince Pavlos.

Crown Prince Pavlos had married the British-born Marie-Chantal Miller in 1995. This makes Marie-Chantal the current titular Queen of Greece. She was born on 17 September 1968 as the second of three daughters of Robert Warren Miller and María Clara Pesantes Becerra. She attended the Peak School in Hong Kong until she was 9, when she moved to the Institut Le Rosey in Switzerland. She eventually transferred to the Ecole Active Bilingue in Paris before attending the Masters School in New York for her last year of high school. After receiving her diploma, she started a degree in History of Art at New York University, but she dropped out after one year.

Embed from Getty ImagesEmbed from Getty Images

That same year, she became engaged to Crown Prince Pavlos. She converted from Catholicism to Greek Orthodoxy in May 1995, and they married on 1 July 1995 at St Sophia’s Cathedral in London.

Embed from Getty ImagesEmbed from Getty Images

They went on to have five children: Princess Maria-Olympia (born 1996), Prince Constantine-Alexios (born 1998), Prince Achileas-Andreas (born 2000), Prince Odysseas-Kimon (born 2004) and Prince Aristidis-Stavros (born 2008). The claim to the Greek throne will eventually pass to their eldest son, Prince Constantine-Alexios.

As members of the extended Danish royal family, they are also Princes/Princesses of Denmark.

The post Who would be Queen of Greece today? appeared first on History of Royal Women.

Book News Week 41

*contains affiliate links*

Book News Week 41 – 6 October – 12 October 2025

[no image yet]

The Five Crowns: Royals in War and Revolution from Athens to Tehran 

Hardcover – 7 October 2025 (UK)

Winston & the Windsors 

Hardcover – 9 October 2025 (UK)

Willie, Willie, Harry, Stee: An Epically Short History of Our Kings and Queens 

Hardcover – 9 October 2025 (UK & US)

The Romans: A 2,000-Year History 

Hardcover – 9 October 2025 (UK) & 7 October 2025 (US)

The post Book News Week 41 appeared first on History of Royal Women.

Empress Wang Muzhi – The Empress whose personal name was tabooed

Empress Wang Muzhi was the empress consort to Emperor Ai of the Eastern Jin Dynasty. She was the daughter of a powerful minister. She married Emperor Ai. However, she did not produce any children with Emperor Ai.[1] After Empress Wang Muzhi died, her personal name was tabooed as a sign of respect for the Empress.[2]

The birthdate of Empress Wang Muzhi is unknown.[3] Her father was Wang Meng, who was a powerful minister. Her mother was Lady Yuan. Wang Muzhi married Emperor Cheng of the Eastern Jin Dynasty’s son named Sima Pi (the Prince of Langye).[4] Wang Muzhi became Princess of Langye.[5] Prince Sima Pi was also promoted to Calvary General.[6] 

In 361 C.E., Prince Sima Pi’s cousin, Emperor Mu of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, died. Emperor Mu left no heirs. Therefore, the heir apparent position was vacant and the succession was in a crisis.[7] Empress Dowager Chu Suanzi issued a decree nominating Sima Pi as the next emperor.[8] The ministers agreed, and Sima Pi was chosen as Emperor.[9]

On 13 July 361 C.E., Sima Pi ascended the throne as Emperor Ai of the Eastern Jin Dynasty. Emperor Ai’s mother, Imperial Consort Zhao, was not made Empress Dowager.[10] Instead, she was made Grand Imperial Consort Zhao.[11] On 29 October 361 C.E., Wang Muzhi was invested as Empress.[12] Empress Wang Muzhi was childless and did not produce any children with Emperor Ai.[13] In 362 C.E., there was a proposal that the capital of the Eastern Jin Dynasty should be Luoyang.[14] Emperor Ai agreed because “it would be a vain declaration.”[15]

On 16 April 363 C.E., Emperor Ai’s mother, Grand Imperial Consort Zhao, died. Emperor Ai ordered two years of mourning for her.[16] During that time, Emperor Ai stopped being in control of government affairs.[17] He let his cousin, Prince Sima Guiji (the future Emperor Jianwen), be in charge of state affairs.[18] In 364 C.E., Emperor Ai, who was a devoted alchemist, fell critically ill after testing a pill that would lead to his immortality.[19] His reign was taken over by Empress Dowager Chu Suanzi.[20]

In February 365 C.E., Empress Wang Muzhi died of illness.[21] She had no children.[22] She was buried with the rites of an empress in Mound Anping.[23] As a sign of respect, her personal name was tabooed.[24] For instance, a general named Mao Muzhi had to change his personal name from Muzhi to Wusheng.[25] This was because he could not have the same name as the empress.[26] A month later, Emperor Ai died on 30 March 365 C.E. He was buried next to his wife in Mound Anping.[27] Because Emperor Ai had no sons to succeed him, he was succeeded by his younger brother, Emperor Fei.[28] Emperor Fei would become known as the “Deposed Emperor.”[29]

Very little is known about Empress Wang Muzhi.[30] She seemed to have no political power in the palace.[31] She seemed to be overshadowed by Empress Dowager Chu Suanzi and her mother-in-law, Grand Imperial Consort Zhou.[32] This may be because she did not produce a son.[33] Therefore, Empress Wang Muzhi remains one of China’s most forgotten empresses.[34]

Sources:

Adamek, P. (2017). Good Son is Sad If He Hears the Name of His Father: The Tabooing of Names in China as a Way of Implementing Social Values. London: Taylor & Francis.

Knechtges, D. R., Ed.; Chang, T., Ed. (2013). Ancient and Early Medieval Chinese Literature: A Reference Guide. Part 2. Netherlands: Brill.

Theobald, U. (2018, June 23). “Jin Andi 晉哀帝 Sima Pi 司馬丕”. Chinaknowledge.de- An Encyclopedia on Chinese History, Literature, and Art. Retrieved on December 18, 2024 from  http://www.chinaknowledge.de/History/....

[1] Theobald, June 23, 2018, “Jin Andi 晉哀帝 Sima Pi 司馬丕”

[2] Adamek, 2017

[3] Adamek,2017

[4] Adamek, 2017; Knechtges and Chang, Eds., 2014

[5] Knechtges and Chang, Eds., 2014

[6] Knechtges and Chang, Eds., 2014

[7] Theobald, June 23, 2018, “Jin Andi 晉哀帝 Sima Pi 司馬丕”

[8] Theobald, June 23, 2018, “Jin Andi 晉哀帝 Sima Pi 司馬丕”

[9] Theobald, June 23, 2018, “Jin Andi 晉哀帝 Sima Pi 司馬丕”

[10] Theobald, June 23, 2018, “Jin Andi 晉哀帝 Sima Pi 司馬丕”

[11] Theobald, June 23, 2018, “Jin Andi 晉哀帝 Sima Pi 司馬丕”

[12] Adamek, 2017

[13] Theobald, June 23, 2018, “Jin Andi 晉哀帝 Sima Pi 司馬丕”

[14] Theobald, June 23, 2018, “Jin Andi 晉哀帝 Sima Pi 司馬丕”

[15] Theobald, June 23, 2018, “Jin Andi 晉哀帝 Sima Pi 司馬丕”, para. 2

[16] Theobald, June 23, 2018, “Jin Andi 晉哀帝 Sima Pi 司馬丕”

[17] Theobald, June 23, 2018, “Jin Andi 晉哀帝 Sima Pi 司馬丕”

[18] Theobald, June 23, 2018, “Jin Andi 晉哀帝 Sima Pi 司馬丕”

[19] Theobald, June 23, 2018, “Jin Andi 晉哀帝 Sima Pi 司馬丕”

[20] Theobald, June 23, 2018, “Jin Andi 晉哀帝 Sima Pi 司馬丕”

[21] Adamek, 2017

[22] Theobald, June 23, 2018, “Jin Andi 晉哀帝 Sima Pi 司馬丕”

[23] Theobald, June 23, 2018, “Jin Andi 晉哀帝 Sima Pi 司馬丕”

[24] Adamek, 2017

[25] Adamek, 2017

[26] Adamek, 2017

[27] Theobald, June 23, 2018, “Jin Andi 晉哀帝 Sima Pi 司馬丕”

[28] Theobald, June 23, 2018, “Jin Andi 晉哀帝 Sima Pi 司馬丕”

[29] Theobald, June 23, 2018, “Jin Andi 晉哀帝 Sima Pi 司馬丕”, para. 6

[30] Adamek, 2017

[31] Theobald, June 23, 2018, “Jin Andi 晉哀帝 Sima Pi 司馬丕”

[32] Theobald, June 23, 2018, “Jin Andi 晉哀帝 Sima Pi 司馬丕”

[33] Theobald, June 23, 2018, “Jin Andi 晉哀帝 Sima Pi 司馬丕”

[34] Adamek, 2017

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Princess Tomohito’s Wedding Tiara

Princess Tomohito’s Wedding Tiara is currently worn by Princess Tomohito of Mikasa.

The Princess, who was born Nobuko Asō, received the tiara when she married Prince Tomohito of Mikasa on 7 November 1980. The tiara is part of a parure.

The tiara features diamonds and pearls in a leaf and scroll design.

Princess Tomohito still wears this tiara for official occasions.

The post Princess Tomohito’s Wedding Tiara appeared first on History of Royal Women.

Princess Akiko becomes head of her family

Japan’s Princess Akiko of Mikasa has become the head of her family branch.

Akiko, who is a paternal cousin of Emperor Naruhito, will now be the head of the Mikasa family branch.

The position has been vacant since the death of Princess Akiko’s grandmother, Yuriko, Princess Mikasa, who died in November 2024. Akiko’s grandfather headed the family prior to her grandmother.

Princess Akiko’s father, who was expected to inherit the role, died in 2012. Prince Tomohito died of cancer at the age of 66.

During the Imperial Household Agency meeting, it was also announced that Princess Nobuko, the mother of Akiko and her sister, will become independent and head a new branch of the Imperial Family. This will be the first new branch of the Imperial Family since 1990.

The Princess is the first princess by blood to hold the role of head of a branch since the Meiji era in the country.

Although Princess Akiko, 43, can be the head of her family branch, she is not in the line of succession. Under Imperial Household Law, women cannot ascend the throne and must renounce their titles and role in the Imperial House upon marriage to a commoner.

As a result, Japan only has three men in its line of succession.

The post Princess Akiko becomes head of her family appeared first on History of Royal Women.

Royal Wedding Recollections – The future King Albert I of Belgium & Duchess Elisabeth in Bavaria

The future King Albert I of Belgium married Elisabeth, Duchess in Bavaria on 2 October 1900 in Munich.

When Albert was born, he was not expected to succeed to the Belgian throne. The only son of his uncle, King Leopold II, had already died in 1869 at the age of 9. Albert’s elder brother, Baudouin, was being prepared to eventually succeed as King, but he died of influenza at the age of 21. Suddenly, it was Albert who would become King. His fiancée Elisabeth was the third of six children of Karl Theodor, Duke in Bavaria, a brother of Empress Elisabeth of Austria.

Albert and Elisabeth had met at a sad occasion, the funeral of Sophie-Charlotte, Duchess of Alençon, Elisabeth’s aunt, in May 1897. Sophie-Charlotte’s son, Prince Emmanuel, had married Albert’s sister, Princess Henriette, in 1896. However, it wasn’t love at first sight for Albert, and it appears he was initially interested in someone else at the funeral, likely Princess Isabella of Orléans. However, he was told that she wasn’t suitable just before he headed off on a tour of the United States in March 1898.

It was Princess Henriette who invited both Albert and Elisabeth over, as well as her sister Marie Gabrielle. Albert appeared to be more interested in Marie Gabrielle, but it soon turned out that she was already engaged to Prince Rupprecht of Bavaria. Nevertheless, he continued to go back and forth between Henriette and Archduchess Elisabeth Marie of Austria, the daughter of the late Crown Prince Rudolf and Princess Stéphanie of Belgium. There were doubts about Elisabeth’s health and her lack of wealth. Then Princess Stéphanie scandalously remarried to Hungarian Count Elemér Lónyay de Nagy-Lónya and Vásáros-Namény, which took Elisabeth Marie immediately out of the running.

(public domain)

After that happened, things moved quickly for Albert and Elisabeth. With the King’s disapproval of the match with Elisabeth Marie and his approval for the match with Elisabeth, Prince Albert proposed to Elisabeth on 29 May 1900. Just four days later, the announcement was made in the newspapers. A wedding had initially been planned for 10 July, but the Belgian royal family had to go into mourning when Albert’s grandmother, Princess Josephine of Baden, died.

The wedding was now set for 2 October 1900. During the time between the engagement and the wedding, Albert and Elisabeth wrote each other lots of loving letters. They may not have been in love at first, but they certainly were now. Albert wrote, “I love you with all my heart, and I feel that my entire being is connected to you from now on.”1 Many of these letters still exist.

Then came the wedding celebrations, which stretched over two days, 1 and 2 October. King Leopold II only arrived on 2 October and missed the first part of the celebrations. On 2 October at 10.30 a.m., it was finally time for the civil wedding ceremony. Following this, the party moved to the chapel of the royal palace for the religious ceremony, where the Archbishop of Munich blessed the marriage.

The New York Times reported, “All Belgium was en fête yesterday in honor of the royal wedding. Belgian and Bavarian flags were everywhere displayed. Special services were held in many churches; and during the evening there were military processions in all the garrison towns. The Prince and Princess will arrive here next Saturday, when official and popular fête will begin, lasting several days.”2

Their daughter, Marie-José, later wrote about her parents’ marriage, “A hymn by Beethoven resounded through the church. The singing broke out among the Hochs and the warm applause. The white silhouette of the small, slender princess who strode to the altar left a deep impression on those present. Her 4-meter-long train was carried by a noble boy in blue and white costume, the colours of the House of Bavaria. To her right and left walked King Leopold II and Prince Regent Luitpold, who held her by one hand, according to a centuries-old custom. Albert of Belgium wore the uniform of a major of the grenadiers, with red braid and a high bearskin cap. To his right walked his mother, the Countess of Flanders, and to his left King Carol of Romania, his uncle.”3

(public domain)

Albert and Elisabeth went on to have two sons and a daughter together. Albert succeeded as King of the Belgians in 1909.

The post Royal Wedding Recollections – The future King Albert I of Belgium & Duchess Elisabeth in Bavaria appeared first on History of Royal Women.

Grand Empress Dowager Li Lingrong – China’s only black Empress

Grand Empress Dowager Li Lingrong is generally regarded as the only black empress in Chinese history.[1] Scholars generally believe that she was a black Kunlun enslaved person from Africa or one of its descendants.[2] Grand Empress Dowager Li Lingrong was originally an enslaved person in a weaving room in a prince’s mansion.[3] However, a magician chose her as the future Jianwen of the Eastern Jin Dynasty’s imperial concubine.[4] Grand Empress Dowager Li Lingrong became the mother and grandmother of the last emperors of the Eastern Jin Dynasty.[5] Therefore, Grand Empress Dowager Li Lingrong gradually rose through the ranks to attain the highest position for a royal woman.[6]

The birthdate of Grand Empress Dowager Li Lingrong is unknown. She came from humble and mysterious origins. However, many historians are fascinated with her unknown origins because of her “dark”[7] skin, and she was “tall.”[8] One scholar believes that Li Lingrong’s ancestry originated from the Pacific Islands.[9] However, many scholars disagree that she came from the Pacific Islands.[10] Instead, many scholars generally believe that she was of African descent.[11] This is because during the Jin Dynasty, there was a large number of enslaved Africans who were imported from Africa.[12] These enslaved people were often known as Kunlun enslaved people. Because Li Lingrong was often called “Kunlun”[13] in many historical accounts, many historians generally believe that she was one of the enslaved people who came from Africa or was a descendant of these enslaved people.[14]

Li Lingrong was an enslaved person who worked in the weaving room in Sima Yu’s (the Prince of Kuaiji and future Emperor Jianwen of the Eastern Jin Dynasty) household.[15] Prince Sima Yu did not have any surviving children.[16] He used a magician named Hu Qian to help him choose a woman from his household who could conceive an heir.[17] Prince Sima Yu and Hu Qian walked around his palace until they entered the weaving room.[18] Hu Qian studied Li Lingrong’s face and said, “This is the one.”[19] Therefore, Li Lingrong became Prince Sima Yu’s imperial concubine.[20]

In 362 C.E., Imperial Consort Li Lingrong bore Prince Sima Yu a son named Sima Yao (the future Emperor Xiaowu of the Eastern Jin Dynasty).[21] In 363 C.E., Imperial Consort Li Lingrong gave birth to another son named Sima Daozi (who would later be the next Prince of Kuaiji).[22] At an unknown date, she also bore a daughter named Princess Poyang.[23] On 6 January 372 C.E., Sima Yu ascended the throne as Emperor Jianwen. He made his late wife, Wang Jianji, his posthumous empress.[24] She became Empress Jianwenshun. Therefore, the Empress position was vacant.[25] This was because he loved and missed his late wife.[26] Li Lingrong was made Imperial Consort Shu.[27] Her son, Sima Yao, was acknowledged as the Crown Prince.[28]

Emperor Jianwen only reigned for eight months.[29] On 12 September 372 C.E., Emperor Jianwen died. He was succeeded by his son, Sima Yao. Sima Yao ascended the throne as Emperor Xiaowu. At first, Emperor Xiaowu wanted to honour his father’s late wife, Empress Jianwenshun.[30] Therefore, he did not make his mother, Imperial Consort Shu, the Empress Dowager.[31] Instead, he made her Imperial Consort Dowager. He still treated her as the unofficial Empress Dowager.[32] In September 394 C.E., Prince Sima Daozi (the Prince of Kuaiji) submitted a memorial requesting that Imperial Consort Dowager Shu be made the Empress Dowager.[33] Emperor Xiaowu agreed.[34] On 18 August 394 C.E., Li Lingrong was finally made Empress Dowager.[35] She was formally installed in Chongxun Palace.[36]

On 6 November 396 C.E., Emperor Xiaowu was murdered by his favourite consort, Imperial Consort Zhang.[37] Emperor Xiaowu was succeeded by his intellectually disabled son, Sima Dezong. He became Emperor An.[38] Emperor An decided to honour his grandmother.[39] On 29 April 397 C.E., Li Lingrong became Grand Empress Dowager.[40] On 9 August 400 C.E., Grand Empress Dowager Li Lingrong died.[41] She was given a ceremony that befitted a grand empress dowager and was buried in Xiuping Mausoleum.[42]

If it were not for a magician, Grand Empress Dowager Li Lingrong would have languished in Prince Sima Yu’s weaving room and would have been a forgotten figure in history.[43] However, she was chosen, and her life changed completely.[44] She was no longer an enslaved Black person.[45] Instead, she was the mother of an emperor and grandmother of two emperors of the Eastern Jin Dynasty.[46] Therefore, Grand Empress Dowager Li Lingrong’s story is truly astonishing.[47] It shows how an unremarkable enslaved person rose through the ranks to attain the highest position a woman could ever attain in ancient China.[48]

Sources:

iNews. (n.d.). “Black Queen Li Lingrong: Ugly but won the Emperor’s favor”. Retrieved on May 10, 2025 from  https://inf.news/en/history/0a5b4a6f1....

McMahon, K. (2013). Women Shall Not Rule: Imperial Wives and Concubines in China from Han to Liao. NY: Rowman and Littlefield.

Wilensky, J. (July 2002). “The Magical Kunlun and ‘Devil Slaves’: Chinese Perceptions of Dark-Skinned People and Africa Before 1500”. Sino-Platonic Papers. 122 (July 2002). https://sino-platonic.org/complete/sp....

Zhi, C. (2024). Liangzhu Civilization: A Civilization that Lasted for 20,000 Years. (n.p.): Scientific Research Publishing.

[1] Wilensky, July 2002; iNews, n.d., “Black Queen Li Lingrong: Ugly but won the Emperor’s favor”

[2] Wilensky, July 2002; iNews, n.d., “Black Queen Li Lingrong: Ugly but won the Emperor’s favor”

[3] McMahon, 2013

[4] McMahon, 2013

[5] McMahon, 2013

[6] iNews, n.d., “Black Queen Li Lingrong: Ugly but won the Emperor’s favor”

[7] McMahon, 2013, p. 146

[8] McMahon, 2013, p.146

[9] Zhi, 2024

[10] Wilensky, July 2002; iNews, n.d., “Black Queen Li Lingrong: Ugly but won the Emperor’s favor”

[11] Wilensky,  July 2002; iNews, n.d., “Black Queen Li Lingrong: Ugly but won the Emperor’s favor”

[12] Wilensky, July 2002

[13] Wilensky, July 2002, p. 4

[14] Wilensky, July 2002

[15] McMahon, 2013

[16] McMahon, 2013

[17] McMahon, 2013

[18] McMahon, 2013

[19] McMahon, 2013, p. 146.

[20] McMahon, 2013

[21] iNews, n.d., “Black Queen Li Lingrong: Ugly but won the Emperor’s favor”

[22] iNews, n.d., “Black Queen Li Lingrong: Ugly but won the Emperor’s favor”

[23] iNews, n.d., “Black Queen Li Lingrong: Ugly but won the Emperor’s favor”

[24] iNews, n.d., “Black Queen Li Lingrong: Ugly but won the Emperor’s favor”

[25] iNews, n.d., “Black Queen Li Lingrong: Ugly but won the Emperor’s favor”

[26] iNews, n.d., “Black Queen Li Lingrong: Ugly but won the Emperor’s favor”

[27] iNews, n.d., “Black Queen Li Lingrong: Ugly but won the Emperor’s favor”

[28] iNews, n.d., “Black Queen Li Lingrong: Ugly but won the Emperor’s favor”

[29] iNews, n.d., “Black Queen Li Lingrong: Ugly but won the Emperor’s favor”

[30] iNews, n.d., “Black Queen Li Lingrong: Ugly but won the Emperor’s favor”

[31] iNews, n.d., “Black Queen Li Lingrong: Ugly but won the Emperor’s favor”

[32] iNews, n.d., “Black Queen Li Lingrong: Ugly but won the Emperor’s favor”

[33] iNews, n.d., “Black Queen Li Lingrong: Ugly but won the Emperor’s favor”

[34] iNews, n.d., “Black Queen Li Lingrong: Ugly but won the Emperor’s favor”

[35] iNews, n.d., “Black Queen Li Lingrong: Ugly but won the Emperor’s favor”

[36] iNews, n.d., “Black Queen Li Lingrong: Ugly but won the Emperor’s favor”

[37] iNews, n.d., “Black Queen Li Lingrong: Ugly but won the Emperor’s favor”

[38] iNews, n.d., “Black Queen Li Lingrong: Ugly but won the Emperor’s favor”

[39] iNews, n.d., “Black Queen Li Lingrong: Ugly but won the Emperor’s favor”

[40] iNews, n.d., “Black Queen Li Lingrong: Ugly but won the Emperor’s favor”

[41] iNews, n.d., “Black Queen Li Lingrong: Ugly but won the Emperor’s favor”

[42] iNews, n.d., “Black Queen Li Lingrong: Ugly but won the Emperor’s favor”

[43] McMahon, 2013; iNews, n.d., “Black Queen Li Lingrong: Ugly but won the Emperor’s favor”

[44] McMahon, 2013; iNews, n.d., “Black Queen Li Lingrong: Ugly but won the Emperor’s favor”

[45] Wilensky, July 2002; iNews, n.d., “Black Queen Li Lingrong: Ugly but won the Emperor’s favor”

[46] McMahon, 2013; iNews, n.d., “Black Queen Li Lingrong: Ugly but won the Emperor’s favor”

[47] McMahon, 2013

[48] iNews, n.d., “Black Queen Li Lingrong: Ugly but won the Emperor’s favor”

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Who would be Queen of Yugoslavia today?

The Kingdom of Serbia existed between 1882 and 1918 and was preceded by the Principality of Serbia. Milan Obrenović IV, Prince of Serbia, became its first King. In 1918, it was succeeded by the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, which was renamed to the Kingdom of Yugoslavia in 1929. The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was formally abolished in November 1945. The kingdom operated under Salic law, which did not allow for the succession of women. The Queens mentioned are, therefore, consorts and not reigning Queens. Any claimed titles since the end of the kingdom are titular.

Natalia and Milan with their son, Alexander (public domain)

King Milan had married Natalia Keshko on 17 October 1875, and they had one surviving son together. A second son, Prince Sergei, had died four days after his birth. They separated after 11 years of marriage, and in 1889, King Milan suddenly abdicated in favour of their 12-year-old son. While Milan withdrew from public life, Natalia was appointed as one of the regents for her son.

The new King declared himself to be of age in 1893 and had the regents – save his mother – arrested. He brought his father back to Serbia and appointed him as commander-in-chief of the army. He even restored the previous constitution.

Draga and Alexander (public domain)

In 1900, he announced his engagement to Draga Mašin, who had been a lady-in-waiting to his mother. Natalia opposed the marriage and was banished by her son. The match was quite unpopular, but the wedding took place in August regardless.

The situation in the country deteriorated in the following three years, and on 11 June 1903, Alexander and Draga were brutally murdered.

Princess Ljubica of Montenegro (public domain)

The couple had no children, and the National Assembly declared Peter Karađorđević, the eldest surviving son of Alexander Karađorđević, Prince of Serbia, who reigned from 1842 until 1858, as the new King. Pete had married Princess Ljubica of Montenegro in 1883, but she died in 1890 after giving birth to their fifth child, who was stillborn or died shortly after birth. They had three surviving children, as one of their daughters had died in infancy. Peter did not remarry, so there was no Queen during his reign.

Peter was King of Serbia until 1918 and then King of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes until his death in 1921 at the age of 77. He was succeeded as King by his second son, Alexander. His eldest son had been forced to give up his place in the line of succession after he had kicked a servant to death.

Alexander and Maria (public domain)

The new King Alexander I had married Princess Maria of Romania in 1922, and they went on to have three sons together. King Alexander was assassinated during a state visit to France in 1934. He was succeeded by his 11-year-old son, who now became King Peter. The regency was given to Alexander’s first cousin, Prince Paul. By then, the kingdom was renamed as the Kingdom of Yugoslavia.

During the Second World War, Yugoslavia was invaded by Nazi Germany and the government was forced to surrender. Peter managed to flee the country, and he set up a government in exile in London. In April 1942, he proposed to Princess Alexandra of Greece and Denmark, but the announcement of the engagement caused controversy in occupied Yugoslavia. They eventually married on 20 March 1944 in London. They had one son together, Crown Prince Alexander, who was born on 17 July 1945.

Alexandra and Alexander (CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons)

After the Second World War, King Peter was not allowed to return home. Meanwhile, a regency council was formed. Peter was dethroned by Yugoslavia’s Communist Constituent Assembly on 29 November 1945, and Yugoslavia was declared a republic. The former King and Queen settled in the United States in 1949. The situation in exile was difficult, and their son was eventually sent to Italy, where he had a chance at a more stable upbringing.

After some difficulties in their relationship, Peter and Alexandra reconciled and moved to France. In 1967, the relationship was definitely over, and Peter moved back to the United States. The former King died on 3 November 1970 in Denver after a failed liver transplant.

Embed from Getty Images

Princess Maria da Gloria of Orléans-Bragança on the far right

The claim to the Yugoslav throne was inherited by Peter and Alexandra’s only son, Crown Prince Alexander. He went on to marry Princess Maria da Gloria of Orléans-Bragança in 1972, and they had three sons together, including a set of twins. They were divorced on 19 February 1985. That same year, Alexander remarried to Katherine Clairy Batis. This makes Katherine the current titular Queen of Yugoslavia.

Crown Princess Katherine – Copyright Photo: NettyRoyal.nl

Katherine was born in Athens on 13 November 1943 as the daughter of Robert Batis and Anna Dosti. She received her primary and secondary education in Athens and Lausanne. She then studied business at the University of Denver and the University of Dallas. In 1962, she married Jack Walter Andrews, with whom she had a son and a daughter. They divorced in 1984.

Since 2001, she and Alexander have lived in the Royal Palace in Belgrade. The claim is set to be inherited by Crown Prince Alexander’s second son, Philip, as his eldest son, Peter,  has renounced the title of hereditary prince. Philip is married to Danica Marinković, and they have a son and a daughter together.

Embed from Getty Images

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Book News Week 40

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Book News Week 40 – 29 September – 5 October 2025

The Many Faces of Anne Boleyn: Interpreting Image and Perception 

Hardcover – 30 September 2025 (US)

Women Who Dared: From the Infamous to the Forgotten

Paperback – 30 September 2025 (US)

Elizabeth I’s Ladies, Gentlewomen and Maids: The Women who Served the Tudor Queen

Hardcover – 30 September 2025 (UK)

Catherine of Aragon: An Illustrated History 

Hardcover – 30 September 2025 (UK)

A Tale Unasked 

Paperback – 2 October 2025 (UK)

Rewriting History and the Myth of the French Nation: The Hagiography of Radegund of Poitiers from Medieval to Modernity (Hagiography Beyond Tradition) 

Hardcover – 1 October 2025 (US & UK)

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