Empress Liu

Empress Liu (昭懷皇后; 1079 – 1113) was a Chinese empress consort of the Song dynasty, married to Emperor Zhezong of Song. Life Liu's background is not known. She was selected as one of the consorts of Zhezong, while Empress Meng became his empress. However, Consort Liu was to become his personal favourite. They had one son and two daughters together. Conflict with Empress Meng The relationship between Meng and Zhezong was not a good one, and Zhezong resented her, possible because she had been chosen for him by the Empress Dowager Regent Gao. Reportedly, he tolerated, and maybe even encouraged, Consort Liu, to be rude to empress Meng. Her mother-in-law, Dowager Empress Xiang, however, favoured empress Meng against her, though she later admitted, that both Meng and Liu had a temper and were both to blame for their infected rivalry, which caused several scenes at court.