Daughter of Emperor Xiaoming of Northern Wei
Accession and dethronement
Accession and dethronement
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On 31 March 528, Emperor Xiaoming suddenly died in Xianyang Palace (顯陽殿). The following day (1 April 528\), Empress Dowager Hu declared the 50\-day\-old baby girl Yuan the new emperor, while she herself continued to be regent.*[Book of Wei](/wiki/Book_of_Wei "Book of Wei")* – *Biographies of Empresses* – *Biography of Empress Ling* (太后乃奉潘嫔女言太子即位). She ordered another general pardon. As the year of Emperor Xiaoming's reign had not ended, the [era name](/wiki/Chinese_era_name "Chinese era name") was not changed and the name "Wutai" remained in use. Empress Dowager Hu continued to be effectively in power.

Within 1 April 528, Empress Dowager Hu issued an edict*[Book of Wei](/wiki/Book_of_Wei "Book of Wei")* – *Basic Annals of Suzong**[History of the Northern Dynasties](/wiki/History_of_the_Northern_Dynasties "History of the Northern Dynasties")* – *Basic Annals of Wei IV* – *Basic Annals of Suzong, Emperor Xiaoming* to dethrone the infant Emperor and declared that Wutai was a girl. She placed [Yuan Zhao](/wiki/Yuan_Zhao "Yuan Zhao")son of the deceased [Yuan Baohui](/wiki/Yuan_Baohui "Yuan Baohui") (元寶暉), Prince of Lintaoon the throne instead.*[Zizhi Tongjian](/wiki/Zizhi_Tongjian "Zizhi Tongjian")*, vol. 152 (潘充华本实生女，故临洮王宝晖世子钊，体自高祖，宜膺大宝。百官文武加二阶，宿卫加三阶). Yuan Zhao ascended the throne on 2 April 528, the day after Empress Dowager Hu issued the edict.*[Zizhi Tongjian](/wiki/Zizhi_Tongjian "Zizhi Tongjian")*, vol. 152 (甲寅，太后立皇女为帝...乙卯，钊即位).

As he was too young to rule, Yuan Zhao was made a puppet emperor under Empress Dowager Hu.*[Zizhi Tongjian](/wiki/Zizhi_Tongjian "Zizhi Tongjian")*, vol. 152 (钊始生三岁，太后欲久专政，故贪其幼而立之). The series of events involving her son's death and the installation of the infant girl and the three\-year\-old Yuan Zhao on the throne occurred to ensure the continuation of her regency.


Who replaced the infant Emperor Yuan on the throne?