When people debate the richest individuals in history, the conversation almost always centers on modern names. Tech entrepreneurs dominate the headlines, and figures like Elon Musk or Donald Trump are frequently cited when wealth rankings are discussed. By today’s standards, their fortunes seem unimaginably large.
Yet even those eye-watering numbers pale in comparison to the wealth attributed to one extraordinary woman who lived more than 1,300 years ago.
Historians argue that her financial power was so vast that no contemporary billionaire comes close, even after adjusting for inflation. Before naming her, it helps to understand the scale of modern wealth she is often compared with. Forbes currently estimates Donald Trump’s net worth in the single-digit billions, boosted by branding deals and business ventures. Elon Musk, meanwhile, is widely regarded as the wealthiest person alive, with his fortune tied to companies such as Tesla and SpaceX and valued in the hundreds of billions.
Even when those modern fortunes are combined, some historical estimates suggest they still fall dramatically short of the wealth controlled by a single ruler from ancient China.
That ruler was Wu Zetian, commonly known as Empress Wu the first and only woman to rule China as emperor.
According to several historical and economic analyses, including reports frequently cited in Chinese academic and media sources, Empress Wu’s wealth in modern terms has been estimated at around £12 trillion. The reasoning behind this staggering figure lies in the power she wielded. During her reign in the Tang Dynasty, China is believed to have accounted for roughly a quarter of the world’s total economic output. As the supreme authority of the empire, she effectively controlled resources on a scale unmatched by any individual before or since.
Born in 624 AD in present-day Shanxi Province, Wu Zetian came from a well-connected and affluent family. At just 14, she entered the imperial palace as a junior court attendant under Emperor Taizong, where she received an education that was highly unusual for women of that era.
After Taizong’s death, she became a concubine to his successor, Emperor Gaozong, and steadily expanded her influence. Over time, she ruled first behind the scenes, then openly. In 690 AD, she removed her own son from the throne and declared herself emperor, a move unprecedented in Chinese history. She ruled directly for about 15 years.
Empress Wu remains a deeply controversial figure. Traditional historical accounts portray her as ruthless, accusing her of purges and brutal political tactics. At the same time, many scholars credit her with major reforms that strengthened the economy, expanded the civil service examination system, promoted education, and reduced the power of entrenched military elites.
She died in 705 AD at the age of 81, leaving behind a legacy that is still debated today. Whether admired or criticized, Empress Wu stands apart in history not only as China’s only female emperor, but as a ruler whose economic power may never be matched again.
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