Japan 6

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JAPANESE IMPERIAL

GENEALOGY

(The Later Asuka Period)

628 - 641 Jomei Okinaga Tarashihi Hironuka no Mikoto, Thirty-Fourth Emperor of Japan. Born Tamura no Miko, he acceded to the throne following his grear-aunt's death, as the favoured candidate of the Abe, Nakatomi and Musashi Clans. He ruled from the Palaces of Okamoto, Tanaka, Umayazaka and Kudara in Asuka. His reign saw further contact with China and campaigns against the tribal Emishi of Eastern Japan. He married (first) Kōgyoku / Saimei, Thirty-Fifth & Thirty-Seventh Emperor of Japan (see above & below), who was also his Empress consort. He married (second) his aunt, Tame no Miko, daughter of Emperors Bidatsu & Suiko (see above). He married (third) Soga no Hōde no Iratsume, daughter of Soga no Umako, the very pro-Buddhist Prime Minister of Japan (572-626). He married (fourth) Kaya no Uneme, from the Province of Kibi. He died in 641 at the Palace of Kudara and was buried just north of the Palace in the great temporary tomb of Kudara and later reinterred on Namehazama Hill, and then in Oshizaka Kofun. He had issue, including:

• 1) Yoshino no Furubito no Miko, also called Ōe no Miko (son of Hōde). The Soga Clan attempted to make him their puppet Emperor in 643, but were unsuccessful. He was offered the throne in 645. He refused it and became a Buddhist Monk at Hōkōji, Asuka, but rebelled in Yoshino, declaring himself Emperor later in the same year. He was killed in 645, by an army led by his brother, future Emperor Tenji. He had issue, including:

  • a) Yamatobime no Miko. She married Tenji, Thirty-Eighth Emperor of Japan, without issue.

• 2) Tenji Ame Mikoto Hirakasu Wake Katsuragi no Miko, also called Naka no Ōe no Miko, Thirty-Eighth Emperor of Japan (son of Kōgyoku) - see below.

• 3) Tenmu Ama no Nunahara Oki no Mabito Tennō, Fortieth Emperor of Japan (son of Kōgyoku) - see below.

• 4) Kaya no Miko (son of Kaya).

• 1) Hashibitohime no Miko (daughter of Kōgyoku). She married Kōtoku, Thirty-Sixth Emperor of Japan and had issue (see below). She died in 664 and was buried in Ochi no Kofun.

641 - 645 Kōgyoku Ametoyotakara Ikashihi Tarashihime Takara no Miko (Saimei), Thirty-Fifth & Thirty-Seventh Emperor of Japan. She was Empress-consort from 630 - 641 and succeeded as Emperor after her husband's death and ruled from the Palaces of Oharida and Itabuki, in Asuka and later moved the capital to Naniwa. She abdicated in favour of her brother in 645 in shock after her Prime Minister, Soga no Iruka was assassinated in front of her. This event marked the end of the Soga Clan's dominance over the Imperial family. She married (first) Takamuka no Miko, son of the Shotoku, Regent of Japan (592-621). She married (second) Jomei, Thirty-Fourth Emperor of Japan. She had issue (see above).

645 - 654 Kōtoku Ameyorozu Toyobi Karu no Miko, Thirty-Sixth Emperor of Japan. He was selected as Emperor by his sister when she abdicated. He was a fervent Buddhist and deeply opposed to the traditional Shinto religion. He was the first Emperor to use eras (nengo) for dating; the eras of his reign were Taika (645-650) and Hakuchi (650-654). He moved the capital to Naniwa, and there began massive reforms to convert Japan into a centralised bureaucratic state, modelled after Tang China, which included the establishment of a system of ministries, the enactment of laws, the abolition of traditional aristocratic titles and lands (replaced by new ones tied to court rank), and abolished the construction of kofun (tumuli) for subjects. He married (first) Hashibitohime no Miko, Empress, daughter of Emperor Jomei (see above). He married (second) Abe no Otarashihime, daughter of Abe no Kurabashi no Maro, Grand Minister of the Left (645-649). He married (third) Soga no Chiiratsume, daughter of Soga no Karuyamada no Maro, Omi of Ishikawa, Grand Minister of the Right (655-659), who assisted in the 645 murder of Soga no Iruka and the destruction of his own Soga Clan. He died at Naniwa in 654 and was buried in Shinaga Kofun at Osaka. He had issue:

• 1) Arima no Miko (son of Otarashihime). Born in 639, he conspired with Soga no Akae to overthrow Empress Saimei, but Soga informed the Empress of the conspiracy. He was arrested, and executed at Fujishiro in 658.

654 - 661 Saimei Ametoyotakara Ikashihi Tarashihime Takara no Miko (Kōgyoku), Thirty-Fifth & Thirty-Seventh Emperor of Japan. After ten years as Empress-dowager, Kōgyoku returned to the throne. In her second reign she is known as Saimei. She moved the Capital back to Asuka, dwelling in the Palaces of Itabuki, Kawara, and Later Okamoto. She constructed enormous monuments and public works, and levied heavy taxes to pay for them, which made her unpopular. In her reign envoys were exchanged with Korea, Tang China and even India. In 659 she authorised an invasion of Korea to restore the kingdom of Baekje, which had been conquered by Silla, but she died at Asakura in 661, before the invasion could be launched. She was buried at Asuka and later reinterred in Ochi no Kofun.

661 - 671 Tenji Ame Mikoto Hirakasu Wake Katsuragi no Miko, Thirty-Eighth Emperor of Japan. Born Naka no Ōe no Miko, Crown Prince from the first reign of Kogyoku, he, together with Nakatomi Kamatari, assassinated Prime Minister Soga no Iruka in the middle of court in 645. This ended the dominance of the Soga Clan, and he, and Nakatomi, were deeply involved in the reforms of the following two reigns. He finally acceded in 661 and immediately sent forces to Korea to aid Baekje in their conflict with Silla, but Silla had the support of Tang China and was victorious. Baekje was destroyed and the refugees were allowed to settle in Japan. He moved the capital to Afumi. He married (first) Soga no Miyakkohime, daughter of Soga no Karuyamada no Maro, Omi of Ishikawa, Grand Minister of the Right (655-659), who assisted in the assassination of Soga no Iruka, she died of a broken heart in 659 after her father was falsely executed for treason. He married (second) his niece, Ōtahime no Miko, daughter of Emperor Tenmu (see below), she died in 667 and was buried in Ochi no Kofun. He married (third) his niece, Yamatobime no Miko, Empress, daughter of Yoshino no Furubito no Miko, (see above). He married (fourth) Soga no Ochi no Iratsume, also called Soga no Chinu no Iratsume, and Soga no Minozukohime, sister of his first wife. He married (fifth) Soga no Mei no Iratsume, also called Soga no Sakurai no Iratsume, sister of his first and fourth wives. He married (sixth) Abe no Tachibana no Iratsume, daughter of Abe no Kurabashi Maro, Grand Minister of the Left (645-649) she may have died in 680. He married (seventh) Soga no Hitachi no Iratsume, daughter of Soga no Akae, Regent (658), Minister of the Left (672). He had relations with (eighth) Shikobuko no Iratsume, daughter of Oshiumi no Otatsu, Miyatsuko of Oshiumi. He had relations with (ninth) Kurikama no Kurohime no Iratsume, daughter of Kurikama no Tokoma, Obito of Kurikama. He had relations with  (tenth) Michi no Kimi Iratsume. He had relations with (eleventh) Iga no Uneme, born Yakako. He died at Afumi in 671.

• 1) Takeru no Miko (son of Ochi). Born 650, he was the favourite grandson of Empress Kogyoku and his death in 658 caused her great grief. He was buried in Imaki Valley.

• 2) Kawajima no Miko (son of Shikobuko). Senior Third Princely Rank. He died in 691.

• 3) Shiki no Miko (son of Michi no Kimi). Fourth Princely Rank (701-707), Third Princely Rank (707-), Second Princely Rank, First Princely Rank (715-). He was appointed a Master of Auspiscious Words in 689, was gifted the ironmines of Omi in 703, was Chief of the Imperial Crematorium (703) and supervised the burial of Emperor Monmu (707). He married Ki no Tochihime, daughter of Ki no Morohito and had issue, including:

  • f) Kōnin Tennō (son of Tochihime), Fourty-Ninth Emperor of Japan - see below.

  • g) Miwa Ō, Minister of the Left (798-806), Minister of the Right (806). He died in 806.

• 4) Kōbun Ōtomo no Miko, Thirty-Ninth Emperor of Japan (son of Yakako) - see below.

• 1) Ōku no Himemiko (daughter of Ōtahime no Miko). She died in 701.

• 2) Ōta no Himemiko (daughter of Ochi). She married Tenmu, Fortieth Emperor of Japan and had issue (see below). She appears to have died before 672.

• 3) Jitō Takama no Harahirono no Hime no Tennō, Forty-First Emperor of Japan (daughter of Ochi) - see below.

• 4) Minabe no Himemiko (daughter of Mei)

• 5) Genmei Yamatoneko Amatsu Mishiro Toyokuni Narihime no Tennō, Forty-Third Emperor of Japan (daughter of Mei) - see below

• 6) Asuka no Himemiko (daughter of Tachibana) Junior Fourth Princely Rank. She died in 700.

• 7) Nittabe no Himemiko (daughter of Tachibana). She married Tenmu, Fortieth Emperor of Japan and had issue (see below). She died in 699. 

• 8) Yamabe no Himemiko (daughter of Hitachi). She married her cousin Ōtsu no Miko, son of Emperor Tenmu. She committed suicide in 686 when her husband was executed for treason.

• 9) Ōe no Himemiko (daughter of Shikobuko) Junior Second Princely Rank. She married Tenmu, Fortieth Emperor of Japan and had issue (see below). She died in 699.

• 10) Izumi no Himemiko (daughter of Shikobuko). She was High Priestess of Amaterasu at Ise (701-706).

• 11) Momutori no Himemiko (daughter of Kurohime)

671 - 672 Kōbun Ōtomo no Miko, Thirty-Ninth Emperor of Japan. Born Iga no Miko. He served as Prime Minister of Japan (671). He was not heir to his father's throne, that was his uncle, Tenmu, but he was in a monastery, so Kobun acceded instead. Tenmu did not appreciate this, and marched on Afumi, the Capital. He was defeated at the Battle of Yasukawa Bridge, fled, and committed suicide at Yamazaki, early in 672. He married a daughter of Tenmu, but which daughter is unclear. The Nihongi does not acknowledge him as a legitimate Emperor.

672 - 686 Tenmu Ama no Nunahara Oki no Mabito no Tennō, Fortieth Emperor of Japan. Born Ōama no Miko, he was his brother's heir apparent, but gave up the position and became a monk in the final year of his brother's life. Either this was not his choice or he had second thoughts, for he overthrew his nephew after only four months of rule and made himself Emperor. The only era of his reign was Shuchō (686). He moved the Capital back to Asuka, which had supported him in his bid to become Emperor, he later considered moving the capital to Nihiki. He ordered the compilation of the Kojiki and reformed titles, lowering the value of the traditional Omi and Muraji titles in favour of new court titles. He married (first) his niece, Ōta no Miko, daughter of Emperor Tenji (see above), she appears to have died before 672. In 643 he married (second) his niece, Jitō, Forty-First Emperor of Japan (see above & below), Empress. He married (third) his niece, Ōe no Miko, another daughter of Emperor Tenji, she died in 699. He married (fourth) his niece, Nittabe no Miko, yet another daughter of Emperor Tenji, she died in 699. He married (fifth) Fujiwara no Higami no Iratsume, daughter of Fujiwara no Kamatari, also called Nakatomi no Kamatari, she died in 682 and was buried at Ataho. He married (sixth) Fujiwara no Ihohe no Iratsume, younger sister of his first concubine. He married (seventh) Soga no Ōnu no Iratsume, also called Ishikawa no Bunin, daughter of Soga no Akae. He married (eighth) Nukada no Iratsume, daughter of Kagami no Miko, a member of the Imperial family. He married (ninth) Munagata no Amako no Iratsume, daughter of Munagata no Tokuse, Lord of Munagata. He married (tenth Shishibito no Kajihime no Iratsume, daughter of Shishibito no Ōmaro, Omi of Shishibito. He became very ill in 685 and died in 686. He was buried in Ōuchi Kofun in Takechi, Yamato.

• • 1) Ōtsu no Miko (son of Ōta). Born 662, he supported Tenmu's movement to overthrow Emperor Kobun in 672. He was raised to Senior Second Princely Rank in 685. He was involved in the government of the state under his father and a poet; supposedly the first Japanese person to compose Chinese poetry. He married his cousin Yamabe no Himemiko daughter of Emperor Tenji. Following the death of his father, he conspired against his brother Kusakabe in 686, but he was discovered and executed at Osada.

  • 2) Kusakabe no Mikoto, also called Hinameshi no Miko no Mikoto (son of Jito). He was one of the original twenty supporters of Tenmu's movement to overthrow Emperor Kobun in 672. He was raised to Junior First Princely Rank in 685. He was Joint-regent during the sickness of Emperor Tenmu (685-686). After Tenmu's death, however, it was not him but his mother who became Emperor. He married Genmei, Forty-Third Emperor of Japan (see above & below). He died in 689 and received the posthumous name, Okanomiya ni Ame no Shita Shiroshimesu Suera Mikoto.

  • b) Monmu Ama no Mamune Toyo Ochi no Tennō, Forty-Second Emperor of Japan - see below.

  • a) Genshō Tennō, Forty-Fourth Emperor of Japan - see below.

  • b) Kibi Naishinnō. Third Princely Rank. She married her cousin Nagaya Ō, son of Prime Minister Takechi no Mikoto.

  • 3) Toneri no Miko (son of Nittabe). Second Princely Rank from 701. He was joint-compiler of the Nihonshoki and Acting Prime Minister of Japan (720-735). He married Taima no Yamashiro, daughter of Taima no Oyu, Governor of Kazusa. He died in 735 and was posthumously Prime Minister of Japan. In 758 he was granted the posthumous title of Sudō Jinkei Tennō. He had issue, including:

  • g) Junnin Tennō (son of Yamashiro), Forty-Seventh Emperor of Japan - see below.

  • h) Mihara Ō, he had issue, including:

    • i) Ogura Ō, Lower Junior Fifth Rank. He had issue, including:

      • (1) Kiyohara no Natsuno. Born 782, he descended to commoner rank and founded the Kiyohara Clan. He was Major Captain of the Inner Palace Guards of the Left and Minister of the Right (832-837). He died in 837.

    • 4) Naga no Miko (son of Ōe) Junior Second Princely Rank (693-701), Second Princely Rank (701-715), First Princely Rank (715, possibly only posthumously). He died in 715.

    • 5) Hozumi no Miko (son of Ōnu). He was raised to Junior Second Princely Rank (700-701), Second Princely Rank (701-715), First Princely Rank (715). He was Head of the Department of the Imperial Equipment (703), and Acting Prime Minister of Japan (705-715). He died in 715.

    • 6) Yuge no Miko (son of Ōe).

  • He held Junior Second Princely Rank (693-699). He died in 699.

  • 7) Nittabe no Miko (son of Ihohe) He held Junior Second Princely Rank (700-701), Third Princely Rank (701-714), Second Princely Rank (714-). Chief of the Imperial Crematorium (707). He had issue, including:

  • a) Funado Ō. Minister of Ceremonial, he was appointed Crown Prince by Empress Koken in 756, but disobeyed her commands and was deposed.

  • 8) Takechi no Mikoto (son of Amako). He supported Tenmu's movement to overthrow Emperor Kobun in 672, acting as Tenmu's chief general throughout. He was frequently sent to visit notable subjects as Emperor Tenmu's representative. He held Junior Second Princely Rank (685-693) & Junior First Princely Rank (693-696). During his mother's reign, he was Prime Minister of Japan (690-696). He died in 696, but had issue, including:

  • a) Nagaya Ō, Junior Third Rank, Minister of Ceremonies (710-724), Minister of the Left (724-729). He married his cousin Kibi Naishinnō, sister of Emperors Monmu and Gensho (see above). He conspired against the Emperor and was executed in 729.

  • c) Suzuka Ō, Acting Prime Minister of Japan (737-745). He died in 745.

  • 9) Osakabe no Miko (son of Kajihime). He was one of the original twenty supporters of Tenmu's movement to overthrow Emperor Kobun in 672. He held Senior Third Princely Rank (685-701), Third Princely Rank (701-705) He directed the enactment of the Taiho Code in 701 and conducted an official review of the system it established in 703. He died in 705.

  • 10) Shiki no Miko (son of Kajihime).

  • 1) Ōki no Himemiko (daughter of Ōta). Born in 661. She was the High Priestess of Amaterasu at Ise (674-698)

  • 2) Tajima no Himemiko (daughter of Higami). Third Princely Rank. She died in 708.

  • 3) Toochi no Himemiko (daughter of Nukada). She died at Asuka in 678 and was buried at Akaho.

  • 4) Ki no Himemiko (daughter of Ōnu)

  • 5) Tagata no Himemiko (daughter of Ōnu). Third Princely Rank. She was High Priestess of Amaterasuat Ise (706-).

  • 6) Hatsusebe no Himemiko (daughter of Kajihime)

  • 7) Taki no Himemiko (daughter of Kajihime). Fourth Princely Rank. She was the High Priestess of Amaterasu at Ise (698-701). 

686 - 697 Jitō Takama no Harahirono no Hime no Tennō, Forty-First Emperor of Japan. Born Uno no Sarara no Miko, she was Empress-consort to Tenmu (672-686), and Joint-Regent for Tenmu (685-686). Her son, the heir apparent died soon after her husband and she, therefore, succeeded her husband as Emperor. She moved the capital to Fujiwara and ordered the conquest of Tanegashima (an island south of Kyushu). She abdicated in favour of her grandson in 696, but continued to be the power behind the throne as a Retired Emperor (697-701). In 643 she married Tenmu, Fortieth Emperor of Japan and had issue (see above). She died in 702, was cremated at Asuka and buried in Ōuchi Kofun in Takechi, Yamato.

697 - 707 Monmu Ama no Mamune Toyo Ochi no Tennō, Forty-Second Emperor of Japan. Born Aru no Miko, he became Crown prince in 696, and his grandmother, Emperor Jito, abdicated in his favour shortly thereafter. The eras of his reign were: Taihō (701-704), and Keiun (704-707). He ordered the conquest of southern islands and completed construction of the Yakushi-Ji in Fujiwara (since relocated to Nara). His reign is the first for which copper is mentioned, before this it is unclear whether the Japanese worked this metal. In 701 he issued the famous Taiho Code, which established the ritsuryo system of court offices and ranks, modelled on the government of Tang China. This system, with a few modifications, remained the theoretical governing structure of Japan until 1885. He married (first) Fujiwara no Miyako no Funin, daughter of Fujiwara no Fuhito (see FUJIWARA). He married (second) Ki no Kamado no Hin. He married (third) Ishikawa no Tone no Hin, daughter or sister of Ishikawa no Kooyu no Ason, Junior Fourth Jiki Rank, Governor of Mino (697-). He became sick and died in 707. He was cremated in Asuka and buried at Ako in Hinakuma. He had issue:

• • 1) Shomu Ameshirushikuni Oshihiraki Toyosakurahiko no Tennō, Fourty-Fifth Emperor of Japan (son of Miyako) - see below