Wu Zetian (February17, 624December16, 705), also known as
Wu Zhao,
Wu Hou, and during the later
Tang dynasty as
Tian Hou, referred to in English as
Empress Consort Wu or by the deprecated term "
Empress Wu", was a
Chinese sovereign who ruled unofficially as Empress and later, officially as
Emperor of China (皇帝) during the brief Zhou dynasty (周, 684-705), which interrupted the Tang dynasty (618–690 & 705–907). Wu was the only female emperor of China in more than four millennia.