Changes

|t=武則天

|t=武則天

|p=Wǔ Zétiān

|p=Wǔ Zétiān

|w=Wu³ Tse²-t'ien¹

|w=Wu Tse-t'ien

}}

}}

Wu Zetian entered the [[Tang Dynasty|Tang]] palace at 13 and became a concubine of Emperor Taizong. After his death, she was brought back into the palace by the new Emperor Gaozong. She was his favorite, and became his new wife after Empress Wang passed. As empress Wu progressively gained more and more influence over the governance of the empire throughout Emperor Gaozong's reign. She was regarded as ruthless in her endeavors to grab power, and was believed by traditional historians to have even killed two of her own children.  

Wu Zetian entered the [[Tang dynasty|Tang]] palace at 13 and became a concubine of Emperor Taizong. After his death, she was brought back into the palace by the new Emperor Gaozong. She was his favorite, and became his new wife after Empress Wang passed. As empress Wu progressively gained more and more influence over the governance of the empire throughout Gaozong's reign. She was regarded as ruthless in her endeavors to grab power, and was believed by traditional historians to have even killed two of her own children.  

After Emperor Gaozong's death in 683, Empress Wu became the Empress [[Dowager]]. She ruled through her sons until 690, when she declared that she was the new Emperor. She ruled until she died in 705.

After Emperor Gaozong's death in 683, Empress Wu became the Empress [[Dowager]]. She ruled through her sons until 690, when she declared that she was the new Emperor. She ruled until she died in 705.