Empress Qiang

Who was Empress Qiang?

Empress Qiang, formally Empress Mingde, was an empress of the Chinese/Di state Former Qin. Her husband was Former Qin's founding emperor, Fu Jiàn.

She appeared to be Fu Jiàn's wife during the time that he was heir apparent to his father Fu Hong, a major general and Di chieftain during Later Zhao. When Fu Jiàn declared himself the "Heavenly Prince" in 351 during the middle of Later Zhao's collapse, he created her "Heavenly Princess". In 352, when he declared himself emperor, he created her empress. She had at least three sons—Fu Chang, Fu Sheng, and Fu Liu. Fu Chang, as the oldest, was created the crown prince in 351. Her brother Qiang Ping became a key advisor to Fu Jiàn.

In 354, Crown Prince Chang suffered an arrow wound while commanding an army resisting a major attack by the Jin general Huan Wen, and he died later that year from the wound. Empress Qiang wanted her youngest son, Fu Liu the Prince of Jin, to be crown prince. However, Fu Jiàn, believing in mysterious prophecies that appeared to indicate their violent son Fu Sheng the Prince of Huai'nan should be the next emperor, created Fu Sheng crown prince. After Fu Jiàn died in 355, Fu Sheng succeeded him, and he honored her as empress dowager.