Moniek Bloks's Blog, page 8
July 25, 2025
The Year of Queen Sālote Tupou III – The Queen’s half-sister: ʻElisiva Fusipala Taukiʻonetuku (Part one)
Princess Sālote’s mother, Lavinia, died in 1902 when Sālote was just two years old. Her parents’ marriage had been quite controversial as King George had originally been meant to marry Princess ʻOfakivavaʻu, but he had chosen Lavinia instead. With Lavinia dead and in order to appease those who had been offended by his first marriage, he now chose to marry Princess ʻOfakivavaʻu’s half-sister, Princess ʻAnaseini Takipō. Princess ʻOfakivavaʻu herself had died in 1901 of tuberculosis.
George and Takipō were married on 11 November 1909. In the tradition of Tonga, children from an earlier marriage were in danger of being killed. George claimed he was sending Sālote away for her education, but she was sent on the earliest possible steamer in December 1909, and she left without the customary companions. She was brought to Auckland and left with a family called Kronfeld.1 A son was expected, and Takipō fell pregnant in 1910. She gave birth to her first child, a daughter named ʻElisiva Fusipala Taukiʻonelua, on 20 March 1911. Sālote never met this half-sister as the infant tragically died just five months later on 11 August 1911.
On 26 July 1912, she gave birth to a second daughter, Princess ʻElisiva Fusipala Taukiʻonetuku. Sālote received the news via telegram. Takipō’s family insisted on treating Fusipala as the only royal princess. Takipō was from a higher female line than Sālote’s mother, Lavinia. Sālote would later claim that the women of their family had bad blood.2 Despite the difference in status, Fusipala was behind Sālote in the line of succession. Sālote met her newborn half-sister at the end of 1912 when she returned home from school. On Fusipala’s first birthday, she was “adopted for nurturing” (kaukautama) by the premier, Polutele Kaho Tu’ivakano. He gave her the nickname Tokilupe.3
By 1917, it was clear that Takipō would have no more children. Without a son, Princess Sālote was first in the line of succession. In early 1917, the King became ill and was clearly in declining health. Around this time, a suitor for Sālote was found who met with the approval of the Privy Council, the public and the royal family. His name was Tungī Mailefihi. They were married on 19 September 1917. Her father looked well despite still being ill. Takipō wore a white silk dress and a light gold coronet, and five-year-old Fusipala acted as a flower girl.4
When King George Tupou II died on 5 April 1918, Sālote had just turned 18 years old, and she was six months pregnant. His immediate cause of death had been heart failure, although he had been diagnosed with tuberculosis. He was still only 43 years old. Takipō attended his funeral “heavily veiled.” 5 Tonga went into six months of official mourning. During this time, Sālote gave birth to her first child, a son named Tāufaʻāhau Tupou. Between the death of the King and the birth of Sālote’s first child, Fusipala was first in the line of succession.
Fusipala and Takipō moved to Finefekai during the period of mourning. Disaster struck not much later. A ship had brought the deadly influenza virus to Tonga. The disease spread quickly, and the loss of life was immense. The royal family was not spared either. Queen Sālote’s husband became very ill, and Sālote was also sick but had no fever. Fusipala’s mother died of the disease on 25 November 1919, still only 25 years old. She was buried at Malaʻeʻaloa rather than the royal burial ground at Mala’ekula. Fusipala was now an orphan at the age of six.
Sālote became her little sister’s guardian, but it was Tongan custom for a child to be nurtured by her mother’s family, and Takipō’s family claimed their rights over Fusipala. To keep her from this influence, Sālote sent her to the household of Mateialona in Ha’apai, where she would be looked after by Sela and Rachel Tonga, as Sālote herself had been. Some of her family followed her to Ha’apai, and they complained when Fusipala was made to do small household tasks. In 1920, Sālote sent Fusipala to Auckland, where she would learn English and be able to attend the Diocesan School for Girls.6 But while Sālote had been happy being educated abroad, Fusipala was not, and she was allowed to return to Tonga in 1925 at the age of 13. However, she was sent abroad again to the Methodist Ladies’s College in Melbourne the following year after her family pressured the Queen to go ahead with a marriage proposal.
Her principal wrote to Queen Sālote, “She is proving herself a good student, with a quick mind and willingness to work, and she wins the respect and affection both of her fellow students and her teachers. Her general conduct is admirable, and I think she finds a real enjoyment in the life of the MLC. In music, she really has a touch of genius… A week ago, Fusipala was on the programme for a pianoforte solo by one of the great masters, and she played it magnificently. If it had been the Town Hall, she would have been encored. The girls cheered her till she had to go back to the piano.”7
Fusipala’s own ideas about marriage became quite clear when she wrote to her sister from Melbourne, “… You don’t seem to believe that I am not ever going to get married at all. You must realise by now that I have got more sense and that I am getting desperate over it. ‘Fefine tabu’ be hanged and let it go to blazes. Every hour brings me nearer to that awful man who is nearly three times my age, and you are not going to marry him, so you cannot possibly understand what my feelings are. I am leaving everything in your hands. Please, please, tell everybody in Tonga that you don’t want me to marry at all, for I would rather be dead than to be a stepmother to about half a dozen kids.”8
Part two coming soon.
The post The Year of Queen Sālote Tupou III – The Queen’s half-sister: ʻElisiva Fusipala Taukiʻonetuku (Part one) appeared first on History of Royal Women.
Trailer and release date for King & Conqueror
We have a new trailer and a release date for the new series King & Conqueror.
The series will premiere on 24 August on BBC One. Worldwide distribution is not yet known.
We will see Clémence Poésy as Matilda of Flanders, Emily Beecham as Edith Swanneck, Juliet Stevenson as Emma of Normandy, and Indy Lewis as Margaret of Scotland.
The post Trailer and release date for King & Conqueror appeared first on History of Royal Women.
July 24, 2025
The Hitachi Pearl Fringe Tiara
The Hitachi Pearl Fringe Tiara is a diamond and pearl tiara worn by Hanako, Princess Hitachi.
The diamond fan form features a row of pearl toppers in a fringe.
Princess Hitachi still wears the tiara to royal events, but she has been attending these less and less due to her age.
This tiara will eventually return to the vaults as Prince and Princess Hitachi do not have any children. Prince Hitachi is the brother of Emperor Emeritus Akihito, and he is currently third and last in the line of succession.
The post The Hitachi Pearl Fringe Tiara appeared first on History of Royal Women.
July 22, 2025
Empress Dowager Ande – The Mother of the Last Two Emperors of the Jin Dynasty
Empress Dowager Ande was a pivotal figure during the last few decades of the powerful Jin Dynasty. She was the imperial concubine of Emperor Xiaowu of the Eastern Jin Dynasty. She was only in the imperial palace for a few short years. Yet, those few years made a lasting impact on the Jin Dynasty.[1] She would give birth to two Jin emperors who would eventually end the Jin Dynasty.[2]
The birthdate of Empress Dowager Ande is unknown.[3] Her personal name is Chen Guinü. Her father was Chen Guang, who was a musician.[4] Her mother is also unknown.[5] Her early life is mostly unknown.[6] She was originally a courtesan in Jiaofeng. She was known to be very beautiful.[7] She was also good at dancing and singing.[8] She was selected to enter the imperial palace to become an imperial concubine to Emperor Xiaowu of the Eastern Jin Dynasty. She was given the rank of Shuyuan.
Emperor Xiaowu highly favoured Imperial Consort Chen Guinü.[9] He was enthralled by her voice and her graceful dancing.[10] In 382 C.E., Imperial Consort Chen Guinü gave birth to a son named Prince Sima Dezong (the future Emperor An).[11] He was mentally disabled and could not speak.[12] In 386 C.E., Imperial Consort Chen Guinü gave birth to a second son named Prince Sima Dewen (the future Emperor Gong).[13] In 390 C.E., Imperial Consort Chen Guinü died at the age of twenty-seven.[14] If it had not been for the political events that ended the Jin Dynasty, Imperial Consort Chen Guinü’s name would have remained in obscurity.[15]
On 6 November 396 C.E., Emperor Xiaowu was murdered by his favourite imperial concubine, Imperial Consort Zhang.[16] Emperor Xiaowu was succeeded by Emperor An. Emperor An of the Eastern Jin Dynasty honoured his late mother, Imperial Consort Chen Guinü, by making her an empress dowager.[17] Imperial Consort Chen Guinü received the posthumous title of Empress Dowager Ande.[18] On 28 January 419 C.E., Duke Liu Yu murdered Emperor An and installed Emperor Gong on the Eastern Jin throne.[19] On 7 July 420 C.E., Emperor Gong abdicated.[20] This marked the end of the Jin Dynasty.[21] Liu Yu ascended the throne as emperor and founded the Liu-Song Dynasty.[22]
When examining the downfall of the Jin Dynasty, it is hard to overlook Empress Dowager Ande.[23] She seemed like she was destined for obscurity if it were not for her two sons, who ended a powerful dynasty.[24] Emperor An made the Jin Dynasty weak and left it in the hands of a powerful warlord named Liu Yu.[25] Emperor Gong officially ended the Jin Dynasty through his abdication.[26] The Liu-Song Dynasty that succeeded the Jin Dynasty only lasted fifty-nine years, which was from 420 to 479 C.E..[27]
Sources:
iNews. (n.d.). “The Tragic Life of Sima Dewen, Emperor Gong of Jin”. Retrieved on December 11, 2024 from https://inf.news/en/history/6fcd788fe....
McMahon, K. (2013). Women Shall Not Rule: Imperial Wives and Concubines in China from Han to Liao. NY: Rowman and Littlefield.
Minpu, Y. (12 December 2015).“Emperor Xiaowu: First he was forced to collapse by his wife, and then he was killed by his beloved concubine for saying the wrong thing. [孝武先: 被老婆逼崩溃 后因说错话遭宠妃杀死]”. Yangtze Evening News. Retrieved on December 11, 2024 from https://web.archive.org/web/202404211....
Theobald, U. (16 June 2018). “Jin Andi 晉安帝 Sima Dezong 司馬德宗”. Chinaknowledge.de- An Encyclopedia on Chinese History, Literature, and Art. Retrieved on December 11, 2024 from http://www.chinaknowledge.de/History/....
Theobald, U. (16 June 2018). “Jin Gongdi 晉恭帝Sima Dewen 司馬德文”. Chinaknowledge.de- An Encyclopedia on Chinese History, Literature, and Art. Retrieved on December 11, 2024 from http://www.chinaknowledge.de/History/....
[1] iNews, n.d., “The Tragic Life of Sima Dewen, Emperor Gong of Jin”
[2] iNews, n.d., “The Tragic Life of Sima Dewen, Emperor Gong of Jin”
[3] iNews, n.d., “The Tragic Life of Sima Dewen, Emperor Gong of Jin”
[4] Minpu, December 12, 2015, “Emperor Xiaowu: First he was forced to collapse by his wife, and then he was killed by his beloved concubine for saying the wrong thing. [孝武先: 被老婆逼崩溃 后因说错话遭宠妃杀死]”
[5] iNews, n.d., “The Tragic Life of Sima Dewen, Emperor Gong of Jin”
[6] iNews, n.d., “The Tragic Life of Sima Dewen, Emperor Gong of Jin”
[7] Minpu, December 12, 2015, “Emperor Xiaowu: First he was forced to collapse by his wife, and then he was killed by his beloved concubine for saying the wrong thing. [孝武先: 被老婆逼崩溃 后因说错话遭宠妃杀死]”
[8] Minpu, December 12, 2015, “Emperor Xiaowu: First he was forced to collapse by his wife, and then he was killed by his beloved concubine for saying the wrong thing. [孝武先: 被老婆逼崩溃 后因说错话遭宠妃杀死]”
[9] Minpu, December 12, 2015, “Emperor Xiaowu: First he was forced to collapse by his wife, and then he was killed by his beloved concubine for saying the wrong thing. [孝武先: 被老婆逼崩溃 后因说错话遭宠妃杀死]”
[10] Minpu, December 12, 2015, “Emperor Xiaowu: First he was forced to collapse by his wife, and then he was killed by his beloved concubine for saying the wrong thing. [孝武先: 被老婆逼崩溃 后因说错话遭宠妃杀死]”
[11] iNews, n.d., “The Tragic Life of Sima Dewen, Emperor Gong of Jin”
[12] Theobald, June 16, 2018, “Jin Andi 晉安帝 Sima Dezong 司馬德宗
[13] iNews, n.d., “The Tragic Life of Sima Dewen, Emperor Gong of Jin”
[14] Minpu, December 12, 2015, “Emperor Xiaowu: First he was forced to collapse by his wife, and then he was killed by his beloved concubine for saying the wrong thing. [孝武先: 被老婆逼崩溃 后因说错话遭宠妃杀死]”
[15] iNews, n.d., “The Tragic Life of Sima Dewen, Emperor Gong of Jin”
[16] McMahon, 2013
[17] iNews, n.d., “The Tragic Life of Sima Dewen, Emperor Gong of Jin”
[18] iNews, n.d., “The Tragic Life of Sima Dewen, Emperor Gong of Jin”
[19] McMahon, 2013
[20] McMahon, 2013
[21] McMahon, 2013
[22] McMahon, 2013
[23] iNews, n.d., “The Tragic Life of Sima Dewen, Emperor Gong of Jin”
[24] iNews, n.d., “The Tragic Life of Sima Dewen, Emperor Gong of Jin”
[25] Theobald, June 16, 2018, “Jin Andi 晉安帝 Sima Dezong 司馬德宗
[26] Theobald, June 16, 2018, “Jin Gongdi 晉恭帝Sima Dewen 司馬德文”
[27] Theobald, June 16, 2018, “Jin Gongdi 晉恭帝Sima Dewen 司馬德文”
The post Empress Dowager Ande – The Mother of the Last Two Emperors of the Jin Dynasty appeared first on History of Royal Women.
July 21, 2025
Sayidda al-Hurra – A “noble, independent lady”
To celebrate the release of Queens of Islam: The Muslim World’s Historic Women Rulers by Tom Verde, we have a guest post from Tom Verde about Sayidda al-Hurra, who is featured in the book.
Sayidda al-Hurra, sixteenth-century ruler of Morocco’s coastal city-state of Tétouan, was a woman of many identities. A “pirate queen” to some, she was a “noble, independent lady” (a lose translation of her name/title) to others, one of the many “eloquent, strong and witty Andalusian-Moroccan” heroines who populate the nation’s history and folklore said Hasna Lebbady, author of Feminist Traditions in Andalusi-Moroccan Oral Narratives.
Sayidda’s story began with the expulsion of her family and fellow countrymen from Granada in Andalusia (southern Spain) by the forces of King Ferdinand of Aragon and Queen Isabella of Castile in 1492. The event signalled the end of Muslim rule in the Iberian Peninsula after seven centuries of struggle between the Moors (Spanish/North African Muslims) and the Christian kingdoms of Spain and Portugal. Ultimately, thousands of Andalusian Muslims and Jews fled to major North African Islamic urban centres, such as Fez, Oran, Tunis, and Tétouan.
Among the refugees was the tribal chief Moulay Ali Ibn Rashid and his family, including his daughter, the future Sayidda al-Hurra, who was born sometime between 1485 and 1495 and whose probable birth name was Aisha. The family settled in the Rif Mountains southeast of Tangier, where Ali became emir of the city-state of Chefchaouen.
As a girl, Aisha received a first-class education, surpassing that of the men at court. She excelled in languages, including Castilian and Portuguese, as well as theology. Among her teachers was the famed Moroccan scholar, Abdallah al-Ghazwani (d. 1529), whose father, the equally celebrated shaykh Oudjal, supposedly once put his hand to Aisha’s head and declared, “This girl will rise high in rank.”
Whether by divinely-inspired edict or political practicality, Aisha took her first steps towards fulfilling Oudjal’s prediction in 1510 by marrying al-Mandari, governor of Tétouan. Roughly 35 miles north of Chefchaouen, the city was Morocco’s major entrepot, with goods from the interior and beyond flowing through its port. The town was also a tactical base for staging maritime raids against the northern port of Ceuta, which at various times was held by rival Muslim and Christian (Portuguese) powers.
There is disagreement over which al-Mandari Aisha married: the much older Abu al-Hassan or a younger member of the family, Mohammad al-Mandari. In either case, her education, strength of character, and presence of mind established her as a political leader, independent of male supervision, instruction, or approval.
“She was trusted by her male relatives,” Lebbady said. “She knew what needed to be done under different circumstances, and these are the kinds of qualities that would have made her a leader.”
With Aisha as co-regent of Tétouan, and the appointment of her brother Moulay Ibrahim as vizier to Ahmed al-Wattasi, sultan of Fez, the Rashids were now major players in the effort to militarily and economically unify Morocco against the threatening colonial powers of Spain and Portugal.
With the death of her husband, sometime between 1515 and 1519, Aisha became Tétouan’s sole ruler under the formal title, Sayidda al-Hurra, Hakimat Titwan (Governor of Tétouan). Europeans wondered if Sayidda al-Hurra was her actual name since it appears in contemporary Spanish records as Sida el-Horra. What seems likely, however, is that, unaware of her given name, they confused it with her title. Nonetheless, as Sayidda al-Hurra, she effectively governed Tétouan for the next quarter-century, during which time “the city soon reached an unheard of level of prosperity,” as Spanish historian German Vasquez Chamorro wrote in his 2004 book, Mujeres Piratas (Women Pirates).
Much of this prosperity derived from attacks on Iberian ships laden with gold and other treasures. These raids helped cement Sayidda’s reputation in history as a “pirate queen,” embellished by her association with the most notorious of the so-called Barbary corsairs (pirates), Oruç Reis, known to the West as Barbarossa.
Joining forces and fleets, the two ruled the waters of the eastern and western Mediterranean, raiding towns, robbing ships, and selling Christian captives into slavery. Spanish sources from 1540 tell of attacks on Gibraltar and the loss of “much booty and many prisoners” for whom Sayidda negotiated ransom. The Portuguese, meanwhile, “prayed for God to allow them to see her hanged from a ship’s mast,” as Chamorro noted. Sébastien de Vargas, Portuguese envoy to the court of Fez at the time, seethingly characterised her as “a very aggressive and bad-tempered woman about everything.”
But whether or not Sayidda and Oruç were “pirates” really depended upon which end of the ship’s cannon you were facing.
“Piracy was rampant in the sixteenth century and by no means limited to the southern coast of the Mediterranean,” said Lebbady. “English pirates used to intercept the Spanish galleys coming back from the Americas, and what they took as booty was a major source of income for the government of Queen Elizabeth I.”
In contrast, during the time of Sayidda, Morocco did not have a navy and depended on privateers to defend the coast.
“Many of these privateers were Andalusis who settled in places like Salé and Tétouan. Under the command of Sayidda al-Hurra, they helped her to fend off the aggressive Iberians who were colonising Morocco and, at times, enslaving most of the population. So Sayidda al-Hurra was doing the same thing to the Iberians as they were doing to the Moroccans. I wouldn’t call her a pirate. To refer to her as a pirate is to put the blame on those who were defending their land from aggressive colonial powers.”
In truth, Sayidda probably never set foot on the deck of a privateer ship herself and only directed their raids from her palace in Tétouan. Skilful at politics, she gained the upper hand for her city, even if that meant striking deals with the Portuguese one day, and attacking them the next.
As her power grew, so did her reputation. In 1541, al-Wattasi, wishing to form an alliance, asked for her hand in marriage. She accepted, but refused to travel to Fez for the wedding, insisting it take place in Tétouan. It was the only time in history that a Moroccan sultan married outside the capital.
But her power was not to last. As is often the case, political intrigue led to her downfall. Her on-again/off-again diplomatic relations with the Portuguese government in Ceuta prompted its governor to cut off commercial ties with Tétouan, causing local merchants to grumble that Sayidda’s temper and pride were bad for business. Meanwhile, her son-in-law, Moulay Ahmed al-Hassan al-Mandari (Abu al-Hassan’s grandson), looking to establish his own rule, arrived in Tétouan in 1542 with an army and usurped his mother-in-law. Accepting her fate, she retired to Chefchaouen. There she founded a zawiya (a religious centre) where she lived out the rest of her life in piety until her death on July 14, 1561. She is said to be the last woman ruler in Islam to hold the title of “al-Hurra.”
Tom Verde is a freelance journalist, specialising in religion, culture, and history. This article was adapted from his new book Queens of Islam: The Muslim World’s Historic Women Rulers . This book is available now in the US and the UK.
An earlier version of this article appeared in the author’s “Malika” series, written for AramcoWorld magazine in 2016.
The post Sayidda al-Hurra – A “noble, independent lady” appeared first on History of Royal Women.
Centenary of Queen Elizabeth II’s birth to be marked by largest exhibition of her fashion ever staged
The centenary of Queen Elizabeth II’s birth will be marked by the largest exhibition of her fashion ever staged at The King’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace.
Approximately 200 items will go on display in Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style, and around half of these will be on display for the very first time. The clothing will date from all ten decades of her life.
An official publication will accompany the exhibition. Written by the exhibition curator Caroline de Guitaut and featuring contributions by fashion experts and designers, the book will explore the late Queen Elizabeth II’s fashion archive and her lifelong championing of the British fashion industry in unprecedented detail.
Caroline de Guitaut, exhibition curator and Surveyor of The King’s Works of Art, said, “Over the course of Queen Elizabeth II’s remarkably long reign, her distinctive style became instantly recognisable around the world, bolstering the British fashion industry and influencing generations of designers and couturiers.
“Only now, as the late Queen’s fashion archive comes under the care of Royal Collection Trust, can we tell the story of a lifetime of thoughtful style choices – from her hands-on role and understanding of the soft power behind her clothing, to the exceptional craftsmanship behind each garment. In the year that she would have turned 100 years old, this exhibition will be a celebration of Queen Elizabeth’s uniquely British style and her enduring fashion legacy.”
On display for the first time will be one of the earliest surviving pieces of her childhood: the silver lamé and tulle bridesmaid dress, designed by Edward Molyneux, which she wore for the wedding of her uncle, the Duke of Kent, and Princess Marina.
Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style will be at The King’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace, from spring to autumn 2026. Specific dates are to be confirmed. The tickets will go on sale in November 2025.
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July 20, 2025
Princess Poyang – Daughter and Sister of the Last Emperors of the Jin Dynasty, Grandmother of an Empress of the Liu-Song Dynasty
Princess Poyang was the daughter of Emperor Xiaowu of the Eastern Jin Dynasty. She was also the sister of Emperor An and Emperor Gong of the Eastern Jin Dynasty. Princess Poyang was the grandmother of Empress Wang Xianyuan of the Liu-Song Dynasty. During the Liu-Song Dynasty, Princess Poyang received a grander princess title.[1] Therefore, Princess Poyang was given respect during the establishment of the new Liu-Song Dynasty.[2]
The birthdate of Princess Poyang is unknown.[3] Her personal name is also unknown.[4] She was given the title of Princess of Poyang.[5] She was the daughter of Emperor Xiaowu of the Eastern Jin Dynasty. Her mother was one of Emperor Xiaowu’s imperial concubines who was not named.[6] Princess Poyang had two brothers named Sima Dezong (who would later become Emperor An) and Sima Dewen (who would later become Emperor Gong). She had another sister who would become known in history as Princess Jinling. Princess Poyang also had the same title as her aunt, who married Wang Xi.[7]
Princess Poyang eventually married Wang Yan (the great-grandson of the famous Jin Dynasty Prime Minister Wang Dao) of the Wang family of Langya.[8] She gave birth to a son named Wang Yan.[9] On 6 November 396 C.E., Emperor Xiaowu was murdered by his favourite imperial concubine, Imperial Honored Consort Zhang.[10] Emperor Xiaowu was succeeded by Emperor An. Emperor An was mentally disabled and could not speak.[11] Therefore, he needed a regent.[12] In 405 C.E., the regent of the Eastern Jin Dynasty was Liu Yu (the Duke of Song).[13] On 28 January 429 C.E., Duke Liu Yu installed Emperor Gong on the Eastern Jin throne.[14] On 7 July 420 C.E., Emperor Gong abdicated.[15] This marked the end of the Jin Dynasty.[16] Liu Yu ascended the throne as emperor and founded the new Liu-Song Dynasty.[17]
During Emperor Liu Yu of Liu-Song’s reign, Princess Poyang was conferred the title of Princess of Yongcheng.[18] Her son, Wang Yan, married Emperor Liu Yu’s daughter, Princess Liu Rongnan (the Princess of Wuxing), of the Liu-Song Dynasty.[19] Princess Liu Rongnan had a daughter named Wang Xianyuan. Wang Xianyuan would later become the empress consort to Emperor Xiaowu of the Liu-Song Dynasty.[20] Princess Poyang died in 432 C.E..
Very few facts are known about Princess Poyang.[21] Yet, it is clear that she was more respected than her sister, Princess Jinling.[22] She was given a grander princess title, and her son married a princess of the Liu-Song Dynasty.[23] She was even the grandmother of an empress. Even though her Jin Dynasty fell, Princess Poyang was able to enjoy much prestige through the establishment of the new Liu-Song Dynasty.[24]
Sources:
iNews. (n.d.). “The Tragic Life of Sima Dewen, Emperor Gong of Jin”. Retrieved on 28 November 2024 from https://inf.news/en/history/6fcd788fe....
McMahon, K. (2013). Women Shall Not Rule: Imperial Wives and Concubines in China from Han to Liao. NY: Rowman and Littlefield.
Theobald, U. (16 June2018). “Jin Andi 晉安帝 Sima Dezong 司馬德宗”. Chinaknowledge.de- An Encyclopedia on Chinese History, Literature, and Art. Retrieved on 28 November 2024 from http://www.chinaknowledge.de/History/....
[1] iNews, n.d., “The Tragic Life of Sima Dewen, Emperor Gong of Jin”
[2] iNews, n.d., “The Tragic Life of Sima Dewen, Emperor Gong of Jin”
[3] iNews, n.d., “The Tragic Life of Sima Dewen, Emperor Gong of Jin”
[4] iNews, n.d., “The Tragic Life of Sima Dewen, Emperor Gong of Jin”
[5] iNews, n.d., “The Tragic Life of Sima Dewen, Emperor Gong of Jin”
[6] iNews, n.d., “The Tragic Life of Sima Dewen, Emperor Gong of Jin”
[7] iNews, n.d., “The Tragic Life of Sima Dewen, Emperor Gong of Jin”
[8] iNews, n.d., “The Tragic Life of Sima Dewen, Emperor Gong of Jin”
[9] iNews, n.d., “The Tragic Life of Sima Dewen, Emperor Gong of Jin”
[10] McMahon, 2013
[11] Theobald, June 16, 2018, “Jin Andi 晉安帝 Sima Dezong 司馬德宗”
[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] McMahon, 2013
[15] McMahon, 2013
[16] McMahon, 2013
[17] McMahon, 2013
[18] iNews, n.d., “The Tragic Life of Sima Dewen, Emperor Gong of Jin”
[19] iNews, n.d., “The Tragic Life of Sima Dewen, Emperor Gong of Jin”
[20] iNews, n.d., “The Tragic Life of Sima Dewen, Emperor Gong of Jin”
[21] iNews, n.d., “The Tragic Life of Sima Dewen, Emperor Gong of Jin”
[22] iNews, n.d., “The Tragic Life of Sima Dewen, Emperor Gong of Jin”
[23] iNews, n.d., “The Tragic Life of Sima Dewen, Emperor Gong of Jin”
[24] iNews, n.d., “The Tragic Life of Sima Dewen, Emperor Gong of Jin”
The post Princess Poyang – Daughter and Sister of the Last Emperors of the Jin Dynasty, Grandmother of an Empress of the Liu-Song Dynasty appeared first on History of Royal Women.
July 19, 2025
The Year of Queen Sālote Tupou III – The meeting with Pope Pius XII
After attending the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in London, Queen Sālote went on a two-week tour of Scotland, the Isle of Man and Ireland. She and her daughter-in-law, Mataʻaho, then travelled to Paris and Rome, where they had an audience with Pope Pius XII on 20 July 1953.
Queen Sālote wrote about the meeting in great detail. She wrote, “He stood up as I walked towards the desk; it took me one step only. He stretched out his hand and shook mine, and greeted me happily, then showed me to a chair opposite his. When I was seated, he sat down and said that he was glad I had come to see him for he knew I had attended the coronation of Queen Elizabeth. I thanked him for letting me visit him, for I did not wish to come to Rome and not see him, as I wished to convey to him the respect and love of thousands of my people who were in the Catholic Church. He looked kindly and peaceful as we talked. I was given 15 minutes to talk to him.
“When I saw the little gold clock on his table indicate that the 15 minutes had gone, I did not feel at ease about getting up to say goodbye, for it was he who controlled the visit. He continued talking about the ways of the world, and then told me he had appointed a Bishop for Tonga. That was the first I knew of the appointment of Sipita [John Rodgers]. After 20 minutes of conversation, he stood up and raised his hand and made the sign of the cross over my head, then he rang a little golden bell and I stood up.”1
The little bell signalled for the rest of the party, including Mataʻaho, to enter. Sālote received a gold medal from the Pope in memory of the visit, while Mataʻaho received a bronze medal.2
She wrote, “My heart felt a warmth when I conversed with the Pope and heard his advice and blessings. They were a treasure to me. He was an aristocrat whose compassion and wisdom showed upon his face. […] As I stepped outside, my heart was full of gladness and gratitude because of this great honour and the great humility shown to me by this aristocrat.”3
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Book News Week 30
Book News Week 30 – 21 July – 27 July 2025
Queens of Islam: The Muslim World’s Historic Women Rulers
Paperback – 22 July 2025 (US)
Anne de France and Her Family (1325–1522): Genealogies of Premodern Gendered Power and Influence (Queenship and Power)
Hardcover – 23 July 2025 (US & UK)
The post Book News Week 30 appeared first on History of Royal Women.
July 18, 2025
Taking a look at Hanako, Princess Hitachi
The future Hanako, Princess Hitachi was born on 19 July 1940 as the fourth daughter of Count Yoshitaka Tsugaru and Hisako Mōri.
Hanako was born at her family’s home in Tokyo. As a child, she attended the Gakushūin School all the way through high school. She graduated from the Gakushūin Women’s Junior College in 1961. She met her future husband, Prince Masahito, during her school years. Prince Masahito is the second son of Emperor Hirohito and Empress Nagako and, thus, an uncle of the current Emperor, Naruhito.
Jan Voets / Anefo – CC0Their engagement was announced on 28 February 1964, followed by the engagement ceremony on 14 April 1964. They were married on 30 September 1964. Prince Masahito received permission to start a new branch of the family and the title of Prince Hitachi. After the wedding, Hanako became known as Princess Hitachi. She received a personal emblem – the Rhododendron subg. Hymenanthes.
Embed from Getty ImagesEmbed from Getty ImagesEmbed from Getty ImagesThe couple does not have any children together. Since 1976, they have lived in a palace on the grounds in the district of Shibuya in Tokyo.
Embed from Getty ImagesEmbed from Getty ImagesEmbed from Getty ImagesEmbed from Getty ImagesThe Prince and Princess Hitachi carry out royal duties for the Emperor, although this has become less over the years as they aged. She is still the president of several organisations and has translated several children’s books from English into Japanese.
Her husband is third and last in the Japanese line of succession.
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