蒙元后妃對當時政局發展的影響甚大，向來受到學界的關注。其中，卜答失里出身貴顯非常，歷經正宮皇后到皇太后再到太皇太后的身分轉換，曾經「權守上位」，最後竟被流放至死。她無疑是晚元初期政局的重要人物，若干論著雖見論述，卻仍留下不少可再探究的餘地。本文重新輯考辨析相關史料，探討在文宗、寧宗以至於順帝朝初期，卜答失里所扮演的政治角色、權力運作及其侷限，研究顯示：卜答失里作為前帝正宮皇后，既能符合先汗后妃籌備選立新汗大會的常例，也能合乎漢制皇后與前帝共受天命、同奉宗廟，取得局部參預政治正當性的傳統，加上兩位幼主相繼即位的契機，故得臨朝稱制長達八年。這段期間，她尋求太皇太后的漢式尊稱以加強權威，並藉由宦官轉啟機制試圖掌控權力。然而，伯顏垮臺病亡後，順帝權力大增，接著清洗文宗一系勢力，卜答失里母子無法倖免，分別流徙異地以歿。

The empresses and imperial concubines of the Yuan (Mongol) dynasty occupied a decisive position in politics. Among them, Budaširi 卜答失里 (1307-1340) was born in the purple, moving successively from empress to empress dowager and to grand empress dowager 太皇太后, as well as once holding regency 稱制 and finally being exiled. She was undoubtedly an important figure within the political circumstances of the early years of the late Yuan dynasty, and although previous scholars have discussed her, a number of questions are still awaiting to be solved and analyzed. This article reexamines her political role and the operations and limitations of her power, showing that her time as empress and the succession of infant emperors provided her the legitimacy to govern as a regent for eight years, within both Mongolian and Chinese traditions. It also asserts that she sought to use the Han-style title of grand empress dowager to reinforce authority and attempted to seize further control through a new system of eunuchs who assisted in decision-making.