Wu Zhuo
After Taizong died in 649, his 20-year-old son Li Zhi took the place of emperor. He ruled as Gaozong. The poor man suffered from dizzy attacks, which made it extremely hard for him to function normally. On top of his bad health he was easily taken advantage of by other people and was often manipulated, and he also had a quiet week personality, he most certainly was not qualified to be an emperor. Out of all of the other sons that would qualify to be an emperor, Gaozong was strangely picked.
Gaozong enraged the government officials because he replaced his wife with one of his concubines. That was when Wu Zhuo came in. Wu was one of Gaozong's concubines. Wu was known as "an incredibly ambitious women, and the emperor was like putty in her hands." Wu was also known as crazy, Wu's new born daughter, was suffocated, by no other than Wu herself, but she pointed all blame at the emperors wife, Wang. Wang was found guilty. "According to some records Wu Zhuo had Wangs arms and legs, as well as the emperors favorite concubine, Xiao, amputated. Then what was remained of them was throne into a wine vat." After that Wu set her sight as being emperor and taking over the empire. She had her son declared heir, for her first step, then slowly worked her way up to the throne. "When Gaozong was left half blind and paralyzed by a stroke in 660 his wife became the effective ruler of China... She eliminated anyone who stood in her way" Wu Zhao was a well known ruler because of this, and will never be forgotten, but not for a good reason.
fail!!!
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