Yangchen (Great Empires)

Empress Yangchen the Great (Fu|| tit|e :"Her Ho|iness,the most reverend empress,the astonishing Queen of Tibet,she who brings glory to Tibet,she who makes the flowers blossom,Empress Yangchen the Great")

Early life
Yangchen was the daughter of Emperor Langdarma and Empress Khri bTsun. She was born in 822 in the Potala Palace in Lhasa. As a princess of the Imperial Family she was not allowed to go outside the palace. She learned manners and history of Tibet under guidance of a High Lama with her brothers and sisters. She grew up in the palace and she was doomed to spend her whole life in the palace and to be forgotten in history.However in 838 they went on a diplomatic mission to Nanjing in China. Yangchen met Li Zeng,son of a nobleman and noblewoman,they spent much time together,sharing each other's feelings and understand them. Soon they were in love. They spent 3 months there before the family returned to Lhasa,but not before she promised Li to return. In 841 her father was assasinated,without appointing a successor .When her brothers were fighting for the throne,she had a vision of Buddha telling her to bring peace and prosperity to the world. She took her chance to change her destiny and she was crowned Empress regnant of Tibet on September 24,842. She married Li on the same day and he was crowned emperor consort.

Early reign
She banished her brothers and sisters to India to make sure that she wasn't betrayed. She immedately set out to consolidate the empire.She was selfish and cruel during her early reign. She attacked Emperor Devapala of the Pala Empire and vassalized it.She reorganized the empire and brought order. She also conquered parts of Kazakhstan, Northern China, Mongolia, Afghanistan and Pakistan and treated the subjugated people harsh. She also claimed that she was Buddha and she claimed the Mandate of Heaven. During her middle reign there was a large rebellion who wanted to bring down the regime. The rebellion escalated and reached Lhasa, the Potala Palace was set on fire and relics were destroyed. Empress Yangchen ordered her armies to brutally slay the revolt! Tens of thousands were killed and Yangchen had an epiphany realized that she was a cruel person and she killed many innocent people. She changed her ideals and she started a new era of peace.

Middle reign
She started a new period of peace and prosperity in which Tibet became the most powerfull and greatest empire on Earth. She allowed freedom of religion and changed the law so that all people was equal.Altough she had not become a pacifist, she always gave peaceful negotiations the priority. She built numerous monastries, temples and reconstructed the Potala Palace. She encouraged artists and scientists to live in the capital city of Lhasa and started a golden age for the Tibetan Empire.

Late reign
In her late reign she made much diplomatic missions to various countries.Lhasa had become the largest city on earth by 882 with more then one million inhabitants. The power and influence of Tibet reached far continents and some leaders such as Simeon I, Al-Mutawakkil, Pope Agatho and Indravarman I even met Yangchen and visited Lhasa. She also started trade with Europe with the Silk Road. Empress Yangchen the Great abdicated in 882 in favor of her son Tenzin Gampo Yarlung. In 883,Li Zeng died,the Empress was inconsolable and her health began to suffer from it. Yangchen lived in the Potala Palace until her death. She reached nirvana at the age of 90,while meditating,accepting everything from the past and she refound peace.

Death
At the age of 100,she peacefully died on her deathbed in her sleep,seriously ill,with her family at her side. She was buried under the Potala Palace.

Legacy
Yangchen was the greatest leader that Tibet ever had. She expended the empire greatly. She built many shrines and temples. She brought peace and prosperity to the empire. The people were happy and satisfied. There were no wars or rebellions. Today,many people still honor Empress Yangchen for her acomplishments she is a well revered person in Tibet,she is also a Buddhist saint (Bodhisattva).