Empress dowager (also dowager empress or empress mother) () is the

English language English is a West Germanic language of the Indo-European language family, with its earliest forms spoken by the inhabitants of early medieval England. It is named after the Angles, one of the ancient Germanic peoples that migrated to the ...

translation of the title given to the

mother ] A mother is the female parent of a child. A woman may be considered a mother by virtue of having given birth, by raising a child who may or may not be her biological offspring, or by supplying her ovum for fertilisation in the case of ...

or widow of a Chinese, Japanese, Korean, or Vietnamese emperor in the

Chinese cultural sphere The East Asian cultural sphere, also known as the Sinosphere, the Sinic world, the Sinitic world, the Chinese cultural sphere, the Chinese character sphere encompasses multiple countries in East Asia and Southeast Asia that were historically ...

. The title was also given occasionally to another woman of the same generation, while a woman from the previous generation was sometimes given the title of

grand empress dowager Grand empress dowager (also grand dowager empress or grand empress mother) ( (太皇太后)) was a title given to the grandmother, or a woman from the same generation, of a Chinese, Japanese, Korean, or Vietnamese emperor in the Chinese cultural ...

(). Numerous empress dowagers held regency during the reign of underage emperors. Many of the most prominent empress dowagers also extended their control for long periods after the emperor was old enough to govern. This was a source of political turmoil according to the traditional view of Chinese history. The title dowager empress was given to the wife of a deceased emperor of Russia or Holy Roman emperor.

By country

''For grand empresses dowager, visit

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East Asia

Chinese empresses dowager

;

Han dynasty The Han dynasty (, ; ) was an Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China (202 BC – 9 AD, 25–220 AD), established by Emperor Gaozu of Han, Liu Bang (Emperor Gao) and ruled by the House of Liu. The dynasty was preceded by th ...

Empress Dowager Lü An emperor (from la, imperator, via fro, empereor) is a monarch, and usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife ( empress consort), mother ( ...

(241-180 BC), empress consort of Emperor Gaozu of Han (256-195 BC, r. 202-195 BC) * Empress Dowager Dou * Empress Dowager Wang * Empress Dowager Deng * Empress Dowager Liang (116-150), empress to Emperor Shun of Han (115-144, r. 125-144) * Empress Dowager He (d. 189), second empress consort of

Emperor Ling of Han Emperor Ling of Han (156 – 13 May 189), personal name Liu Hong, was the 12th and last powerful emperor of the Eastern Han dynasty. Born the son of a lesser marquis who descended directly from Emperor Zhang (the third Eastern Han emperor), ...

(156-189, r. 168-189) ; Jin dynasty * Empress Wenming (217-268), wife of Sima Zhao (211-265) ; Northern Wei dynasty *

Empress Dowager Feng Empress (Dowager) Feng (馮皇(太)后) (442 – 17 October 490), formally Empress (Dowager) Wenming (文明皇后, literally "the civil and understanding empress") was an empress of the Xianbei-led Northern Wei dynasty of China. Her husband was ...

* Empress Dowager Hu, (d. 528), concubine of

Emperor Xuanwu Emperor Xuanwu of Northern Wei (May or June 483 – February 12, 515) was an emperor of the Xianbei-led Chinese Northern Wei dynasty (499-515). He was born Tuoba Ke, but later changed his surname so that he became Yuan Ke. During Xuanwu's reign, ...

(483-515, r. 499-515) ; Liu Song dynasty * Empress Dowager Xiao Wenshou (343-423), stepmother of Emperor Wu of Liu Song ;

Tang dynasty The Tang dynasty (, ; zh, t= ), or Tang Empire, was an Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 618 to 907 AD, with an Zhou dynasty (690–705), interregnum between 690 and 705. It was preceded by the Sui dyn ...

* Empress Dowager Wu, more commonly known as Wu Zetian * Empress Dowager Xiao * Empress Dowager He ;

Liao dynasty The Liao dynasty (; Khitan: ''Mos Jælud''; ), also known as the Khitan Empire (Khitan: ''Mos diau-d kitai huldʒi gur''), officially the Great Liao (), was an imperial dynasty of China that existed between 916 and 1125, ruled by the Yelü ...

* Empress Dowager Xiao (d. 951?), concubine of Yelü Bei * Empress Dowager Chengtian * Empress Dowager Xiao Noujin (980-1057), concubine of Emperor Shengzong ;

Song dynasty The Song dynasty (; ; 960–1279) was an imperial dynasty of China that began in 960 and lasted until 1279. The dynasty was founded by Emperor Taizu of Song following his usurpation of the throne of the Later Zhou. The Song conquered the res ...

* Empress Dowager Xie ;

Yuan dynasty The Yuan dynasty (), officially the Great Yuan (; xng, , , literally "Great Yuan State"), was a Mongol-led imperial dynasty of China and a successor state to the Mongol Empire after its division. It was established by Kublai, the fif ...

* Empress Gi (1315-1369), one of the primary empresses of Toghon Temur ;

Qing dynasty The Qing dynasty ( ), officially the Great Qing,, was a Manchu-led imperial dynasty of China and the last orthodox dynasty in Chinese history. It emerged from the Later Jin dynasty founded by the Jianzhou Jurchens, a Tungusic-speak ...

* Empress Dowager Xiaoduanwen (1599-1649), consort of Hong Taiji (1592-1643), second Khan of the Later Jin dynasty (r. 1626-1636) and first Emperor of the Qin dynasty (r. 1636-1643) * Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang (1613-1688), cosort of Hong Taiji *

Empress Dowager Renxian Empress Xiaohuizhang (5 November 1641 – 7 January 1718), of the Khorchin Mongol Borjigit clan, was the wife and second empress consort of Fulin, the Shunzhi Emperor. She was Empress consort of Qing from 1654 until her husband's death in 1661 ...

(1641-1718) *

Empress Dowager Cihe Empress Xiaokangzhang (1640 – 20 March 1663), of the Manchu Bordered Yellow Banner Tunggiya clan, was a posthumous name bestowed to the consort of Fulin, the Shunzhi Emperor, and mother of Xuanye, the Kangxi Emperor. She was honoured as Emp ...

* Empress Dowager Chongqing *

Empress Dowager Ci'an Empress Xiaozhenxian (12 August 1837 – 8 April 1881), of the Manchu Bordered Yellow Banner Niohuru clan, was a posthumous name bestowed to the wife and empress consort of Yizhu, the Xianfeng Emperor. She was Empress consort of Qing from 1 ...

* Empress Dowager Cixi, ''de facto'' ruler of the Qing dynasty for 40 years *

Empress Dowager Longyu Jingfen (; 28 January 1868 – 22 February 1913), of the Manchu Bordered Yellow Banner Yehe Nara clan, was the wife and empress consort of Zaitian, the Guangxu Emperor. She was Empress consort of Qing from 1889 until her husband's death in 19 ...

(1868-1913), wife and empress consort of Zaitian, the Guangxu Emperor, abdicated on behalf of Puyi

Japanese empress dowager

In the complex organization of the Japanese Imperial Court, the title of "empress dowager" does not automatically devolve to the principal consort of an

Emperor An emperor (from la, imperator, via fro, empereor) is a monarch, and usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife ( empress consort), mother ( ...

who has died. The title "''Kōtaigō''" can only be bestowed or granted by the Emperor who will have acceded to the Chrysanthemum Throne. The following were granted this Imperial title: * HIM , widow of Emperor Shōwa * HIM , widow of Emperor Taishō * HIM , widow of Emperor Meiji * HIM , widow of Emperor Kōmei * HIM , widow of Emperor Kōkaku

Korean empress dowager

* Empress dowager Myeongheon (1831–1903), wife and widow of Heonjong of Joseon.

Europe

Holy Roman dowager empresses

Eleonora Gonzaga was empress dowager from 1657–1686. Although never referred to as a dowager, Empress Matilda was controversially the Holy Roman Empress and continued to be referred to as "empress" long after the death of her first husband

Henry V Henry V may refer to: People * Henry V, Duke of Bavaria (died 1026) * Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor (1081/86–1125) * Henry V, Duke of Carinthia (died 1161) * Henry V, Count Palatine of the Rhine (c. 1173–1227) * Henry V, Count of Luxembourg (121 ...

, and her subsequent remarriage. Despite having abandoned the throne of Sicily for her son Frederick II, Empress Constance widow of Henry VI retained her title as ''empress dowager'' till her death.

Russian dowager empresses

Dowager empresses of Russia held precedence over the empress consort. This was occasionally a source of tension. For example, when Paul I was assassinated, Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna (Sophie Dorothea of Württemberg), for whom this tradition was started, often took the arm of her son Tsar Alexander I at court functions and ceremonies while his wife Empress Elizabeth Alexeievna (Louise of Baden) walked behind, which caused resentment on the part of the young empress. The same thing happened decades later when Emperor Alexander III died, and the Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna (Dagmar of Denmark) held precedence over Empress

Alexandra Fyodorovna (Alix of Hesse) german: Alix Viktoria Helene Luise Beatrixrussian: Alexandra Feodorovna Romanova , house = Hesse-Darmstadt , father = Louis IV, Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine , mother = Princess Alice of the United Kingdom , birth_name ...

, which put an enormous strain on their already tense relationship. The power struggle culminated when the Dowager Empress refused to hand over certain jewels traditionally associated with the Empress Consort. There have been four dowager empresses in Russia: *HIM Empress Maria Feodorovna (Sophie Dorothea of Württemberg) (1759-1828) Empress Consort of Paul I of Russia (r. 1796-1801) *HIM Empress Elizabeth Alexeievna (Louise of Baden) (1779-1826) Empress Consort of

Alexander I of Russia Alexander I (; – ) was Emperor of Russia from 1801, the first King of Congress Poland from 1815, and the Grand Duke of Finland from 1809 to his death. He was the eldest son of Emperor Paul I and Sophie Dorothea of Württemberg. The son o ...

(r. 1801-1825) *HIM Empress Alexandra Feodorovna (Charlotte of Prussia) (1798-1860) Empress Consort of

Nicholas I of Russia , house = Romanov-Holstein-Gottorp , father = Paul I of Russia , mother = Maria Feodorovna (Sophie Dorothea of Württemberg) , birth_date = , birth_place = Gatchina Palace, Gatchina, Russian Empire , death_date ...

(r. 1825-1855) *HIM Empress Maria Feodorovna (Dagmar of Denmark) (1847-1928) Empress Consort of Alexander III of Russia (r. 1881-1894) Empress Elizabeth Alexeievna was briefly and concurrently, along with her mother in-law Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna, a Dowager empress. She is therefore often forgotten as an Dowager Empress.

South Asia

Indian empresses dowager

Queen-Empress Victoria (1819-1901, r. 1837-1901) was widowed in 1861, before her accession as Queen-Empress of India. Her son, her grandson and her great-grandson all died before their wives, and their widows were known as empresses dowager in this Indian context. Had George VI, the last Emperor of India, died before the independence of India was proclaimed in 1947, his widow would have been known as the dowager empress of India. However, George VI did not die until 1952, some years after India's formal independence and the renunciation of the title Emperor of India by the British monarch (which took place formally in 1948). * Queen-Empress Alexandra (d. 20 Nov. 1925), widow of King-Emperor Edward VII (r. 1901–1910) * Queen-Empress Mary (d. 24 Mar. 1953), widow of King-Emperor George V (r. 1910–1936) * Queen-Empress Elizabeth (d. 30 Mar. 2002), widow of King-Emperor George VI (r. 1936–1947)

Southeast Asia

Vietnamese empresses dowager

; Đinh- Early Lê dynasties * Empress Dowager Dương Vân Nga (952–1000): In 979, her husband Emperor Đinh Bộ Lĩnh died after an assassination, her son Prince Đinh Toàn ascended to the throne, she became empress dowager and handled all political matters. But later she dethroned her son and ceded the throne to Lê Đại Hành and married him. Once again she took the title of empress consort. Because she was an empress twice with two different emperors, she is called "Hoàng hậu hai triều" (Two-dynasty Empress). ; Lý dynasty * Empress Dowager Thượng Dương (?–1073): While she could not give birth to any sons, her husband's concubine Lady Ỷ Lan gave birth to a prince, called Lý Càn Đức. After husband's death, she became empress dowager and declared that she will ''"buông rèm nhiếp chính"'' (regent) for the new seven-year-old emperor, but the mother of the new emperor Lady Dowager Ỷ Lan vehemently opposed and forced her to the death. Her tenure of being an empress dowager is one year. * Empress Dowager Ỷ Lan (c. 1044–1117): After dethroning and killing the empress dowager, she became empress dowager and kept all political powers * Empress Dowager Chiêu Linh (?–1200): Empress of Emperor Lý Thần Tông. Her son was appointed as crown prince, but later he was dethroned from the seat of crown prince to a normal prince due to an event. Her husband's concubine Lady Đỗ Thụy Châu gave birth to a prince and he was appointed as crown prince later. After her husband's death, the crown prince ascended to the throne, she became empress dowager. * Empress Dowager Đỗ Thụy Châu: After her son ascended to the throne, she became the co-empress dowager with Empress Dowager Chiêu Linh. * Empress Dowager An Toàn (?–1226): She was famous for misusing authority during the reign of her son Emperor Lý Huệ Tông. Her daughter-in-law, Empress Trần Thị Dung joined Trần Thủ Độ plotting to overthrow the Lý dynasty and replace by Trần dynasty. Trần Thủ Độ forced her son to abdicate and be a monk at the pagoda, her son did as Trần Thủ Độ told and ceded the throne to her granddaughter Lý Chiêu Hoàng, who is the only empress of Vietnamese history, thus, she became

. But later Trần Thủ Độ forced Lý Chiêu Hoàng to get married with his seven-year-old nephew Trần Cảnh and ceded the throne to Trần Cảnh. At that point, An Toàn was no longer an empress dowager. * Empress Dowager

Trần Thị Dung National Matriarch Linh Từ ( Vietnamese: Linh Từ Quốc mẫu, Hán tự: 靈慈國母) Trần Thị Dung (?–1259) was the last empress and the last empress mother of the Lý dynasty. She was entitled by the Emperor Lý Huệ Tông ...

(?–1259): She became empress dowager after her daughter Lý Chiêu Hoàng ascended to the throne. But later, Lý Chiêu Hoàng ceded the throne to her husband Trần Cảnh.

was no longer empress dowager. ; Trần dynasty * Empress Dowager Tuyên Từ (?–1318): A concubine and younger sister-in-law of Emperor Trần Nhân Tông, she is younger sister of the proper Empress Bảo Thánh. In 1293, Emperor Trần Nhân Tông ceded the throne to his son with Empress Bảo Thánh, Trần Anh Tông, some months later her sister Grand Empress Bảo Thánh died, she became the only surviving consort of Grand Emperor Trần Nhân Tông. 1308, Grand Emperor Trần Nhân Tông died, she became empress dowager. 1314, Emperor Trần Anh Tông ceded the throne to his son Trần Minh Tông, she became grand empress dowager. ; Nguyễn dynasty * Empress Dowager Từ Dụ (1810-1902),born Phạm Thị Hằng, was a Vietnamese empress, the wife of Emperor Thiệu Trị and mother of Emperor Tự Đức. * Empress Dowager Từ Cung (1890-1980), mother of the last Vietnamese Emperor Bảo Đại.