1.Wu Zeitan (Wu-hou, Wu Zao)
Born: AD 624 – Wenshui, China
Died: December 16, 705 – Luoyang,China
The cruelest female ruler on our list is definitely the Empress Wu Zeitan, a Chinese sovereign who interrupted the rule of the Tang dynasty and restored the Zhou dynasty. Her beauty, intelligence, and intriguing mind seduced both the Emperor Taizong and his son Li Zhi. Concubine with a serpent’s heart and wolf’s nature overcame all obstacles in her life. How, one might ask? The list of her vicious acts and ruthless deeds is endless. Perhaps being the first and only female emperor in Chinese history is too great a burden to bear? Her right hand was the spies, in other words – secret police that carried out interrogations, tortures, and killings of her potential rivals. She even set the copper mailboxes in front of the government buildings in order to inspire people to file a complaint against one another. Wu massacred vast part of the imperial family because she got scared of losing her power. She is responsible even for the death of her son, as well as her daughter who was strangled, believe it or not, by her! Because of this unimaginable crime, and the others that are as terrible as this one, the Empress Wu deserved the first place on our list of 10 most evil female rulers in history!
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