Wang (Xin)

Empress Wang ( Chinese  王 皇后 , birth name unknown; † 21 AD), formally Empress Xiaomu ( Chinese  孝 睦 皇后 ), was an empress of the Chinese Xin dynasty .

She was the daughter of Wang Xian ( 王 咸 ), Marquis of Yichun, who was a grandson of Han Minister Wang Xin ( 王訢 ). When she married her relative, the future Xin emperor Wang Mang , he was still a common citizen.

Ms. Wang gave birth to her husband at least five children: sons Wang Yu ( 王宇 ), Wang Huo ( 王獲 ), Wang An ( 王安 ) and Wang Lin ( 王臨 ), and a daughter, who later Emperor Ping of Han married and was given the title of Princess Huanghuang under the Xin Dynasty .

Wang Mang attached great importance to the appearance of a harmonious married life. However, three affairs with maidservants are known from Han’s book , and later with a chambermaid of Ms. Wang named Yuan Bi ( 原 碧 ). During her lifetime, Ms. Wang saw the deaths of two of her sons. In the year 5 BC BC Wang Mang forced young Wang Huo to commit suicide after he killed a servant. Eight years later, he also forced Wang Yu to commit suicide after his conspiracy against his father was exposed. Ms. Wang is said to have cried so much out of mourning for her sons that she went blind.

When Wang Mang proclaimed himself emperor in AD 9, he made Ms. Wang empress. At the time, the two had two surviving sons: Wang An and Wang Lin. Since Wang Mang believed the younger of the two to be more capable, he appointed him (Wang Lin) crown prince. He named Wang Lin Lord of Xinjia and assigned him the Imperial Palace as his place of residence so that he could attend his mother, the Empress.

Empress Wang died in the year 21. Her sons died in the same year: Wang Lin committed suicide after his conspiracy against the father failed, and Wang An died of natural causes.