Empress Wu Zetian

Wu Zetian, a woman of formidable ambition and political acumen, spent her early life in the imperial court, first as a concubine to Emperor Taizong, and later, after a brief stint in a Buddhist nunnery, to his son, Emperor Gaozong. Her ascent was nothing short of Machiavellian, involving the alleged murder of her own infant daughter to frame a rival and secure her position as empress consort. Such tactics might seem extreme, but one does not become the 'Sage Mother' of China by playing nice.

After Emperor Gaozong's death, Wu Zetian effectively ruled as regent, manipulating her sons until she felt it was time to drop the pretense. In 690 CE, she declared herself