Empress Xiaozhaoren

Empress Xiaozhaoren (1653 – 18 March 1678), of the Manchu Bordered Yellow Banner Niohuru clan, was the second wife of the Kangxi Emperor. She was empress of China during the Qing dynasty from 1677 until her death in 1678.

Her father was the regent Ebilun, and she was originally an imperial concubine until her promotion to empress in 1677.

Life
Empress Xiaozhaoren's personal name was not recorded in history.

Family background

 * Father: Ebilun (遏必隆; ? – 1673), served as one of the Four Regents of the Kangxi Emperor, and held the title of a first class duke (一等公)
 * Paternal grandfather: Eidu (額亦都; 1562–1621)
 * Paternal grandmother: Mukushen (穆庫什; 1595–1659), Nurhaci's fourth daughter
 * Mother: Lady Šušu-Gioro (舒舒觉罗氏), a secondary wife
 * Seven brothers
 * First elder brother: Sailin (塞林), third class imperial guard (三等侍卫)
 * Second elder brother: unnamed
 * Third younger brother: Faka (法喀; 17 May 1664 – 9 February 1713), first class duke (一等公)
 * Fourth younger brother: Yanzhu (颜珠; 1665 – ?), first class imperial guard (一等侍卫)
 * Fifth younger brother: Fubao (富保; 1678 – ?), second class imperial guard (任二等侍卫)
 * Sixth younger brother: Yinde (尹德), first class duke ( 一等公)
 * Seventh younger brother: Alingga (阿靈阿; 1670–1716)
 * Five sisters
 * First elder sister: Princess Consort, wife of Zhashen (扎什) of the Mongol Barin clan (巴林氏)
 * Third younger sister: Noble Consort Wenxi (? – 1694)
 * Fourth younger sister: Duchess of the Fourth Rank, wife of Yunsheng (云升) of the Aisin-Gioro clan (愛新覺羅氏)
 * Fifth younger sister: First Class Viscountess, wife of Ayushen (阿玉什)

Kangxi era
In 1665, Lady Niohuru entered the Forbidden City and became a mistress (格格) of the Kangxi Emperor. She did not receive any rank or title initially. After the Kangxi Emperor's first wife, Empress Xiaochengren, died on 6 June 1674, the Emperor did not elevate any of his imperial consorts to the position of empress to replace her. On 18 September 1677, Lady Niohuru was first mentioned in official histories when the Kangxi Emperor instated her as the new empress. She died on 18 March 1678 and was interred in the Jing Mausoleum of the Eastern Qing tombs alongside Empress Xiaochengren.

Titles

 * During the reign of the Shunzhi Emperor (r. 1643–1661):
 * Lady Niohuru (鈕祜祿氏)
 * During the reign of the Kangxi Emperor (r. 1661–1722):
 * Mistress (格格; from 1665)
 * Empress (皇后; from 18 September 1677)
 * Empress Xiaozhao (孝昭皇后; from 11 May 1678)
 * During the reign of the Yongzheng Emperor (r. 1722–1735):
 * Empress Xiaozhaoren (孝昭仁皇后; from July 1723)