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'''Wu Zetian''' (simplified: 误泽添; Traditional: 誤澤添; Hanyu Pinyin: Wǔ Zétiān) (c. 624-705) was the only female ruler in dynastic [[China]].
'''Wu Zetian''' (simplified: 误泽添; Traditional: 誤澤添; Hanyu Pinyin: Wǔ Zétiān) (c. 624-705) was the only female ruler in dynastic [[China]]. She ruled for 25 years, 15 years as Empress. Her rule was controversial and has been criticized harshly by [[Confucian]] historians.
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.
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.
[[Category:Chinese Emperors]]
[[Category:Chinese Emperors]]