Similarities Between Empress Wu And Cleopatra

In today’s society, many women hold leadership roles in political and religious settings. However, looking back in history it was very uncommon for a woman to be in a position of power. Although there are exceptions to women holding influential positions long before it was considered socially acceptable. Two particular examples of great ancient female leaders are the Tang Empress of China, Wu Zetian, and the last Pharaoh of Egypt, Cleopatra. Empress Wu and Cleopatra are both infamous female monarch rulers who found their way to power by using violence and clever tactics to gain and preserve their positions.

Tang Empress Wu Zetian (also known as Empress Wu or Wu Zhao ruled China from 684 A.D. until her death in 705 A.D. (Nicholson, 1996).

While Pharaoh Cleopatra ruled Egypt from 51 B.C to 31 B.C after the death of Alexander the Great (Stanley, 2001). Although both of these women achieved power under different circumstances, they were both smart, seductive, and beautiful woman who were thirsty for power by any means necessary. Cleopatra was born a princess in 69 B.C. and gained the throne at eighteen when her father King Ptolemy XII died (Jacobs, 2001). Unlike Cleopatra, Wu Zhao was not from royal lineage. She was born into a wealthy family in 624 A.D. finding her way to the royal household as a mere 5th concubine by marrying Emperor Taizhong at the age of fourteen (Dash, 2012).
A noticeable similarity between Empress Wu and Pharaoh Cleopatra is how they both ascended to power despite being restricted by their gender roles.

In Cleopatras situation, Egyptian law required female rulers to have a consort typically being a brother or son (Mark, 2009). Even after receiving the throne in her father’s will she had to marry her ten year old brother making them joint rulers of Egypt. Empress Wu, on the other hand, lost Emperor Taizhong to death and gained the interest of the next heir Emperor Gaozong. The new Emperor was fascinated by Wu and a few years later gave her the title of Zhaoyi (second grade

mistress).
Both Empress Wu and Cleopatra used their female allure for political gain and survival. Empress Wu was an unsatisfied concubine that manipulated and killed to gain her command. She killed other mistresses and even her infant daughter. Framing Empress Wang for the death who in return was sentenced to death (Forman, 2014). Ultimately gaining the trust and favor of the Emperor Gaozong securing her new position as Empress. Likewise, Cleopatra manipulated her brother to gain more power by removing his name from all legal documents and replaced them with her own (Stanley, 2001). She ruled alone for three years until her brothers advisors began conspiring against her and removed her from power. Cleopatra along with her youngest sister were both forced into exile in 48 B.C. (Brown, 2011). Without question both of these ancient female rulers used their positions as women to acquire power and influence over societies where women leaders were unheard of.
Empress Wu became the first female ruler of China after Emperor Gaozong died from a stroke. She bypassed her older sons and placed her youngest son Li Dan as Emperor Ruizong (Forman, 2014). Empresses Wu ruled through her son who had no option but to agree with his mother’s command. She was officially recognized as Empress of The Tang Dynasty when she seized the throne in 690 A.D. and designated herself “ The Holy and Devine Emperor” (Nicholson, 1996). Cleopatra, on the other hand, gained stability in her country after her banishment by aligning with the Roman Empire. She devised a plan to meet Caesar seeking a political alliance in the hopes of regaining her throne. Cleopatra seduced Caesar ultimately to link herself to the Romans to defeat her conspiring brother. With the aid of Caesar, she returned to rule Egypt with her youngest brother Ptolemy XIV as her consort who was only eleven years old (Stanley, 2001). These women had power, but their governments would not let them reign without a man’s influence so, they used their young husbands as pawns.
Empress Wu was extremely instrumental in the progression of the Tang Dynasty by influencing change and rewriting laws to fit her rise to power.

She utilized secret informants to spy and order assassinations of prospective rivals. As Empress, Wu introduced the examination system, which streamlined bureaucracy by worth rather than by noble birth (Dash, 2012). She influenced the promotion of literature and art, lowered oppressive taxes, raised agriculture production, and strengthened public works (Dash, 2012).

Cleopatra, on the other hand, focused more on consolidating her power rather than on the matters of the people. She spoke six languages and followed Egyptian traditions and learned how to relate influencing the love of her people. Cleopatra seduced two of the most influential leaders of the time Julius Caesar and Mark Anthony intertwining Egypt with Rome. She became the target of Octavian in the battle of Actium, and later committed suicide (Sayre,

2014).
Although our society today is not nearly as oppressed as what these women went through we still have not had a female rule over our country. An effective comparison is Queen Elizabeth II of England who has held the throne for 63 years (Bingham, 2011). She has powers over a vast country but chooses not abuse it. Instead, she prefers to watch and listen which has proven to be an effective leadership style. Cleopatra and Wu Zetian both used their power to keep control and save their empires. All of these influential women focus on their duties as leaders to protect their empires.
Despite their many differences, Empress Wu Zetian, and Pharaoh Cleopatra both had to use strict gender roles, political strategy as well as murder to achieve and maintain their power. Empress Wu became the only female ruler in 3000 years of Chinese history and is considered to be among the most effective leaders of the Tang Dynasty (Nicholson, 1996). Cleopatra is remembered as intelligent, brave, and capable of true love. She comes from a long line of noble ancestors and is known as the last Pharaoh to reign over Egypt. It is evident that these two women desired to fill traditional male roles and were perfectly capable, but they had to use questionable tactics in the process. Few other cultures rival ancient Egypt and China during the reign of these two women who held powerful positions.