Empress Liu

Who was Empress Liu?

Empress Liu was an empress of the Chinese/Jie state Later Zhao. She was Shi Hu's third and final empress.

The future Empress Liu was the youngest daughter of the final Han Zhao emperor Liu Yao. After her father was captured by Later Zhao's founding emperor Shi Le in 329, she accompanied her brothers Liu Xi the Crown Prince and Liu Yin the Prince of Nanyang in fleeing from the Han Zhao capital Chang'an to Shanggui. Later that year, Liu Yin tried to recapture Chang'an and was defeated by Shi Hu, who marched on to Shanggui and captured it, killing Liu Xi and Liu Yin. She was captured by his subordinate Zhang Chai and offered to him. She, at 11, became his concubine. In 339, she gave birth to his youngest son, Shi Shi. He was created the Duke of Qi.

In 348, after executing his second crown prince Shi Xuan for having assassinated his younger brother Shi Tao and for plotting against himself, Shi Hu considered whom to make his new crown prince. Zhang, believing that he could hold power jointly with Consort Liu if she were to become empress dowager, suggested to Shi Hu that the reasons why his prior crown princes rebelled was that their mothers were of low birth. Shi Hu agreed, and he created Shi Shi crown prince and Consort Liu empress.