Empress Wang Zhengjun - Wang Mang's Usurpation

Wang Mang's Usurpation

When Emperor Ai died, his male favorite (commonly believed to be homosexual lover) Dong Xian was in command of the armed forces and was the most powerful official in government, and there was great uncertainty what was going to happen next. It was at this time Grand Empress Dowager Wang would play the most crucial role in her life. She decided to immediately proceed to the imperial palace and seize the imperial seal and summon Dong. Her move caught Dong by surprise, and he was paralyzed and unable to act. Grand Empress Dowager Wang summoned Wang Mang to the palace as well and transferred the command of the imperial guard from Dong to Wang Mang. Dong, fearful of what was going to happen next, killed himself.

Wang Mang immediately moved to remove all obstacles to power, but at the same time maintaining an appearance of faithfulness to the Han Dynasty. With Grand Empress Dowager Wang's assent, he removed the Fus and Dings from government, and without her knowledge, he dishonored Consort Fu's and Consort Ding's graves. Grand Empress Dowager Wang then summoned her remaining stepgrandson Prince Jizi to the throne, as Emperor Ping.

During Emperor Ping's reign, Wang Mang served as regent, with Grand Empress Dowager Wang's support. When in her presence, he did everything he could to convince her of his faithfulness to the Han Dynasty and also flattered her, but at the same time continued to purge the government of potential enemies and getting his associates to use propaganda to create an aura of holiness about him. In 1, convinced of her nephew's faithfulness, Grand Empress Dowager Wang created him Duke of Anhan (安漢公, literally "Duke who made Han secure") -- even though previously there had not been a single duke created in Han history. In 2, when selecting an empress for Emperor Ping, Grand Empress Dowager Wang initially ordered that girls from the Wang clan be excluded, but Wang Mang immediately mobilized a mass of petitioners to surround the palace, urging her to make his daughter empress. Grand Empress Dowager Wang relented and selected Wang Mang's daughter to be Emperor Ping's empress, and she was created as such in 4.

In 3, another major event happened that greatly increased Wang Mang's power. Wang Mang's son Wang Yu (王宇), dissatisfied with his father's dictatorial rule, conspired with Emperor Ping's maternal uncles, the Weis, against Wang Mang. When their conspiracy was discovered, Wang Mang had not only Wang Yu and the Weis (except Consort Wei) put to death, but also used this opportunity to accuse many actual or potential political enemies as being part of the conspiracy and to execute or exile them. This included even his own uncle Wang Li (王立), whom he forced to commit suicide by forging an edict from Grand Empress Dowager Wang, from whom he hid the truth (and instead told that Wang Li had died of an illness). Wang Mang made Grand Empress Dowager Wang feel as if she were in control of the situation, however, by arranging for her to periodically survey the areas around the capital Chang'an to reward people with money and goods and to visit orphans and widows. He also ingratiated himself to her by building an impressive temple for her husband Emperor Yuan.

In 5, Wang Mang poisoned Emperor Ping after becoming concerned that Emperor Ping was going to take vengeance for Wang Mang's executing of his uncles. He also began to lift the façade of faithfulness to the Han in Grand Empress Dowager Wang's presence, effectively forcing her to grant him the title of acting emperor (假皇帝) against her wishes and to approve his selection of Liu Ying, a great-great-grandson of Emperor Xuan, as the new emperor (as Emperor Ruzi). In 8, Wang Mang usurped the throne and established the Xin Dynasty. When he demanded that Grand Empress Dowager Wang turn over the imperial seal, she initially refused, but eventually relented.