Empress Huyan (Liu Cong's wife)

Empress Huyan (呼延皇后, personal name unknown) (died 312), formally Empress Wuyuan (武元皇后, literally "the martial and discerning empress") was an empress of the Xiongnu-led Han-Zhao dynasty of China. She was the first wife of Liu Cong (Emperor Zhaowu).^[1]^[2]

Life

Her clan, the Huyans, were probably a noble clan of Xiongnu, as a large number of Han-Zhao officials were named Huyan. She was created empress in 310 after Liu Cong seized the throne from his brother Liu He (after Liu He had tried to have him and the other brothers killed and successfully killed two).^[1] She was the cousin of the first empress of Liu Cong's father Liu Yuan.^[3] She bore Liu Cong at least one son -- Liu Can, whom Liu Cong created the Prince of He'nei and commissioned as a major general.^[4] However, he did not create Liu Can crown prince because he had promised to make Liu Ai (劉乂), son of Liu Yuan's second wife Empress Dan, who had yielded the throne to him after Liu He's death, crown prince. (He also had an affair with Liu Ai's mother Empress Dan, and this affair was part of the reason.)

When Empress Dowager Dan died in 310, Empress Huyan began to try to secure the crown prince position for her son, telling him:

"You inherited the throne from your father. What does the Crown Prince have to do with it? After you die, Liu Can and his brothers will not even get to live."

Liu Cong did not follow her suggestion at this point, but the seeds were sown, and eventually in 317, long after her death, he would depose Crown Prince Ai and make Liu Can crown prince.

Empress Huyan died in 312 and was given a posthumous name, appropriate for an empress.

References

^ ^a ^b Luan, Baojun; Tang, Bowen (1994). Tales about Chinese Emperors: Their Wild and Wise Ways. Hai Feng Publishing Company. ISBN 978-962-238-217-6.
^ 云淡心远 (2018-06-01). 彪悍南北朝前传之十六国风云 (in Chinese). Beijing Book Co. Inc. ISBN 978-7-5143-7013-3.
^ 司馬光 (1985-06-01). 柏楊版資治通鑑第二十二冊：大分裂: 柏楊版資治通鑑22 (in Chinese (Taiwan)). 遠流出版. ISBN 978-957-32-0844-0.
^ 明轩公子著 (2018-01-01). 三国之狼觊天下：公元281-338 (in Chinese). Beijing Book Co. Inc. ISBN 978-7-205-09097-5.

Chinese royalty
Preceded by Empress Dan	Empress of Han-Zhao 310–312	Succeeded by Empress Zhang Huiguang
Preceded by Empress Dan	Empress of China (Southern Shanxi) 310–312
Preceded by Empress Liang Lanbi of Jin	Empress of China (Northern/Central) 311–312

[:0-1] Luan, Baojun; Tang, Bowen (1994). Tales about Chinese Emperors: Their Wild and Wise Ways. Hai Feng Publishing Company. ISBN 978-962-238-217-6.

[2] 云淡心远 (2018-06-01). 彪悍南北朝前传之十六国风云 (in Chinese). Beijing Book Co. Inc. ISBN 978-7-5143-7013-3.

[3] 司馬光 (1985-06-01). 柏楊版資治通鑑第二十二冊：大分裂: 柏楊版資治通鑑22 (in Chinese (Taiwan)). 遠流出版. ISBN 978-957-32-0844-0.

[4] 明轩公子著 (2018-01-01). 三国之狼觊天下：公元281-338 (in Chinese). Beijing Book Co. Inc. ISBN 978-7-205-09097-5.

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