Goryeo-born woman who became empress of Emperor Shundi of the Yuan; Mongol name Öljei Khutugh
| Life | 1315 |
| Era | 고려 후기·원나라 |
| Clan | 행주 기씨 |
Empress Gi (奇皇后) was born in late Goryeo and became empress of Emperor Shundi (Toghon Temür), the fourteenth khan of the Mongol Yuan. She belonged to the Haengju Gi; her father was Gi Ja-o, later titled Prince Yeongan, and her brother was Gi Cheol. Her Mongol name was Öljei Khutugh. Wikipedia gives 1315 as her birth year, but the Encyclopedia of Korean Culture says her end is unknown, so a death year of 1370 is not firmly established.
She entered the palace as a maid in 1333 on the recommendation of a Yuan official. The emperor favored her, which brought hardship from his principal consort Danashiri, and attempts to make her empress were blocked until chancellor Bayan lost power. She bore a son, Ayushiridara, in 1339 and was made second empress in 1340. She then dismissed rivals and used the Zizhengyuan as a power base.
Her son became crown prince in 1355, and she repeatedly tried to have the emperor abdicate in his favor without success. When King Gongmin executed her brother Gi Cheol and others in 1356, she was furious and later backed plots to depose the king, including the 1364 invasion led by Choe Yu that was defeated. She became principal empress after 1365, retreated to Yingchang in 1368 when Ming forces took Dadu, and her fate is not recorded; her son succeeded as Zhaozong in 1370.
She entered the palace in 1333, bore a son in 1339, became second empress in 1340 and principal empress after 1365.
In 1356 King Gongmin purged pro-Yuan figures including her brother Gi Cheol, and she in turn pressed Goryeo in retaliation.
No tomb is recorded and her end is unconfirmed.
Her son Ayushiridara succeeded as Emperor Zhaozong of the Yuan.