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后妃之制，厥有等威，其來尚矣。 元初，因其國俗，不娶庶姓，非此族也，不居嫡選。 當時史臣以為舅甥之貴，蓋有周姬、齊姜之遺意，歷世守之，固可嘉也。 然其居則有曰斡耳朵之分，沒復有繼承守宮之法。 位號之淆，名分之瀆，則亦甚矣。 累朝嘗詔有司修后妃傳，而未見成書。 內廷事祕，今莫之考，則其氏名之僅見簡牘者，尚可遺而不錄乎？ 且一代之制存焉，闕疑而慎言，斯可矣。 作后妃表。
The ranks and authority governing empresses and consorts are ancient institutions. Early in the dynasty the Mongols followed their own custom of not marrying outside certain clans; only women of the designated lineage could be chosen as principal consorts. Contemporary historians held that the esteem accorded maternal-kin marriage preserved something of the Zhou custom of taking brides from the Ji of Zhou and the Jiang of Qi—a practice maintained for generations and rightly praised. Yet their households were divided into separate ordas, and after a consort's death there arose the practice of heirs inheriting and maintaining her palace establishment. The confusion of titles and the breach of proper status were extreme as well. Dynasty after dynasty the court ordered officials to compile biographies of empresses and consorts, yet no finished book ever appeared. Inner-palace affairs are secret and cannot now be fully verified; yet the clan names that survive on scattered documents surely ought not to be omitted. What remains here still preserves the institutions of an age; to note uncertainties and speak with caution is enough. Hence this table of empresses and consorts.
| 太祖 | 太宗 | 定宗 | 憲宗 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 孛兒台旭真太皇后 （弘吉烈氏，至元二年追諡光獻，至大二年加諡光獻翼聖皇后。） 忽魯渾皇后 闊里桀担皇后 脫忽思皇后 帖木倫皇后 亦憐真八剌皇后 不顏渾禿皇后 忽勝海妃子 右大斡耳朵 忽蘭皇后 哈兒八真皇后 亦乞剌真皇后 脫忽茶兒皇后 也真妃子 也里忽禿妃子 察真妃子 哈剌真妃子 右第二斡耳朵 也速皇后 忽魯哈剌皇后 阿失倫皇后 禿兒哈剌皇后 察兒皇后 阿昔迷失皇后 完者忽都皇后 渾魯忽歹妃子 忽魯灰妃子 剌伯妃子 右第三斡耳朵 也速干皇后 忽答罕皇后 哈答皇后 斡者忽思皇后 燕里皇后 禿干妃子 完者妃子 金蓮妃子 完者台妃子 奴倫妃子 卯真妃子 鎖郎哈妃子 右第四斡耳朵 八不別及妃子 右見歲賜錄，不知所守斡耳朵，故附于此。 | 正宮孛剌合真皇后 脫列哥那六皇后 （乃馬真氏，歲壬寅太宗崩，后攝國，凡四年。至元二年追諡昭慈皇后。） 昂灰二皇后 乞里吉忽帖尼三皇后 禿納吉納六皇后 業里訖納妃子 （滅里之母。） | 斡兀立海迷失三皇后 （至元二年追諡欽淑皇后。） | 火里差皇后 （火魯剌部人。） 忽〔都〕台皇后 （弘吉剌氏，按陳從孫女，至元二年追諡貞節皇后。） 也速兒皇后 （貞節妹也。） 出卑三皇后 （歲己未，從憲宗南伐，七月憲宗崩，九月八日后亦薨于六盤。） 明里忽都魯皇后 （泰定三年詔守班禿營帳。） |
| 世祖 | 成宗 | 武宗 | 仁宗 |
| 帖古倫大皇后 右大斡耳朵 察必皇后 （弘吉列氏，魯忠武王按嗔那顏女也。中統初立為皇后，至元十年授冊寶，尋又上尊號曰貞懿昭順天睿文光應皇后。十八年崩，三十一年上尊諡曰昭睿順聖皇后。后性明敏，達於事機，至元之政，左右彌縫，當時以為蓋有力焉。） 南必皇后 （弘吉列氏。至元二十年納為皇后，時世祖春秋高，后頗預政，相臣常不得見帝，輒因后奏事焉。） 右第二斡耳朵 塔剌海皇后 奴罕皇后 右第三斡耳朵 伯要兀真皇后 闊闊倫皇后 右第四斡耳朵 八八罕妃子 右見歲賜錄，不知所守斡耳朵。 速哥答（思）〔里〕皇后 （泰定三年詔守世祖斡耳朵。） 撒不忽妃子 | 卜魯罕皇后 （伯岳吾氏，勳臣普化之孫，駙馬脫里忽思之女。元貞初立為皇后，大德三年授冊寶。十一年帝崩，武宗立，廢后，徙東安州，尋賜死。成宗晚年多疾，后居中用事，而能信任相臣哈剌哈孫，以卒成大德之治，識者猶有取焉。） 失憐答里元妃 （弘吉列氏，早薨。至大元年追尊諡曰貞慈靜懿皇后，配享成廟。） 乞里吉忽帖尼皇后 | 真哥皇后 （弘吉列氏，至大三年冊為皇后。泰定四年上尊諡曰宣慈惠聖皇后。） 速哥失里皇后 （真哥妹也。） 完者歹皇后 妃子亦乞列氏 （明宗母也，天曆二年追諡仁獻章聖皇后。） 妃子唐兀氏 （文宗母也，天曆二年追諡文獻昭聖皇后。） | 〔阿納失舍里〕皇后 （弘吉烈氏。皇慶二年冊為皇后。延祐七年上尊諡曰莊懿慈聖皇后。） 答里麻失里皇后 |
| 英宗 | 泰定 | 明宗 | 文宗 |
| 速哥八剌皇后 （亦啟列氏，昌國公主益里海涯女也。至治元年冊為皇后，泰定四年崩，諡曰莊（靖）〔靜〕懿聖皇后。） 牙八忽都魯皇后 朵而只班皇后 | 八不罕皇后 （弘吉列氏。泰定元年冊為皇后。兖王買住罕女也。） 亦憐真八剌皇后 （昌國公主益里海涯女也。） 忽剌皇后 也速皇后 撒答八剌皇后 （帝姊壽寧公主女也。） 卜顏怯里迷失皇后 失烈帖木兒皇后 鐵你皇后 必罕皇后 （八不罕妹也。） 速哥答里皇后 （必罕妹也。） | 按出罕皇后 月魯沙皇后 不顏忽都皇后 八不沙皇后 野蘇皇后 脫忽思皇后 〔邁來迪貞裕徽聖皇后〕 | 卜答失里皇后 （弘吉剌氏，魯國公主桑哥（吉剌）〔剌吉〕女也。天曆元年立為皇后，二年授冊寶，至順三年尊為皇太后，臨朝稱制，元統元年又尊為太皇太后，仍稱制。至元六年黜太皇太后之號，徙東安州，卒徙所。） |
| 烈祖 | 睿宗 | 裕宗 | 顯宗 |
| 宣懿皇后 （諱月倫。至元二年追上尊諡。） | 唆魯和帖尼妃子 （怯烈氏。至元二年追上尊諡曰莊聖皇后，至大三年加諡曰顯懿莊聖皇后。） | 伯藍也怯赤妃子 （弘吉列氏。至元三十一年尊為皇太后，大德四年崩，諡曰徽仁裕聖皇后。） 安真迷失妃子 | 普顏怯里迷失妃子 （泰定元年追尊諡曰宣懿淑聖皇后。） 拜拜海妃子 忽上海妃子 |
| 順宗 | |||
| 答己妃子 （弘吉列氏。大德十一年尊為皇太后，延祐二年上尊號曰儀天興聖慈仁（明）〔昭〕懿壽元（合）〔全〕德泰寧福慶皇太后，七年又尊曰太皇太后，加徽文崇祐尊號。至治三年崩，諡曰昭獻元聖皇后。后性聰慧，然不事檢飭，及正位東朝，淫恣益甚，內則黑驢母亦列失八用事，外則幸臣失列門、紐鄰等及時宰迭木帖兒怙寵作非，濁亂朝政。及英宗立，羣倖誅，而後勢燄少熄焉。） |
| Taizu (Genghis Khan) | Taizong (Ögedei) | Dingzong (Güyük) | Xianzong (Möngke) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Great Empress Dowager Börte Chuju Zhen (of the Kongirat clan; posthumously titled Empress Guangxian in 1265 and augmented to Empress Guangxian Yisheng in 1309). Empress Huluhun. Empress Kuolijiedan. Empress Tuohusi. Empress Temülün. Empress Yilianzhen Bala. Empress Buyanhuntu. Consort Hushenghai. Right Great Orda: Empress Hulan; Empress Ha'erbazhen; Empress Yiqiliezhen; Empress Tuohucha'er; Consorts Yezhen, Yelihutu, Chazhen, and Halazhen. Right Second Orda: Empress Yesu; Empress Huluhala; Empress Ashilun; Empress Tu'erhala; Empress Cha'er; Empress Aximishi; Empress Wanzhehudu; Consorts Hunluhuodai, Huluhui, and Labo. Right Third Orda: Empress Yesugan; Empress Hudahan; Empress Hada; Empress Wozhehusi; Empress Yanli; Consorts Tugan, Wanzhe, Jinlian, Wanzhetai, Nulun, Maozhen, and Suolangha. Right Fourth Orda: Consort Babieji. Listed in the annual grant register but with no orda recorded as her charge; she is therefore appended here. | Principal-palace Empress Boluhezhen. Sixth Empress Toregene (of the Naiman clan; when Ögedei died in 1242 she acted as regent for four years; posthumously titled Empress Zhaoci in 1265). Second Empress Anghui. Third Empress Qilijihutieni. Sixth Empress Tunajina. Consort Yeliqina, mother of Mieli. | Third Empress Oghul Qaimish (posthumously titled Empress Qinshu in 1265). | Empress Huolicha (of the Huolula tribe). Empress Hudutai (Kongirat, a collateral granddaughter of Anchannayan; posthumously titled Empress Zhenjie in 1265). Empress Yesu'er (Zhenjie's younger sister). Third Empress Chubei (in 1259, while accompanying Möngke on the southern campaign, the emperor died in the seventh month and the empress died at Liupan on the ninth month's eighth day). Empress Minglihudulu (in 1326 ordered by edict to maintain Bantu's camp establishment). |
| Shizu (Kublai) | Chengzong (Temür) | Wuzong (Külüg) | Renzong (Ayurbarwada) |
| Great Empress Tegulün. Right Great Orda: Empress Chabi (Kongirat, daughter of the loyal and martial King Anchannayan of Lu; made empress at the start of the Zhongtong era, invested with seal and regalia in 1273, and soon given the honorific Empress Zhenyi Zhaoshun Tianrui Wenguang Ying; she died in 1281 and was posthumously titled Empress Zhaorui Shunsheng in 1294. Intelligent and politically astute, she was widely thought to have significantly shaped Zhiyuan-era governance). Empress Nanbi (Kongirat; taken as empress in 1283 when Kublai was elderly; she often intervened in government, and ministers who could not reach the emperor would report through her). Right Second Orda: Empress Talahai; Empress Nuhan. Right Third Orda: Empress Boyaowuzhen; Empress Kuokuolun. Right Fourth Orda: Consort Babuhan (listed in the annual grant register but with no orda recorded). Empress Sugedali (in 1326 ordered by edict to maintain Kublai's orda). Consort Sabuhu. | Empress Buluhan (Baiyuewu, granddaughter of the meritorious minister Puhua and daughter of Consort Telihusi; made empress at the start of Yuanzhen and invested in 1299; when Temür died in 1307 Külüg deposed her, exiled her to Dong'an, and soon had her executed. Though she dominated the inner court during Temür's late illnesses, she trusted the chief minister Harqasun and helped bring the Dade reign to a stable close—a point critics still acknowledged). Primary Consort Shilian Dali (Kongirat; died young; posthumously titled Empress Zhenci Jingyi in 1308 and enshrined at Chengzong's temple). Empress Qilijihutieni. | Empress Zhenge (Kongirat; enregistered as empress in 1310; posthumously titled Empress Xuanci Huisheng in 1327). Empress Sugeshili (Zhenge's younger sister). Empress Wanzhedai. Consort Yiqiliesi (Mingzong's mother; posthumously titled Empress Renxian Zhangsheng in 1329). Consort Tangwu (Wenzong's mother; posthumously titled Empress Wenxian Zhaosheng in 1329). | Empress [Anashisheli] (Kongirat; enregistered as empress in 1313; posthumously titled Empress Zhuangyi Cisheng in 1320). Empress Dalimashili. |
| Yingzong (Gegeen) | Taiding (Yesün Temür) | Mingzong (Khutugtu) | Wenzong (Toghun Temür) |
| Empress Sugabala (Yiqilie, daughter of Princess of Chang Yili Haiya; enregistered in 1321; died in 1327 and was posthumously titled Empress Zhuangjing Yisheng). Empress Yabahudulu. Empress Duorizhiban. | Empress Babuhan (Kongirat; enregistered in 1324; daughter of Prince of Yan Maizhuhan). Empress Yilianzhen Bala (daughter of Princess of Chang Yili Haiya). Empress Hula. Empress Yesu. Empress Sadabala (daughter of the emperor's elder sister, Princess Shouning). Empress Buyan Qilimishi. Empress Shilie Tiemuer. Empress Tieni. Empress Bihan (Babuhan's younger sister). Empress Sugedali (Bihan's younger sister). | Empress Anchuhan. Empress Yuelusha. Empress Buyanhudu. Empress Babusha. Empress Yesu. Empress Tuohusi. [Empress Maidi, titled Zhenyu Huish Sheng]. | Empress Budashili (Kongirat, daughter of Princess of Lu Sangge Laji; made empress in 1328 and invested in 1329; in 1332 raised to Empress Dowager and ruled from court; in 1333 further elevated to Grand Empress Dowager while retaining regency; in 1340 stripped of the grand empress dowager title, exiled to Dong'an, and died in banishment). |
| Liezu (the founding ancestor) | Ruizong (Tolui) | Yuzong (Zhenjin) | Xianzong (Yesün Temür) |
| Empress Xuanyi (personal name Yuelun; posthumously honored in 1265). | Consort Sorghaghtani Beki (Kereyid; posthumously titled Empress Zhuangsheng in 1265 and augmented to Empress Xianyi Zhuangsheng in 1310). | Consort Bolan Yeqiechi (Kongirat; honored as Empress Dowager in 1294; died in 1300 and was posthumously titled Empress Huiren Yusheng). Consort Anzhenmishi. | Consort Puyan Qilimishi (posthumously titled Empress Xuanyi Shusheng in 1324). Consort Baibaihai. Consort Hushanghai. |
| Shunzong (Kamala) | |||
| Consort Daji (Kongirat; honored as Empress Dowager in 1307; in 1315 given the lengthy honorific Empress Dowager Yitian Xingsheng Ciren Zhaoyi Shouyuan Quande Taining Fuqing; raised to Grand Empress Dowager in 1320 with the added epithet Weiwen Chongyou; died in 1322 and was posthumously titled Empress Zhaoxian Yuansheng). She was clever but unrestrained; once established in the Eastern Palace her excesses deepened. Within the palace the "Black Donkey Mother" Yilieshiba dominated affairs; outside, favorites such as Shiliemen and Niulin, together with chief minister Tiemudier, abused imperial favor and corrupted government. After Gegeen acceded, this whole clique was executed and her influence waned. |