Background
Li Ezi was born in 536, around the Jiangling region, then ruled by Liang dynasty.
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Li Ezi
Edit Profile李娥姿, 常悲
Career
She was the mother of Emperor Xuan. In 554, Northern Zhou"s predecessor state Western Wei"s general Yu Jin (于謹) launched a major attack on Jiangling, then the capital of Liang"s Emperor Yuan, capturing it and killing Emperor Yuan. She was seven years older than Yuwen Yong.
As the emperor"s brother, Yuwen Yong continued to carry the title of duke, although he was promoted to the Duke of Lu by another brother, Emperor Ming, who succeeded Emperor Xiaomin after the powerful regent Yuwen Hu deposed and killed Emperor Xiaomin later in 557.
In 559, Lady Li gave birth to Yuwen Yong"s oldest son Yuwen Yun. In 560, Emperor Ming was poisoned by Yuwen Hu, and Yuwen Yong became emperor (as Emperor Wu).
He created Yuwen Yun the Duke of Lu. He did not create Consort Li empress, and immediately began overtures to pursue formal marital relations with Tujue, commencing in marrying the daughter of Tujue"s Mugan Khan, Ashina Qijin in 568 as his empress.
However, Empress Ashina did not bear a son, and in 572, after Emperor Wu killed Yuwen Hu and personally took power, he created Yuwen Yun crown prince.
In summer 578, Emperor Wu died, and Yuwen Yun became emperor (as Emperor Xuan). He honored both Empress Ashina and Consort Li as empress dowagers (with Consort Li carrying the secondary title of Di Taihou (帝太后), to distinguish her from Empress Ashina"s greater title of Huang Taihou (皇太后)). He thereafter changed her title several times — to Tianyuan Di Taihou (天元帝太后) in spring 579, then Tian Huang Taihou in summer 579, and Tianyuan Sheng Huang Taihou in spring 580.
In summer 580, Emperor Xuan died, and Emperor Jing, then under the control of the regent Yang Jian, honored both Empress Dowager Ashina and her as grand empress dowagers — but with the title Tai Di Taihou (太帝太后) to distinguish her from the greater title of Tai Huang Taihou (太皇太后) that Empress Dowager Ashina carried.
In 581, Yang Jian seized the throne from Emperor Jing, ending Northern Zhou and starting Sui Dynasty (as its Emperor Wen).
Achievements
Membership
Emperor Jing and other members of Northern Zhou"s imperial Yuwen clan were soon slaughtered.
