who-invented-gunpowder.html. Buzzle.com, 2000-2010. Web. 10 Feb. 2011.
The invention of gunpowder was an event that revolutionized the way battles
were fought. Gunpowder which is also known as black powder is made by
mixing sulfur, potassium nitrate (saltpeter) and charcoal. Although, most
historians believe that it were the Chinese who invented gunpowder, some
contend that the discovery of the explosive could have been made elsewhere
too, specially in Europe or the Arab world. Nevertheless, all agree that
the Chinese did guard their discovery from the rest of the world with quite
some zeal, till their secret finally leaked out sometime between the 11th
and 12th century.
China Culture. "Wu Zetian ." http://www.chinaculture.org/gb/en_aboutchina/
2003-09/24/content_22879.htm. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Feb. 2011.
At the age of fourteen, this accomplished child became a concubine to
Emperor Taizong. She was given the title Cairen (a fifth grade concubine of
the Tang Dynasty). Her perspicacity set her apart from others in the palace
and her knowledge of literature and history and talent quickly found favor
with the emperor. He bestowed Wu Zetian the title Meiniang which means
'charming lady' and she was assigned to work in the imperial study. Here
she was introduced to official documents and quickly became acquainted with
affairs of state.
In 649, when she was twenty-six years old, the emperor died. He was
succeeded by his son Gaozong and following the established court
procedures, the old emperor's concubines were sent to a nunnery to live out
their days. Emperor Gaozong was fascinated by Wu's talent and beauty and
frequently visited her in the nunnery. After a period of some two to three
years, she was summonsed to the palace and given the title Zhaoyi, the
second grade concubine of the new emperor. Wu gradually earned Gaozong's trust and favor. After giving birth to two sons, she began to compete with Empress Wang and the senior concubine Xiaoshu for the favor of the emperor. To achieve her goals, Wu Zetian horrifically killed off other favorite concubines of the emperor,
and to get rid of the empress, she murdered her own infant daughter and blamed it on Empress Wang. Of all of these crimes, the emperor knew nothing off.
http://www.paulnoll.com/China/Dynasty/dynasty-Tang.html. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Feb.
2011. Old Tang Dynasty Map
"Tang Dynasty Map of China." http://www.sacu.org/map1.html. N.p., n.d. Web. 15
Feb. 2011. Current Map of China
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