The Three Empresses of Emperor Qianlong

Emperor Qianlong's harem has been cast into the spotlight recently––with a hit tv show airing at the moment and another to come. Coincidentally, the same three women, namely the three empresses of Qianlong, are heavily featured in the two dramas, albeit in entirely different lights.

It occurred to me that a side-by-side comparison between Emperor's Qianlong three Empresses and King Henry VIII's first three wives could be interesting. Of course, given the largely discrepant cultures and historical factors, such a comparison is only superficial at best. Bear in mind that this post by no means suggests that the women were by any means similar in temperament, or shared the exact same motivations and life trajectories.

For a full biography of Henry VIII's first two queens, read Celine's post here.

In the following sections, I will simply refer to the empresses by their family names/more familiar titles for easier identification. (Like honestly who's gonna remember a title like Empress Xiaoxian Chengzheng Dunmu Renhui Weigong Kangshun Futian Changsheng Chun. No, I didn't make this title up.)

King Henry VIII and His Six Wives Part I

This wouldn't be considered a history blog if there isn't a post about King Henry VIII! Hence, I shall make a short write up about Henry VIII and each of Henry's wives. I will write a more detailed one about them later in separate posts.

The Tudor Dynasty has been one of my favourites in History. Actually the 16th century is probably one of the best historical era everywhere in the world (e.g Joseon Dynasty in Korea). There is a saying that in Henry VIII and Elizabeth I (Henry VIII's daughter), the Tudor Dynasty produced the two most famous monarchs in English History. The ironic twist is this: Henry VIII was infamously known as the tyrant yet his daughter made her ruling era (the Elizabethan Era) known as England's Golden Age. Another fun fact is Henry's eldest daughter, Queen Mary I (also known as Bloody Mary), is the most hated Queen in British History! All in all, 16th century England has been one of the most dramatic periods in History

To read more about Queen Elizabeth I click here

Here is a summarised version of Henry VIII's six wives in a form of a song:

Lady Jane Grey 4: Book & Movie Reviews

In a previous post about Lady Jane Grey, I’ve mentioned about ‘Innocent Traitor’ and ‘Lady Jane’, a book and a movie based on Lady Jane’s life. In this post I will do a brief review of both.

Book Title: Innocent Traitor
Author: Alison Weir

Review: I especially enjoyed reading ‘Innocent Traitor’. It describes the life of Lady Jane Grey in detail, and gives the readers an insight of her life. As Alison Weir is a well-known historian who has done much research, it can be assured that the details in this book are historically accurate. Well, most of it, anyway.

               

Lady Jane Grey 3: Summary

Lady Jane Grey 2: Facts and Fiction

So Lady Jane was dead; but her story lives on. As time passed, more and more details were added to it, to make her image suit the ideals of the times. She was depicted as the very first Marian martyr, an innocent Protestant maiden who was good, devout and pious, ready to die for her faith. 

The famous painting by Paul Delaroche depicts a beautiful maiden, dressed in a flowing white dress, her eyes bound by a white cloth. She is guided to the block; two ladies are overwhelmed with grief, while the executioner waits, axe in hand. The beauty of the maiden with her helpless form contrasts with tragic atmosphere of the painting. The grey walls behind suggests a closed room, which is historically inaccurate, as Jane was executed in the open on a scaffold. In reality, her hair would probably be bound up (imagine how those flowing tresses would get in the way), and she is said to have worn black—the same dress that she had worn to her trial. But nevertheless, it does picture how many have come to view Jane throughout the years—a helpless victim, the ideal embodiment of female purity and submission.

Lady Jane Grey 1: The Nine-Days Queen

She was innocent; yet she was beheaded as a traitor. She was young, yet she was firm in matters regarding religion. She was crowned a monarch, yet she was often referred to as ‘Lady’, rather than ‘Queen.’

             
The details of her reign are shaky. Can she be considered as England’s first queen? Or should the title go to Mary I, the rightful heir to the throne? Many only know her as the ‘nine-days queen’, Interestingly, some take her reign as ’13 days’—that is, if you take the days between Edward I’s death (6 July 1553) to the day Jane was declared as queen (9 July 1553) into account. Her reign ended drastically on 19 July, when Mary I was declared as queen instead.

 There are so many details of Lady Jane’s life that remain shrouded in mystery. Her life was exceedingly coloured with the ideals of later historians, many who pictured her as an innocent, helpless young girl who was pushed onto the throne—and eventually, the block, by her ambitious parents and father-in-law. Yet, how big was her role in deciding her fate? Was she truly the passive victim that many thought her to be? 

Queen Elizabeth I: Queenship

Aged 25 and Queen of England

On this day in 1559, Queen Elizabeth I was crowned Queen of England at Westminster Abbey (I'm not joking on this one; her coronation really was on this day in history). When she first came to the throne, England was surrounded by much more powerful neighbours; hence, the speculation of her capability to govern a country such as this. Also, many people had thought that not only she had no right to the throne, but she was a gullible woman who can easily be manipulated.

Yet, she proved them all wrong: she eventually won the support of the ordinary citizens by avoiding the cruelty that had gone on during the reign of her predecessors. More importantly, she is best known for keeping her thoughts to herself, making her mind an unfathomable realm from her councillors and subjects. Throughout Queen Elizabeth I's life, she had strongly held on to this principle:-

Her mantra was:
Video et taceo-- I see and keep silent.

Queen Elizabeth I: Princesshood

Elizabeth I of England

Elizabeth I, also known as "The Virgin Queen," is the most famous queen who has ever ruled England. The last of the Tudor Monarch, Queen Elizabeth I proved to be one of the smartest rulers the country has ever had. Despite the arguments on the legitimacy of her crown (some have claimed that her father, King Henry VIII, had never married Anne Boleyn), she was a tough woman who survived plots by people who tried to get rid of her, and if they didn't, were planning to marry her off.

In her time, females were regarded to be less capable to govern a country. So how did she kept her crown and won the respects of her subjects?