Liu Ying

…Gaohou’s young son, the emperor Huidi (reigned 195–188 bc), ascended the throne. Gaohou, whose ambition had spurred her husband’s rise to power, acted as regent and seized real power for herself. A cruel, vindictive woman, she consolidated her position by ignoring members of Gaozu’s family and promoting her own relatives…

…emperor under the title of Huidi (reigned 195–188 bce), the empress dowager Gaohou arranged for two infants to succeed consecutively. During that time (188–180 bce) she issued imperial edicts under her own name and by virtue of her own authority as empress dowager. She set a precedent that was to…