For those who are very interested in Wu Zetian and her son, the History Encyclopedia editor brings detailed articles for your reference. Wu Zetian was dominant throughout her life. As her sons, what was their fate?
Wu Zetian had a total of four sons and two daughters for Emperor Gaozong of Tang, Li Zhi. The youngest daughter died in infancy, while Wu Zetian’s other four sons and one daughter all grew up to adulthood. The first daughter was the famous Princess Taiping in history. The other four sons, from childhood to adulthood, were Li Hong, Li Xian, Li Xian, and Li Dan.
Li Hong, Li Hong’s death has been an important reason for people to accuse Wu Zetian of being vicious for thousands of years, according to historical records that she poisoned her own son. In fact, the real cause of death of Prince Li Hong was pulmonary tuberculosis. In ancient times, tuberculosis was called tuberculosis. Tuberculosis was an incurable disease at that time, but four years later the patient became blind and passed away. Emperor Gaozong of Tang was deeply saddened and posthumously honored him with the title of “Filial Piety to the Emperor”. He was buried in the Gongling Mausoleum and used the imperial ceremony to hold the funeral procession
Li Xian was the second son of Empress Wu Zetian. After the death of Crown Prince Hong, he was crowned Crown Prince in the second year of Emperor Gaozong’s Shangyuan reign at the age of 22. Xian is the most outstanding one among Wu Zetian’s four sons. He is not only skilled in literature, but also physically strong, good at riding and shooting, hunting, playing ball, and martial arts. He was a crown prince who was both civil and military. In the second year of the Tiaolu reign, Li Xian was falsely accused and inexplicably involved in a rebellion. He was deposed as a commoner and exiled to Bazhou. Four years later, Wu Zetian deposed the emperor and sent the cruel official Qiu Shenji to Bazhou to inspect his son Li Xian’s residence. Qiu Shenji believed that he understood the meaning of Empress Wu, and when he arrived in Bazhou, he imprisoned Li Xian and forced him to commit suicide.
Li Xian was the third son of Empress Wu Zetian and Emperor Gaozong. After Prince Zhanghuai Li Xian was deposed, 24-year-old Li Xian was appointed as the Crown Prince. After serving as Emperor Er for a year, Li Xian was deposed by Empress Wu and became the Prince of Luling. Li Xian became emperor for the second time, but his good times did not last long. His empress Wei Shi and daughter Princess Anle, as well as his sister Princess Taiping, were not fuel-efficient women who had to learn from Empress Wu Zetian. In the end, they were poisoned to death by his empress Wei Shi and daughter Princess Anle. He served as emperor twice and reigned for a total of five and a half years.
Li Dan was the fourth son of Empress Wu Zetian, born on the first day of the sixth lunar month in the second year of Longshuo. He abdicated the throne three times, the first time to his mother, the second time to his brother, and the third time to his son. Before Empress Wu Zetian declared himself emperor, Li Dan briefly served as emperor. The second time he proclaimed himself emperor was after his third brother Tang Zhongzong was poisoned to death, and with the support of the people, Li Dan was successfully reinstated. Not long after the restoration, he handed over the emperor to his son Li Longji and sat on the throne as the Supreme Emperor, who was also the only son of Empress Wu Zetian who had a good ending.
