Wu Zetian Research Paper

History shows us that through the centuries, men have had the upperhand in politics and government. Though the scale for equal rights is still unbalanced, more women than ever hold important leadership roles throughout the world. When thinking about female leaders, names like Cleopatra, Queen Elizabeth, Margaret Thatcher, and even 2016 presidential candidate Hillary Clinton come to mind. Whether, male or female, political leaders through the ages have been surrounded by controversy and rumors. A leader’s reputation that today, still conjures up debatable rumors, is Wu Zetian. She was the first woman in China to hold the title of emperor, but at what cost did she get there? Wu Zetian’s reputation is tarnished with mentions of sabotage, murder,
Under mysterious circumstances, Wu’s newborn daughter was found dead in her crib, and many historians concur that it was Wu herself that strangled her baby (Mark 2016). Whether or not Wu Zetian did kill her daughter, one thing is known for sure, she framed Empress Wang, who was the last one to have held the baby. To make the situation even more scandalous, Wu accused both Empress Wang and Xiao Shufei of witchcraft (Dash, 2012). Gaozong, having favorited Wu for years, believed her story. The fates of Wang and Xiao are speculated amongst scholars. Some say that the Emperor divorced Empress Wang and had both her and Xiao Shufei exiled (Empress Wu Zetian of [the] Tang Dynasty, 2016). While others claim that Wu had them tortured by ordering their hands and feet to be cut off (Dash, 2012). Wu didn’t stop at that though, she supposedly ordered the two women to be thrown in vat of wine to
[...] [Also] military expenses were reduced, taxes cut, salaries of deserving officials raised, retirees given a viable pension, and vast royal lands near the capital turned over to husbandry.
Though Wu Zetian may have crushed everyone on her path to power, she was an effective ruler. She also reformed the education system and the agricultural system which, added onto her prosperous reign (Mark, 2016). Wu also made key improvements on China’s military, Emily Mark (2016) states; “military exams were intended to measure intelligence and decision making and candidates were personally interviewed instead of just being appointed because of family connections or their family's name”. Her greatest accomplishment as Emperor by far was reopening the Silk Road after it had been closed due to a plague and raids by