However, a double standard persists. When a male emperor executes a rival dynasty, he is "decisive" or "politically astute." When an empress does the same, she is "hysterical," "unnatural," or "atrocious."
Famed for her brutal vengeance against the Drevlians who killed her husband, her actions solidified her power and made her a feared figure in early Russian history. Why Did They Rule with Terror? atrocious empress
She was accused of murdering her own infant daughter to frame a rival queen. To keep power, she created a network of secret police and ordered the exile or execution of dozens of family members and officials. However, a double standard persists