Cixi

Cixi (1835-1908) was one of the last empresses of China. She lived during the same time as Queen Victoria in England and ran the country in the late 1800s. However, growing up she was from a very normal family and lived a very normal life. Although she probably saw the Forbidden City many times since they lived close by, she never entered it until she moved there in her teenage years. Her son became the emperor and later on her nephew, but they were both too young to rule so she helped them lead the country until they were old enough to rule. She also had a big marble boat made in the Summer Palace in Beijing, which is still there today.