Empress Gao (Eastern Wei)

Empress Gao (高皇后, personal name unknown) was the empress consort of Emperor Xiaojing of Eastern Wei. She was the daughter of Gao Huan, the powerful regent of Eastern Wei, and his concubine, the Lady Lou Zhaojun.

Details about Empress Gao's early life are scarce. As a daughter of Gao Huan, she was a member of the ruling elite, but her specific role prior to her marriage is not well-documented. She married Emperor Xiaojing sometime before 547 AD.

Emperor Xiaojing, while nominally the ruler, held very little actual power. Gao Huan and subsequently his sons, Gao Cheng and then Gao Yang, wielded the true authority in the Eastern Wei court. Empress Gao's influence was therefore likely limited by the political realities of the time.

The Eastern Wei dynasty was short-lived, existing from 534 to 550 AD. In 550 AD, Gao Yang forced Emperor Xiaojing to abdicate, ending the Eastern Wei and establishing the Northern Qi dynasty with himself as Emperor Wenxuan. Emperor Xiaojing was subsequently killed.

Empress Gao's fate after the establishment of the Northern Qi is not definitively known. Historical accounts generally do not provide details about the deposed empress's life following the change in dynasty. The circumstances of her death, or even the exact year, are not recorded.