Empress Ren (; personal name unknown; 315 - 338) was an

empress The word ''emperor'' (from , via ) can mean the male ruler of an empire. ''Empress'', the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife (empress consort), mother/grandmother (empress dowager/grand empress dowager), or a woman who rules ...

of the Di-led

Cheng-Han Cheng-Han (; 303 or 304 – 347) was a dynastic state of China listed as one of the Sixteen Kingdoms in Chinese historiography. Ruled by the Li clan of the Ba-Di people, its territory was based in what is modern-day Sichuan Province, China. The ...

dynasty of China. Her husband was the founding emperor

Li Xiong Li Xiong (李雄) (274 – 11 August 334), courtesy name Zhongjuan (仲雋), also known by his posthumous name as the Emperor Wu of Cheng (Han) (成(漢)武帝), was the first emperor of the Ba-Di-led Cheng-Han dynasty and commonly regarded as ...

(Emperor Wu). She was created empress by Li Xiong in February or March 315. She had no sons of her own, although Li Xiong had sons by

concubine Concubinage is an interpersonal relationship, interpersonal and Intimate relationship, sexual relationship between two people in which the couple does not want to, or cannot, enter into a full marriage. Concubinage and marriage are often regarde ...

s. Despite this, he chose his nephew

Li Ban Li Ban (李班) (288–334), courtesy name Shiwen (世文), also known by his posthumous name as the Emperor Ai of Cheng (Han) (成(漢)哀帝), was briefly an Emperor of China, emperor of the Di (Five Barbarians), Di-led Cheng Han, Cheng-Han dyn ...

(Emperor Ai) as his heir. Empress Ren had raised Li Ban to be the Emperor’s

crown prince A crown prince or hereditary prince is the heir apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The female form of the title, crown princess, is held by a woman who is heir apparent or is married to the heir apparent. ''Crown prince ...

. After Li Xiong died in August 334, Li Ban became emperor and honored her as

empress dowager Empress dowager (also dowager empress or empress mother; ) is the English language translation of the title given to the mother or widow of a monarch, especially in regards to Chinese, Japanese, Korean, or Vietnamese monarchs in the Chines ...

. A few months later on 5 December, Li Ban was assassinated by Li Xiong's son Li Yue (李越). On 6 December, Li Yue made another son of Li Xiong, Li Qi, whom Empress Dowager Ren had also raised, emperor. Li Yue forged an edict from Empress Dowager Ren to legitimize his actions. During Li Qi's reign, she continued as empress dowager. When Li Qi was overthrown by

Li Shou Li Shou (; 300 – September 343''Zizhi Tongjian'', vol.97. Emperor Kang's biography in ''Jin Shu'' recorded that Li Shou died in the 8th month of that year, which corresponds to 6 Sep to 4 Oct 343 in the Julian calendar.), courtesy name Wukao ( ...

(Emperor Zhaowen) in May 338, Li Shou forged an edict from Empress Dowager Ren as well to legitimize his actions, implying that she was still alive at that point. There was no further records of her in history from that point on; her younger brother Ren Yan (任颜) was accused of treason and executed in October that year.9th month of the 4th year of the ''Xian'kang'' era, per vol.96 of ''Zizhi Tongjian''. The month corresponds to 30 Sep to 29 Oct 338 in the Julian calendar. It is not known when she died.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ren, Empress Cheng Han empresses 3rd-century births 4th-century deaths