Empress Wu: World's richest woman to have ever lived

 
Historical records portray Empress Wu as the most prosperous woman of her time, with some scholars positing her as the wealthiest woman to have ever graced history's stage. Her purported net worth was staggering, reaching an astonishing USD 16 trillion, eclipsing the combined fortunes of Musk, Mukesh Ambani, Jeff Bezos, Adani, and others.

Originating from the Tang dynasty, Empress Wu's wealth surpassed that of Elon Musk, whose net worth is estimated at approximately USD 229 billion, Jeff Bezos with USD 174 billion, and Mukesh Ambani, India's wealthiest individual, with a net worth of around USD 106.2 billion. Historians depict Empress Wu as a cunning ruler who employed diverse strategies to secure her grip on power, with some accounts suggesting drastic measures such as the elimination of her own offspring to consolidate her position. Her reign, spanning roughly 15 years, witnessed the expansion of the Chinese empire into Central Asia. Under her leadership, the Chinese economy flourished, characterized by significant growth in the trade of tea and silk, as documented by The China Project.

It's a colossal fortune, but it pales in comparison to the wealth available to China's Empress Wu Zetian (AD624-705), who ruled the country when the economy of China accounted for around 23 per cent of global GDP. Such an individual today would control an estimated more than US$16 trillion of assets. Of course, comparisons across centuries and different eras are tricky, but given China's wealth at the time, it's possible to argue that Empress Wu is the richest woman to have ever lived.

Her debatable wealth aside, Wu remains one of the most fascinating individuals in Chinese history. If you believe the most critical accounts of her reign, she murdered one of her own children, deposed her sons who were emperors before her and ruled with the help of a secret police force.

>>R R Badhon, AA