Final answer:
The preference for consorts facilitated political alliances, elevated the status of women with resulting influence at court, and led to social mobility and cultural diversity.
Step-by-step explanation:
The new preference for consorts in historical contexts made several things possible, notably in the realms of political maneuvering and social structures. Imperial families and governments utilized marriages and consorts to solidify alliances, establish political influence, or create mutual dependencies. For example, emperors often gave away imperial princesses as consorts to rulers on the steppes to bring the respective families closer together, while elite families could gain national political power by marrying daughters into the imperial family.
Furthermore, the status of women in society was sometimes elevated as they took upon roles that had considerable influence over the inner workings of the palace and local politics. Prominent historical examples include Empress Wu and her daughter-in-law Empress Wei, who navigated the power structures of their times. However, the rise in prominence of consorts and women of royal status often led to increased internal court rivalries, accumulation of wealth, and shifts in military power.
Ultimately, the preference for diplomatic marriages and rise of consorts promoted a degree of social mobility, cultural diversity, and female agency in positions of power, but it also led to strife and weakened central authority when clans and court eunuchs overpowered young emperors.