Ma (Ming)

Empress Ma ( Chinese  馬 皇后 , Pinyin Mǎ Huánghòu , birth name unknown), formally Empress Mingde ( 明德 皇后 , Míngdé Huánghòu , “intelligent and talented empress” ; * 40 ; † 79 ), was a Chinese empress of the Han dynasty . Her husband was Emperor Ming .

Family background and marriage to Crown Prince Zhuang

The future Empress Ma was born in 40 under the reign of Emperor Guangwu as the daughter of General Ma Yuan , who is known for his expeditions against the Vietnamese peoples. Her mother was Ms. Lin. Ma Yuan was a marquis, and Ms. Ma grew up comfort and prosperity as a member of a noble family.

In 49, however, this changed. Ma Yuan died of an epidemic during a campaign against the Wulin tribes (in what is now Guizhou and northwestern Henan ), which also killed many soldiers. After his death, Ma Yuan's hostile agent Geng Shu conspired with Emperor Guangwu's son-in-law Liang Song, and they falsely charged Ma Yuan with many (mostly unsold) crimes. Two particular charges are known: that Ma Yuan was responsible for the plague on the way to the Wulin tribes and that he embezzled pearls and rhinoceros horn during the campaign . Emperor Guangwu believed the slander and posthumously stripped Ma Yuan of his marquis title and fief, which deprived the Ma family of an important source of income.

The other noble families began to look down on the Ma family. Ms. Ma originally planned to marry a son from the noble Dou family, but the dous refrained from doing so because they no longer considered Ms. Ma worthy. Ms. Ma's cousin Ma Yan and her mother Lin were upset by the Dou family's behavior and instead offered Ms. Ma to spouse to Crown Prince Liu Zhuang .

As the wife of the Crown Prince

As the wife of the Crown Prince, Ms. Ma is said to have served her mother-in-law Empress Yin Lihua excellently, and the Empress quickly fell in love with her. Ms. Ma got on really well with the Crown Prince's other wives, which is why she also became the Crown Prince's favorite wife. One of her virtues is said to have been her will, even her zeal, to find suitable beautiful women for the crown prince with whom he could have sexual relations. Crown Prince Zhuang had few sons, which was considered improper in his day.

Ms. Ma herself was childless. Her older sister's daughter, Concubine Jia , was also the Crown Prince's wife, and she bore him a son named Liu Da . The Crown Prince directed Ms. Ma to adopt the prince, and she followed. She raised him so carefully and lovingly that he paid no attention to anyone but her.

As empress

In 57 Emperor Guangwu died and Crown Prince Zhuang ascended the throne as Emperor Ming . Mrs. Ma became an imperial concubine. In 1960 he made her empress and his son Liu Da crown prince.

Empress Ma is said to have been humble and humble, and she loved to read. Often she wore the less expensive white silk without sophisticated design. The imperial concubines and princesses were surprised and impressed by their modesty. Emperor Ming often consulted her on important state matters when he could not make a decision immediately. She would then carefully weigh the problems and make good suggestions. She is also said to never have asked for awards for her brothers and cousins, which is why Emperor Ming particularly respected and loved her.

When, in 71, following a conspiracy by Emperor Ming's brother Liu Ying , mass torture and execution were everywhere, Empress Ma stood up for the accused, averting Emperor Ming's attempt to stamp out anyone who might have been involved in the conspiracy.

When Emperor Ming made his sons 72 princes, he gave them very small principalities. Empress Ma resisted because she did not understand that the principalities of the princes should only be half the size of those of the sons of Emperor Guangwu. Emperor Ming replied that, of course, his sons would not be compared to his father's sons. The husbands agreed on this.

Emperor Ming died in 75, and Crown Prince Dao ascended the throne as Emperor Zhang . Empress Ma became the mother of the empress .

As an empress mother

Empress Mother Ma remained known for her humility and good judgment. Emperor Zhang, who was close to his uncles - their brothers Ma Liao, Ma Fang, and Ma Guang - wanted to promote them quickly, but Empress Mother Ma refused and issued an edict that the Ma family would not agree with the Yins and Guos (families of the Empresses Yin Lihua and Guo Shengtong ) (analogous to what she had heard from her husband). If there had been members of the Ma family who lived excessively, the Empress Mother Ma would have revoked their family names and banished them.

Empress mother Ma also set up a textile factory and a mulberry garden for silkworms , and a fairly profitable industry developed for the imperial family. In her spare time she discussed important state affairs with the emperor and taught his sons in Confucian classics - especially the Confucian Analegmata .

In the year 79 Emperor Zhang appointed her uncles margraves against the opposition of the empress mother. However, under pressure from the Empress Mother, they gave up their government posts.

In the same year, Empress Mother Ma died. She was buried with her husband Emperor Ming.

predecessor	Office	successor
Yin Lihua	Empress of China 60–75	Dou