Moniek Bloks's Blog, page 92

Royal Jewels – The City of London Necklace

The City of London necklace has “56 graduated bars, set with a variety of brilliant-cut, cushion-cut and pear-shaped stones, divided by narrow graduated brilliant-set spikes.”

The necklace is very similar in design to Queen Mary’s Fringe Tiara. It was a wedding present to the then Princess Elizabeth in 1947 from the Lord Mayor of London, the Court of Aldermen, the Governor of the Bank of England, the Chairman of the Stock Exchange, the Chairman of Lloyd’s, the Chairman of the Baltic Exchange and the Committee of London Clearing Banks. It is not possible to turn the necklace into a tiara as it is threaded on silk.1

Embed from Getty Images

As it is very similar in design to Queen Mary’s Fringe Tiara, Queen Elizabeth II has worn the two together.

The post Royal Jewels – The City of London Necklace appeared first on History of Royal Women.

Princess Yongning – The Princess who entered into a fraudulent marriage

Princess Yongning is one of the most pitiful and tragic princesses of the Ming dynasty. She was the daughter of Emperor Muzong of the Ming Dynasty (also known as the Longqing Emperor) and was the younger sister of Emperor Shenzong (also known as the Wanli Emperor). Due to corruption in the palace, Princess Yongning entered into a fraudulent marriage. She only saw her husband on her wedding day and lived a life of misery. Princess Yongning’s story proves that she was an innocent victim of greedy eunuchs and palace servants.

On 11 March 1567 C.E., Princess Yongning was born. Princess Yongning’s birth name was Zhu Yaoying. Her father was Emperor Muzong. Her mother was Empress Dowager Xiaoding. She had an older brother named Zhu Yijun, who would be the future Emperor Shenzong. Princess Zhu Yaoying’s father, Emperor Muzong, died on 5 July 1572 C.E.[1] She was five years old. Her brother, Zhu Yijun, ascended the throne as Emperor Shenzong.[2]

In 1582 C.E., Emperor Shenzong made his sister, Zhu Yaoying, the Princess of Yongning. He also decided that it was time for his sister to get married. Emperor Shenzong instructed a palace eunuch named Feng Bao to choose a suitable candidate to be Princess Yongning’s husband.[3] However, Feng Bao was corrupt. Instead of choosing the most suitable candidate for Princess Yongning, he chose the candidate who gave him the most money.[4] The candidate he chose was Liang Bangrui. Liang Bangrui was a wealthy businessman who bribed Eunuch Feng Bao heavily with tons of silver.[5] However, he omitted to tell Eunuch Feng Bao that he was seriously ill and was suffering from tuberculosis.[6] 

On the day of the wedding, Liang Bangrui was very excited and ecstatic to have Princess Yongning as his wife.[7] However, his excitement led him to become so ill that he struggled through the wedding ceremony.[8] He ended up vomiting blood which bloodied Princess Yongning’s wedding dress.[9] After the ceremony, Princess Yongning returned to the palace rather than staying at her bridegroom’s mansion.[10] This wedding ceremony was the only time she saw her husband.[11] She never saw him again.

On their wedding night, Liang Bangrui arrived in the imperial palace to see his wife. However, the female official, who was in charge of supervising Princess Yongning, stopped Liang Bangrui from seeing his wife.[12] This female official was very corrupt and told him that she would let him in if he offered her money.[13] However, he did not have any silver with him and refused the palace official’s request for money.[14] The angry official ordered the palace eunuchs to beat Liang Bangrui for violating the palace rules.[15] This caused him to vomit blood, and his condition grew worse.[16] Liang Bangrui never recovered from the beating.[17] He passed away on 9 May 1582 C.E. Their marriage did not even last two months.[18]

The rules of the Ming Dynasty stated that a princess must only marry once.[19] This meant that Princess Yongning was not allowed to remarry again.[20] She was forced to spend the rest of her life in widowhood.[21] She lived in self-isolation in the imperial palace and became very depressed.[22] On 22 July 1594 C.E., Princess Yongning died of depression.[23] She was twenty-seven years old.

Princess Yongning is truly a tragic figure. She could not control the events of her life and suffered under the hands of corrupt eunuchs and palace officials. Princess Yongning’s marriage was a fraud from the beginning. Eunuch Feng Bao gave her to the highest bidder without even looking deeper into his background. Liang Bangrui was terminally ill, and it was clear that he was not a suitable husband for Princess Yongning. Instead, he passed away shortly after their wedding and left Princess Yongning miserable for the rest of her life. Princess Yongning was an innocent victim of the palace corruption that was prevalent in the Ming dynasty.

Sources:

DayDayNews. (November 14, 2019). “The most tragic princess of the Ming Dynasty is her! Forced to marry the medicine jar and keep a widow for a lifetime”. Retrieved on August 29, 2022 from https://daydaynews.cc/en/history/amp/....

iMedia. (n.d.). “The princess of the Ming Dynasty: Even though she was born in Tianhuang, she was inevitably fateful”. Retrieved on August 29, 2022 from https://min.news/en/history/d789b6687....

iNews. (n.d.). “The poor princess of the Ming Dynasty was beaten to death after marriage, and she died at the age of 27 and was found to be a “girl””. Retrieved on August 29, 2022 from https://inf.news/ne/history/0ae168bd7....

Luju Bar. (April 6, 2020). “Easy to ask for priceless treasures, Rarely to get a wishful man: A brief talk on the princess election system in the middle and late Ming Dynasty”. Retrieved on August 29, 2022 from https://lujuba.cc/en/amp/202974.html.

McMahon, K. (2016). Celestial Women: Imperial Wives and Concubines in China from Song to Qing. NY: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.

[1] McMahon, 2016

[2] McMahon, 2016

[3] DayDayNews, 14 November 2019, “The most tragic princess of the Ming Dynasty is her! Forced to marry the medicine jar and keep a widow for a lifetime”

[4] DayDayNews, 14 November 2019, “The most tragic princess of the Ming Dynasty is her! Forced to marry the medicine jar and keep a widow for a lifetime”

[5] Luju Bar, 6 April 2020, “Easy to ask for priceless treasures, Rarely to get a wishful man: A brief talk on the princess election system in the middle and late Ming Dynasty”

[6] iMedia, n.d., “The princess of the Ming Dynasty: Even though she was born in Tianhuang, she was inevitably fateful”

[7] DayDayNews, 14 November 2019, “The most tragic princess of the Ming Dynasty is her! Forced to marry the medicine jar and keep a widow for a lifetime”

[8] DayDayNews, 14 November 2019, “The most tragic princess of the Ming Dynasty is her! Forced to marry the medicine jar and keep a widow for a lifetime”

[9] iMedia, n.d., “The princess of the Ming Dynasty: Even though she was born in Tianhuang, she was inevitably fateful”

[10] iNews, n.d., “The poor princess of the Ming Dynasty was beaten to death after marriage, and she died at the age of 27 and was found to be a “girl””

[11] iNews, n.d., “The poor princess of the Ming Dynasty was beaten to death after marriage, and she died at the age of 27 and was found to be a “girl””

[12] iNews, n.d., “The poor princess of the Ming Dynasty was beaten to death after marriage, and she died at the age of 27 and was found to be a “girl””

[13] iNews, n.d., “The poor princess of the Ming Dynasty was beaten to death after marriage, and she died at the age of 27 and was found to be a “girl””

[14] iNews, n.d., “The poor princess of the Ming Dynasty was beaten to death after marriage, and she died at the age of 27 and was found to be a “girl””

[15] iNews, n.d., “The poor princess of the Ming Dynasty was beaten to death after marriage, and she died at the age of 27 and was found to be a “girl””

[16] iNews, n.d., “The poor princess of the Ming Dynasty was beaten to death after marriage, and she died at the age of 27 and was found to be a “girl””

[17] iNews, n.d., “The poor princess of the Ming Dynasty was beaten to death after marriage, and she died at the age of 27 and was found to be a “girl””

[18] iNews, n.d., “The poor princess of the Ming Dynasty was beaten to death after marriage, and she died at the age of 27 and was found to be a “girl””

[19] iNews, n.d., “The poor princess of the Ming Dynasty was beaten to death after marriage, and she died at the age of 27 and was found to be a “girl””

[20] iNews, n.d., “The poor princess of the Ming Dynasty was beaten to death after marriage, and she died at the age of 27 and was found to be a “girl””

[21] iNews, n.d., “The poor princess of the Ming Dynasty was beaten to death after marriage, and she died at the age of 27 and was found to be a “girl””

[22] iMedia, n.d., “The princess of the Ming Dynasty: Even though she was born in Tianhuang, she was inevitably fateful”

[23] iMedia, n.d., “The princess of the Ming Dynasty: Even though she was born in Tianhuang, she was inevitably fateful”

The post Princess Yongning – The Princess who entered into a fraudulent marriage appeared first on History of Royal Women.

Taking a look at Princess Kosei Fukunaga, Emperor Puyi’s niece

Princess Kosei Fukunaga is the niece of the late Puyi, the Last Emperor of China. She is the only surviving daughter of Prince Pujie (Emperor Puyi’s younger brother and former heir to the state of Manchukuo) and his Japanese wife, Princess Hiro Saga. After the fall of Manchukuo, Princess Kosei Fukunaga was sent to multiple prisons. It traumatised her so much that once she arrived in Japan, she decided never to return to China. As the only surviving daughter of Prince Pujie, Princess Kosei Fukunaga continues to preserve her father’s memory and legacy. Even though she is the daughter of Prince Pujie, she is not the head of the living descendants of the Aisin-Gioro family because she is a female. Princess Kosei Fukunaga is currently eighty-two years old.

On 13 March 1940, Kosei Fukunaga was born in Tokyo, Japan. Her original name was Aisin-Gioro Husheng. Her parents were Prince Pujie and Princess Hiro Saga. She had an older sister named Huisheng. She was the niece of Puyi, the Emperor of the puppet state of Manchukuo. She was also a cousin of Emperor Hirohito.[1] After she was born, her family moved back to Changchun. The family moved periodically between Japan and China. In December 1944, Prince Pujie, Princess Hiro Saga, and Princess Husheng returned to Changchun. Because Huisheng was enrolled in a Japanese primary school, they left her older sister behind in the care of her aunt.[2]

When the puppet state of Manchukuo fell in 1945, Prince Pujie was captured with Emperor Puyi and was imprisoned by the Soviet Union. Princess Hiro Saga and Princess Husheng were captured with Empress Wanrong and Imperial Concubine Li Yuqin (Emperor Puyi’s fourth wife). They were imprisoned in Changchun. The Imperial Concubine, Li Yuqin, was allowed to go back home. Then, Princess Hiro Saga and Princess Husheng were sent to multiple prisons.

Princess Hiro Saga, Princess Husheng, and Empress Wanrong were imprisoned in Yanji. Then, Princess Hiro Saga and Princess Husheng were forced to move to Mudanjiang. Princess Hiro Saga felt regret for leaving Empress Wanrong behind, but there was nothing that they could do.[3] Princess Hiro Saga wondered what would happen to Empress Wanrong since there would be no one left to care for her.[4] From Mudanjiang, they went to Kiamusze. Because Princess Hiro Saga was related to the Japanese family, she and Princess Husheng were allowed to return to Japan in January 1947.[5] They lived with Princess Hiro Saga’s parents. Because Princess Husheng experienced many hardships in China, she never wanted to go back there.[6] Instead, she decided to live in Japan for the rest of her life.[7]

Princess Husheng spent her childhood attending elite schools in Japan. In 1957, her older sister, Princess Huisheng, fell in love with a Japanese man named Okubo Budo.[8] However, Princess Hiro Saga refused to let them get married. She believed that since Huisheng was a Manchukuo princess and a descendant of the Qing Dynasty, then she should marry a Chinese man.[9] Because Princess Huisheng could not marry the man she loved, she and Okubo Budo committed a murder-suicide pact at Mount Amagi on 4 December 1957.[10] She was nineteen years old. Princess Huisheng’s death crushed her family’s hearts.[11] Princess Hiro Saga refused to believe that Princess Huisheng was willing to make this murder-suicide pact.[12] Instead, she believed that Princess Huisheng wanted to live but was murdered by her lover against her will.[13]

In November 1960, Prince Pujie was finally released from prison. However, Princess Husheng decided not to accompany her mother, Princess Hiro Saga, to China to see him.[14] Princess Husheng explained, “I was confused about what to do. I was unable to rid my feelings of panic from my youth…I wanted to live in peaceful Japan…I wanted the happiness of an ordinary, conventional life.” [15] Thus, in 1961, Princess Hiro Saga left Japan and returned to China to live with her husband. Princess Husheng stayed in Japan.[16]

In 1968, Princess Husheng married Kenji Fukunaga, the second son of their family friend. Due to Princess Huisheng’s murder-suicide pact, Princess Hiro Saga made no objections to the match.[17] Kenji Fukunaga owned a Kobe factory.[18] The couple had three sons and two daughters. She changed her name from Husheng to Kosei and became a Japanese citizen.

On 28 February 1994, Prince Pujie died. Princess Kosei Fukunaga donated her father’s residence to the government of China.[19] In 2006, Princess Kosei Fukunaga was the focus of a television documentary about her father, Prince Pujie.[20] In 2013, she donated her parents’ letters to Kwansei Gakuin University. In 2018, Princess Kosei Fukunaga attended the 70th Mainichi Shodo Exhibition, where she talked to the Japanese Emperor and Empress about her father’s calligraphy work.[21] She is currently eighty-two years old.

Sources:

Birnbaum, P. (2015). Manchu Princess: Japanese Spy: The Story of Kawashima Yoshiko, the Cross-Dressing Spy who Commanded Her Own Army (Asia Perspectives: History, Society, Culture). NY: Columbia University Press.

iMedia. (n.d.). “Puyi’s younger brother, Pu Jie, married a Japanese wife. The elder brother’s strong opposition was unsuccessful. What happened to the two daughters?”. Retrieved on 17 November 2022 from https://min.news/en/history/911781be3....

iNews. (n.d.). “Aisin Gioro Huisheng: Once the “Prince of Manchukuo” that the Japanese hoped for, was shot to death by a suitor at the age of 19″. Retrieved on 17 November 2022 from https://inf.news/en/history/d51a41336....

iNews. (n.d). “The wandering princess Sagaho and Pu Jie have 50 years of love: Pu Jie was born on April 16, 1907”. Retrieved on 17 November 2022 from https://inf.news/en/history/19d6bc9b3...

The Mainichi. (July 26, 2018). “Imperial Couple view calligraphy works at Mainichi Shodo Exhibition”. Retrieved on 17 November 2022 from https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/....

The Washington Post. (March 1, 1994). “Pu Jie Dies”. Retrieved on 17 November 2022 from https://www.washingtonpost.com/archiv....

[1] Birnbaum, 2015

[2] iNews, n.d., “Aisin Gioro Huisheng: Once the “Prince of Manchukuo” that the Japanese hoped for, was shot to death by a suitor at the age of 19″

[3] iNews, n.d., “The wandering princess Sagaho and Pu Jie have 50 years of love: Pu Jie was born on April 16, 1907”

[4] iNews, n.d., “The wandering princess Sagaho and Pu Jie have 50 years of love: Pu Jie was born on April 16, 1907”

[5] iMedia, n.d., “Puyi’s younger brother, Pu Jie, married a Japanese wife. The elder brother’s strong opposition was unsuccessful. What happened to the two daughters?”

[6] iMedia, n.d., “Puyi’s younger brother, Pu Jie, married a Japanese wife. The elder brother’s strong opposition was unsuccessful. What happened to the two daughters?”

[7] iMedia, n.d., “Puyi’s younger brother, Pu Jie, married a Japanese wife. The elder brother’s strong opposition was unsuccessful. What happened to the two daughters?”

[8] iNews, n.d., “Aisin Gioro Huisheng: Once the “Prince of Manchukuo” that the Japanese hoped for, was shot to death by a suitor at the age of 19″

[9] iMedia, n.d., “Puyi’s younger brother, Pu Jie, married a Japanese wife. The elder brother’s strong opposition was unsuccessful. What happened to the two daughters?”

[10] iMedia, n.d., “Puyi’s younger brother, Pu Jie, married a Japanese wife. The elder brother’s strong opposition was unsuccessful. What happened to the two daughters?”

[11] iNews, n.d., “Aisin Gioro Huisheng: Once the “Prince of Manchukuo” that the Japanese hoped for, was shot to death by a suitor at the age of 19″

[12] iNews, n.d., “Aisin Gioro Huisheng: Once the “Prince of Manchukuo” that the Japanese hoped for, was shot to death by a suitor at the age of 19″

[13] iNews, n.d., “Aisin Gioro Huisheng: Once the “Prince of Manchukuo” that the Japanese hoped for, was shot to death by a suitor at the age of 19″

[14] Birnbaum, 2015

[15] Birnbaum, 2015, p. 174

[16] iMedia, n.d., “Puyi’s younger brother, Pu Jie, married a Japanese wife. The elder brother’s strong opposition was unsuccessful. What happened to the two daughters?”

[17] iMedia, n.d., “Puyi’s younger brother, Pu Jie, married a Japanese wife. The elder brother’s strong opposition was unsuccessful. What happened to the two daughters?”

[18] The Washington Post, 1 March 1994, “Pu Jie Dies”

[19] iMedia, n.d., “Puyi’s younger brother, Pu Jie, married a Japanese wife. The elder brother’s strong opposition was unsuccessful. What happened to the two daughters?”

[20] Birnbaum, 2015

[21] The Mainichi, 26 July 2018, “Imperial Couple view calligraphy works at Mainichi Shodo Exhibition”

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Taking a look at the life of Princess Bajrakitiyabha and the Thai succession

Princess Bajrakitiyabha was born on 7 December 1978 as the only child of the future King Vajiralongkorn of Thailand and his first wife and first cousin, Princess Soamsawali. Princess Soamsawali’s father was the elder brother of Vajiralongkorn’s mother, Queen Sirikit. Bajrakitiyabha was born in Dusit Palace in Bangkok.

She attended the Raijni School for elementary school and junior high school. She moved to England to attend Heathfield School in Ascot before finally graduating from the Chitralada School. She continued her education and worked towards a Bachelor of Laws from the Thammasat University and a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations from the Sukhothai Thammatirat University. She then obtained a Master of Law from Cornell Law School in 2002 and a Doctor of Juridical Science from Cornell University in 2005. In 2012, she was awarded an honorary Doctor of Law from IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law. During her university years, she was known as “Princess Patty.”1

Her parents’ marriage collapsed when Princess Bajrakitiyabha was still only a child. Her father began living with a woman called Yuvadhida Polpraserth in the late 1970s, and he went on to have five children with her while her mother refused a divorce. A divorced finally came through in July 1993, and Princess Soamsawali was given the title of Phra Worarachathinatdamat (The Princess Mother of the King’s First Grandchild). Her father went on to marry Yuvadhida Polpraserth in February 1994, but just two years after the wedding, she took their children to the United Kingdom and never returned to Thailand. Vajiralongkorn reportedly accused her of adultery and took their daughter, Princess Sirivannavari, back with him to Thailand. As a result, Yuvadhida and her fours son were stripped of their royal titles and currently live in the United States.

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Bajrakitiyabha’s father married for a third time on 10 February 2001 to Srirasmi Suwadee, although the public was not informed until 2005 when she gave birth to a son, Prince Dipangkorn. She was then elevated to the rank of princess. This marriage, too, ended in divorce. In 2014, Srirasmi’s family was stripped of the name awarded to them and Srirasmi relinquished her royal titles. In the divorce settlement, she reportedly received 200 million baht (US$5.5 million). Their son remained a prince and is currently first in the line of succession. However, he is rumoured to be autistic and believed to be unable to rule on his own. In 2019, shortly before his coronation, her father remarried for the fourth time to Suthida Tidjai, who is now known as Queen Suthida. That same year, he also named a secondary consort, Sineenat Wongvajirapakdi, whose position has been tenuous.

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Meanwhile, Princess Bajrakitiyabha embarked on her career. She briefly worked at the Thai Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York before being appointed Attorney in the Office of the Attorney General in Bangkok and later to the Office of the Attorney General of Udon Thani Province. From 2012 until 2014, she was the Thai ambassador to Austria before she returned to the Office of the Attorney General. In 2021, she was appointed to the Royal Security Command in the position of Chief of Staff of The King’s Close Bodyguard Command.

On 14 December 2022, Princess Bajrakitiyabha collapsed while out running with her dogs. This may have been due to a heart condition or a brain aneurysm. She has not regained consciousness and is reportedly being kept alive by machines.

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While this is a personal tragedy in itself, it also affects the succession in Thailand.2 With her brother presumed to be unable to rule, it was she who would have become the monarch or even the regent for her brother. With her out of the picture, the succession is suddenly wide open. The succession is not quite so clear-cut in Thailand. The succession of princesses or even succession through the female line is barred by the 1924 Palace Law of Succession. However, in 1974 the Constitution gave an exemption on this for “daughters of the monarch.”3

This means that behind Prince Dipangkon comes Princess Sirivannavari, King Vajiralongkorn’s daughter from his second marriage. She is currently unmarried and without children. After her comes Princess Sirindhorn, the second eldest sister of King Vajiralongkorn. His eldest sister Princess Ubol Ratana is excluded because she married a foreigner. Princess Sirindhorn, too, is unmarried and without issue. Then comes the King’s youngest sister Princess Chulabhorn, who does have two daughters. Technically, her daughters are excluded as it would be through the female line.

After this, the succession passes to Prince Nawaphan Yugala, who is a great-grandson of King Chulalongkorn (1853–1910).

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Empress Xiaoduanxian – The longest reigning Empress consort in Chinese history

Empress Xiaoduanxian of the Ming Dynasty was known as the longest reigning empress consort in Chinese history.[1] She reigned for forty-two years. She was known to be one of the Ming dynasty’s most virtuous empresses.[2] However, she failed to give a son to Emperor Shenzong of the Ming Dynasty (also known as the Wanli Emperor). This failure forced Emperor Shenzong to no longer favour her, but he still respected her as his empress. Empress Xiaoduanxian was also renowned for being the owner of the famous phoenix crown, which consists of over five thousand pearls, that is currently housed in the National Museum of China in Beijing.

On 7 November 1564 C.E., Empress Xiaoduanxian was born in Beijing. Her birth name was Wang Xijie. Her father was Wang Wei. They were from a commoner family.[3] Wang Xijie grew up to be a gentle, obedient, and beautiful daughter.[4] In 1577 C.E., Wang Xijie participated in the palace selection for empress consort to Emperor Shenzong of the Ming Dynasty.[5] After intense scrutiny, she was finally chosen to be the next empress.[6] In 1578 C.E., the sixteen-year-old Emperor Shenzong formally married the thirteen-year-old Wang Xijie. Emperor Shenzong was impressed with his empress and greatly admired her.[7]

In June 1582 C.E., Empress Wang Xijie gave birth to a daughter, who later became Princess Rongchang. Empress Wang Xijie was disappointed because it was not the longed-for son that the couple had hoped for.[8] Emperor Shenzong and Empress Wang Xijie still had a loving and respectful relationship.[9] They believed the empress would eventually have a son. However, Empress Wang Xijie became pregnant several times, but the pregnancies always ended in miscarriages.[10] It began to dawn on Emperor Shenzong that Empress Wang Shijie would never give him a son. He began to distance himself from her and began to shower his love and affection on his favourite consort, Zheng Guifei.[11]

Empress Wang Xijie fell out of favour with Emperor Shenzong. However, she did not openly resent the loving relationship between her husband and Zheng Guifei. She never said anything malicious about Zheng Guifei.[12] Thus, while Emperor Shenzong no longer loved Empress Wang Xijie, he still respected her as his empress.[13] Empress Wang Xijie turned her attention to Emperor Shenzong’s eldest son named Zhu Changluo, whom the emperor had with Consort Wang. Consort Wang was confined to her palace and could not see her son. Therefore, Empress Wang Xijie raised and looked after him herself.[14]

On 7 May 1620 C.E., Empress Wang Xijie died at the age of fifty-six.[15] She reigned as empress for forty-two years.[16] She was the longest reigning empress consort in Chinese history.[17] Emperor Shenzong died three months later, on 18 August 1620 C.E. She was buried in the Dingling Mausoleum next to Emperor Shenzong.[18] She became the posthumous Empress Xiaoduanxian of the Ming Dynasty.

In 1956 C.E., archaeologists excavated Empress Xiaoduanxian’s tomb.[19] They found two phoenix crowns that belonged to the empress.[20] One of her crowns is the most famous and exquisite artefact of the Ming dynasty.[21] The phoenix crown is 48.5 cm high, 23.7 cm in diameter, and weighs 2,320 grams.[22] The front part of the crown is decorated with nine golden dragons, and nine golden phoenixes that decorate the front and back.[23] It consists of a hundred rubies and over five thousand pearls.[24] This phoenix crown of Empress Xiaoduanxian is considered a national treasure in China.[25] The crowns are currently on display in the National Museum of China.[26]

By Gary Todd – https://www.flickr.com/photos/1015613..., CC0 via Wikimedia Commons

Empress Xiaoduanxian has made many notable achievements in Chinese history. She ruled as the empress from the age of thirteen to fifty-six. This is why she has been the longest reigning empress consort in Chinese history. However, she failed to give the emperor a son, which caused turmoil in the imperial succession and made her lose favour with the emperor. Yet, Empress Xiaoduanxian continued to be virtuous and did not resent the relationship her husband had with his favourite consort. This earned Emperor Shenzong’s respect and was the reason why he never tried to depose her. Yet, her greatest legacy was what she had left behind. Her famous phoenix crown has become a national treasure. People from all over the world are impressed with its beauty and exquisite craftsmanship. Because of this precious artefact, the owner of the famous phoenix crown will never be forgotten.

Sources:

iNews. (n.d.). “Queen Xiaoduan’s phoenix crown inlaid with more than 5,000 pearls, one of the most exquisite phoenix crowns in China”. Retrieved on August 28, 2022 from https://inf.news/en/collect/313ea2edd....

Laitimes. (January 24, 2022). “At the age of 13, Meiguan Qunfang was crowned empress and sat on the throne for 42 years by relying on 2 characters, becoming the highest in history”. Retrieved on August 28, 2022 from https://www.laitimes.com/en/article/2....

McMahon, K. (2016). Celestial Women: Imperial Wives and Concubines in China from Song to Qing. NY: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.

[1] iNews, n.d., “Queen Xiaoduan’s phoenix crown inlaid with more than 5,000 pearls, one of the most exquisite phoenix crowns in China”

[2] Laitimes, 24 January 2022, “At the age of 13, Meiguan Qunfang was crowned empress and sat on the throne for 42 years by relying on 2 characters, becoming the highest in history”

[3] McMahon, 2016

[4] Laitimes, 24 January 2022, “At the age of 13, Meiguan Qunfang was crowned empress and sat on the throne for 42 years by relying on 2 characters, becoming the highest in history”

[5] McMahon, 2016

[6] McMahon, 2016

[7] Laitimes, 24 January 2022, “At the age of 13, Meiguan Qunfang was crowned empress and sat on the throne for 42 years by relying on 2 characters, becoming the highest in history”

[8] Laitimes, 24 January 2022, “At the age of 13, Meiguan Qunfang was crowned empress and sat on the throne for 42 years by relying on 2 characters, becoming the highest in history”

[9] Laitimes, 24 January 2022, “At the age of 13, Meiguan Qunfang was crowned empress and sat on the throne for 42 years by relying on 2 characters, becoming the highest in history”

[10] Laitimes, 24 January 2022, “At the age of 13, Meiguan Qunfang was crowned empress and sat on the throne for 42 years by relying on 2 characters, becoming the highest in history”

[11] Laitimes, 24 January 2022, “At the age of 13, Meiguan Qunfang was crowned empress and sat on the throne for 42 years by relying on 2 characters, becoming the highest in history”

[12] Laitimes, 24 January 2022, “At the age of 13, Meiguan Qunfang was crowned empress and sat on the throne for 42 years by relying on 2 characters, becoming the highest in history”

[13] Laitimes, 24 January 2022, “At the age of 13, Meiguan Qunfang was crowned empress and sat on the throne for 42 years by relying on 2 characters, becoming the highest in history”

[14] iNews, n.d., “Queen Xiaoduan’s phoenix crown inlaid with more than 5,000 pearls, one of the most exquisite phoenix crowns in China”

[15] iNews, n.d., “Queen Xiaoduan’s phoenix crown inlaid with more than 5,000 pearls, one of the most exquisite phoenix crowns in China”

[16] Laitimes, 24 January 2022, “At the age of 13, Meiguan Qunfang was crowned empress and sat on the throne for 42 years by relying on 2 characters, becoming the highest in history”

[17] iNews, n.d., “Queen Xiaoduan’s phoenix crown inlaid with more than 5,000 pearls, one of the most exquisite phoenix crowns in China”

[18] iNews, n.d., “Queen Xiaoduan’s phoenix crown inlaid with more than 5,000 pearls, one of the most exquisite phoenix crowns in China”  

[19] iNews, n.d., “Queen Xiaoduan’s phoenix crown inlaid with more than 5,000 pearls, one of the most exquisite phoenix crowns in China”

[20] iNews, n.d., “Queen Xiaoduan’s phoenix crown inlaid with more than 5,000 pearls, one of the most exquisite phoenix crowns in China”

[21] iNews, n.d., “Queen Xiaoduan’s phoenix crown inlaid with more than 5,000 pearls, one of the most exquisite phoenix crowns in China”

[22] iNews, n.d., “Queen Xiaoduan’s phoenix crown inlaid with more than 5,000 pearls, one of the most exquisite phoenix crowns in China”

[23] iNews, n.d., “Queen Xiaoduan’s phoenix crown inlaid with more than 5,000 pearls, one of the most exquisite phoenix crowns in China”

[24] iNews, n.d., “Queen Xiaoduan’s phoenix crown inlaid with more than 5,000 pearls, one of the most exquisite phoenix crowns in China”

[25] iNews, n.d., “Queen Xiaoduan’s phoenix crown inlaid with more than 5,000 pearls, one of the most exquisite phoenix crowns in China”

[26] iNews, n.d., “Queen Xiaoduan’s phoenix crown inlaid with more than 5,000 pearls, one of the most exquisite phoenix crowns in China”

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Royal Jewels – The Baguette and Brilliant Bracelet

The Baguette and Brilliant Bracelet is “composed of a band of baguettes and two rows of brilliant with a central cross-over.”

The bracelet dates from the late 1920s or early 1930s and was purchased by Queen Elizabeth II’s father, King George VI, from Garrard in 1949. It was a gift for her.1

Embed from Getty ImagesEmbed from Getty Images

Queen Elizabeth II wore the bracelet frequently, such as for the 1989 banquet in Singapore and the 2010 state visit to Abu Dhabi. She also loaned the bracelet to the Princess of Wales for the 1983 visit to Australia.

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Royal Jewels – Queen Elizabeth II’s Baguette and Brilliant Bracelet

Queen Elizabeth II’s Baguette and Brilliant Bracelet is “composed of a band of baguettes and two rows of brilliant with a central cross-over.”

The bracelet dates from the late 1920s or early 1930s and was purchased by Queen Elizabeth II’s father, King George VI, from Garrard in 1949. It was a gift for her.1

Embed from Getty ImagesEmbed from Getty Images

Queen Elizabeth II wore the bracelet frequently, such as for the 1989 banquet in Singapore and the 2010 state visit to Abu Dhabi. She also loaned the bracelet to the Princess of Wales for the 1983 visit to Australia.

The post Royal Jewels – Queen Elizabeth II’s Baguette and Brilliant Bracelet appeared first on History of Royal Women.

Ingegerd Olofsdotter of Sweden – The saintly Grand Princess of Kyiv

The marriage of Ingegerd Olofsdotter of Sweden to Yaroslav the Wise, Grand Prince of Kyiv, as well as the marriages of their children, show that the Kyivan Rus was becoming its own powerful state and that connections were forming between the Rurik dynasty and the royal families to the west.

Early Years

Ingegerd was born at the turn of the 11th century, perhaps in the year 1000 or 1001. Her parents were Olof Skotkonung, King of Sweden and Estrid of the Obotrites. Estrid had come from the Slavic tribe of the Obotrites, who lived on the German Baltic coast, which would later become Mecklenburg. Ingegerd had one full-brother, Anund Jacob, and three half-siblings, Emund, Astrid, and Holmfrid, who were born from her father’s concubine, Edla. According to the Sagas, Estrid did not treat her stepchildren kindly, so they were sent away to be raised by foster parents.

Around 1000-1008, King Olof was baptised along with the rest of his family. This could include Ingegerd if she was born by then. Many Swedish people converted around this time too, but it would be nearly 80 years before Sweden was fully Christianized.

First Marriage Arrangement

In 1016, Olav II, the King of Norway, expressed that he would be interested in marrying Ingegerd. Ingegerd agreed to this and was actually in favour of this marriage. Her father, however, not so much. Sweden and Norway had been at odds for a while.

In 1018, the nobleman, Ragnvald, presented the marriage proposal of Ingegerd and Olav to King Olof. The king called Ragnvald a traitor but then was forced to yield by the council. He then told Ragnvald that he would hand over betrothal gifts for his future son-in-law. Ingegerd sent her betrothed a silk mantle embroidered with gold.

Olav later arrived at the Swedish-Norwegian border to fetch Ingegerd, but she never showed up. He waited for her all summer. Even though Ingegerd was in favour of the marriage, she would not dare defy her father. That autumn, Ingegerd, impatient for the wedding to happen, reminded her father, but he refused, saying that he could never marry her to his enemy.

Even though this marriage never happened, Ingegerd’s wishes to marry Olav show that she was not afraid to defy her father. There is another story of Ingegerd going against Olof’s wishes. According to the Icelandic Saga of Ingvar the Far-Traveled, Ingegerd found her cousin, Emund Akesson, wounded. She took him to safety and saved his life. When Olof found out, he declared Emund an outlaw. Once Emund recovered, Ingegerd reacted by sending him away from her father. Olof had his illegitimate daughter, Astrid, married to King Olav of Norway in 1019 instead of Ingegerd.

Marriage to Yaroslav the Wise of Kyiv

Olof still wanted his legitimate daughter to make a beneficial marriage. Soon, Yaroslav, the new Grand Prince of Kyiv, asked for Ingegerd’s hand in marriage. Olof accepted the proposal, and Ingegerd told him that she would consent to this marriage as long as she had a city as her bridal gift fully under her control and that a Swedish nobleman of her choosing would escort her on her bridal journey. Ingegerd chose the before-mentioned Earl Ragnvald. Because of his feud with Ragnvald, the king did not want him to be the one to travel with his daughter, but he then accepted it on the condition that he would never see Ragnvald again.

In the spring of 1019, Ingegerd left for the Rus, accompanied by Ragnvald. She appointed Ragnvald to rule over Ladoga, which she received as her own personal fief by agreement. Ingegerd and Yaroslav were married in the summer of 1019 in Novgorod. When she married, Ingegerd’s name was changed to the more Russian-sounding Irene, but for convenience’s sake, I’ll keep using her birth name in this article. Like Ingegerd, Yaroslav was baptised as a child alongside his family when his father converted in 988. Yaroslav was about twenty years older than Ingegerd, but it seems that they got on well.

Grand Princess of Kyiv

Ingegerd played a significant role in political affairs, more so than most of the other wives of Rus princes. She welcomed the Norwegian chieftain Emund Hringsson to Novgorod. According to The Saga of Emund, after negotiating, Emund and his men enlisted in Yaroslav’s service to give him military assistance when needed. However, Yaroslav did not pay them the agreed fee, and Emund threatened to leave and instead offered assistance to Yaroslav’s nephew, Bryachislav of Polotsk. When Emund was ready to leave with his fleet, Yaroslav planned on attacking them. Ingegerd heard about this and sent word to Emund. When Emund was told that she wished to speak with him, he said, “We do not believe her, for she is cleverer than the king, but nor would I refuse to listen to what she has to say.”

Due to the meeting with Ingegerd, Emund was able to free himself from the soldiers that Yaroslav sent. Emund and his men then made their way to Bryachislav, who urged them to take revenge on Yaroslav. However, Emund did not act immediately because he was waiting for Ingegerd. After seven days, Ingegerd arrived with her escort, and Emund made a surprise attack at night and captured her. However, Ingegerd was able to confront him and dictate a peace treaty between him, Yaroslav and Bryachislav. This shows that she was able to exercise a strong influence over her husband.

At one point, Ingegerd’s former fiance, Olav, was forced to flee from Norway. Ingegerd welcomed him to her court and gave him shelter in Novgorod. According to The Saga of Emund, Ingegerd and Olav had a secret love affair during his stay there, but this is likely a literary embellishment. After Olav returned to Norway, Ingegerd and Yaroslav fostered his son, Magnus. Olav’s younger half-brother, Harold, also lived at the Kyivan court for some time and married one of Ingegerd’s daughters.

Ingegerd was also active in religious life. She is credited with finding the first convent in Kyiv and continuing to manage it. Along with Yaroslav, she participated in the building of the Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv. They also commissioned the Saint Sophia Cathedral in Novgorod. Both buildings stand to this day. Even though she remained married to Yaroslav, near the end of her life, Ingegerd took vows as a nun under the name Anna.

Ingegerd and Yaroslav were married for over thirty years and had at least nine or ten children together, six sons and three or four daughters. The years of birth for the oldest five sons are mentioned in The Russian Primary Chronicle:

Vladimir, Prince of Novgorod (1020-1052)Elizaveta, Queen of Norway by marriage (c.1022-c.1067)Iziaslav I, Prince of Turov, Grand Prince of Kyiv (1024-1078)Anastasia, Queen of Hungary by marriage (c.1025-c.1074/1096)Svyatoslav II, Prince of Volhynia and Chernigov, Grand Prince of Kyiv (1027-1076)Vsevolod I, Prince of Pereyaslavl, Grand Prince of Kyiv (1030-1093)Anna, Queen of France by marriage (c.1032-c.1075/1080)Vyachelsav, Prince of Smolensk (1034-1057)Igor, Prince of Volhynia (c.1036-1060)Possibly Agatha, who married the English prince Edward the Exile, but this is disputed.

Ingegerd died on 10 February 1050 and was buried in Saint Sophia Cathedral, Kyiv. Yaroslav died four years later. They were both buried in a marble sarcophagus together. In 1939, the tomb was opened, and the bones were examined.

Ingegerd is a saint in the Russian Orthodox church. She is sometimes known as Saint Anna of Novgorod. Even though we don’t know a whole lot about her life, she seems to be one of the more memorable Grand Princesses of Kyiv. Her and Yaroslav’s reign is considered to be the golden age of the Kyivan Rus.

Sources

The Russian Primary Chronicle: Laurentian Text

Edburg, Rune; “Viking Princess, Christian Saint. Ingegerd, a woman in the 11th century.”

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A Princely Crypt in Siegen

The Furstengruft, or Princely Crypt in Siegen, was founded by John Maurice, Prince of Nassau-Siegen, whose grandfather was a younger brother of William I (the Silent), Prince of Orange. Nassau-Siegen was a principality within the Holy Roman Empire. John Maurice had been trying to decide between Cleves and Siegen for a burial place and finally settled on the grounds of what is now known as the Lower Palace in Siegen. Maurits Post designed the crypt, which was completed in 1670.

Photo by Moniek Bloks

 

You enter the crypt through a double-leaf cast iron door with the crowned coat of arms of the House of Nassau-Siegen. Over time, the crypt became integrated into the building of the Lower Palace, and right above the crypt, there probably was a private chapel at some point.

Renovations took place in 1893 under the guidance of German Emperor Wilhelm II. During these renovations, most of the original slabs were replaced with marble slabs. In six cases, the remains could not be identified. The crypt and the Lower Palace both suffered extensive damage during the Second World War, and a rededication took place in 1952. After another renovation, the crypt is now open to the public on a regular basis.

Click to view slideshow.

 

Plan your visit here.

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Consort Yu of Western Chu – The star-crossed romance of a King and his consort

Consort Yu was known to be one of the most beautiful women in China. She was an imperial concubine to Xiang Yu, the Hegemon-King of Chu. King Xiang Yu was King Liu Bang’s rival for the throne of China. Consort Yu accompanied him through all her husband’s battles and shared in his victories and defeats. They inevitably lost, and Liu Bang would become the first Emperor of the Han Dynasty. Their heartbreaking love story has moved people’s hearts for thousands of years.

Consort Yu was born around 224 B.C.E.[1] It had once been assumed that Yu was her surname.[2] However, modern-day historians believe that Yu was her first name because she is often called “Beauty Yu.”[3] She was from Shuyang County. She was known to be the most beautiful woman in China.[4] Her older brother joined King Xiang Yu’s army. This was how she met King Xiang Yu. King Xiang Yu fell in love with Yu, married her, and made her his imperial consort. She often accompanied him on his military battles as he fought against the Han army.[5] King Xiang Yu and King Liu Bang were battling each other to conquer all of China. The two rivals had different political beliefs about how China should be governed.[6] King Liu Bang believed in a centralized empire.[7] However, King Xiang Yu believed in a federation of states.[8]

In 202 B.C.E., King Xiang Yu was besieged at the Battle of Gaixia in Western Chu.[9] He feared there was no victory, and he was surrounded on all sides by the Han army.[10] King Xiang Yu’s soldiers were losing their morale and did not have the heart to continue the battle.[11] Many defected to the Han army.[12] He was distraught about his situation and feared that the Han army would capture him and his wife.[13] King Xiang Yu went into his tent and drank with Consort Yu. Then, he composed a song to express his sorrow.[14] The song went:

“My strength uprooted mountains,

My spirit overshadowed the world;

But the times are against me

And my horse can gallop no more,

What can I do?

Yu, Yu,

What is to become of you?”[15]

Consort Yu was desolate after hearing her husband’s song.[16] She knew that as long as she was alive, she would only impede her husband’s escape.[17] If she was dead, King Xiang Yu may have a chance to escape.[18] Consort Yu took out her sword and performed a graceful sword dance for her husband.[19] She then sang her response to King Xiang Yu’s song. It went:

“Han soldiers stepped onto Chu land.

The songs of Chu are echoed everywhere.

Your Majesty in despair

How can I hope to live on?”[20]

Her song and dance brought tears to King Xiang Yu’s eyes.[21] The soldiers that had watched her dance were also moved.[22]After she finished her dance, she slew herself.[23] King Xiang Yu was heartbroken that his wife had died in his arms, but he did not want her death to be in vain. Therefore, he made his last attempt at escape.[24]

King Xiang Yu took eight hundred men with him and moved south.[25] Once King Xiang Yu reached the Wu river, he was ambushed by the Han army. King Xiang Yu realized there was no escape.[26] There were two choices ahead of him. He could let himself be captured by the Han army or commit suicide.[27] King Xiang Yu chose the latter option and followed his wife’s example.[28] He committed suicide with his own sword.[29] Consort Yu is buried in Dingyuan County in Anhui Province.[30] Her tomb is named Tomb of the Beauty.[31] Her stele is in Lingbi District and attracts thousands of visitors who come to pay their respects.[32]

The tragic love story between King Xiang Yu and his wife, Consort Yu, has attracted the minds of the popular imagination. Many songs have been sung about Consort Yu in the Tang Dynasty, and many poems have been written about her in the Song Dynasty.[33] There have been many television series, movies, and plays about the star-crossed lovers.[34] Yet, the most popular story about Consort Yu comes from the famous opera, Farewell, My Concubine.[35] The opera has been adapted into an award-winning movie in 1993 in which Gong Li plays the famous consort.[36] Through popular culture, Consort Yu’s sacrifice will never be forgotten.

Sources:

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

Seal, G. (2001). Encyclopedia of Folk Heroes. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-CLIO.

Su, Z. & Shen, Lidong. (2015). “Yu, Consort of the Hegemon-King of Chu.” Biographical Dictionary of Chinese Women: Antiquity Through Sui, 1600 B.C.E. – 618 C.E. (L. X. H. Lee, Ed.; A. D. Stefanowska, Ed.; S. Wiles, Ed.). NY: Routledge. pp.236-237.

Xiaoming, Z. & Cheng, W. trans. (2015). “Yu Ji”. Notable Women of China: Shang Dynasty to the Early Twentieth Century. (B. B. Peterson, Ed.). London: Routledge. pp.49-51.

[1] Xiaoming and Cheng, 2015

[2] Su and Shen, 2015

[3] Su and Shen, 2015, p. 236

[4] Xiaoming and Cheng, 2015

[5] Su and Shen, 2015

[6] McMahon, 2013

[7] McMahon, 2013

[8] McMahon, 2013

[9] Su and Shen, 2013

[10] Su and Shen, 2013

[11] Su and Shen, 2013

[12] Seal, 2001

[13] Su and Shen, 2015

[14] Su and Shen, 2015

[15] Su and Shen, 2015, pp. 236-237

[16] Su and Shen, 2015

[17] Seal, 2001

[18] Seal, 2001

[19] Seal, 2001

[20] Su and Shen, 2015, p. 237

[21] Su and Shen, 2015

[22] Su and Shen, 2015

[23] Xiaoming and Cheng, 2015

[24] Xiaoming and Cheng, 2015

[25] Xiaoming and Cheng, 2015

[26] Su and Shen, 2015

[27] Su and Shen, 2015

[28] Xiaoming and Cheng, 2015

[29] Xiaoming and Cheng, 2015

[30] Xiaoming and Cheng, 2015

[31] Xiaoming and Cheng, 2015

[32] Su and Shen, 2015

[33] Xiaoming and Cheng, 2015

[34] Xiaoming and Cheng, 2015

[35] Su and Shen, 2015

[36] Su and Shen, 2015

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