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Empress Kōgyoku

September 16, 2023

Empress Kōgyoku (皇極天皇, Kōgyoku-tennō, 594–661), also known as Empress Saimei (斉明天皇, Saimei-tennō), was the 35th[1] and 37th monarch of Japan,[2] according to the traditional order of succession.[3]

Empress Kōgyoku / Empress Saimei
皇極天皇 / 斉明天皇
Empress regnant of Japan
(Kōgyoku, first reign)
Reign19 February 642 – 12 July 645
PredecessorJomei
SuccessorKōtoku
(Saimei, second reign)
Reign14 February 655 – 24 August 661
PredecessorKōtoku
SuccessorTenji
Empress consort of Japan
Tenure630 – 641
BornTakara (宝)
7 August 594
Japan
Died24 August 661 (aged 66–67)
Asakura no Miya
Burial
Ochi-no-Okanoe no misasagi (越智崗上陵) (Nara)
Spouses
Issue
Posthumous name
Chinese-style shigō:
Empress Kōgyoku (皇極天皇)
Empress Saimei (斉明天皇)

Japanese-style shigō:
Ametoyotakaraikashihitarashi-hime no Sumeramikoto (天豊財重日足姫天皇)
FatherPrince Chinu
MotherPrincess Kibitsu-hime

Kōgyoku's reign spanned the years from 642 to 645. Her reign as Saimei encompassed 655 to 661. In other words,

  • 642: She ascended the throne as Kōgyoku-tennō, and she stepped down in response to the assassination of Soga no Iruka (see: Isshi incident).
  • 645: She abdicated in favor of her brother, who would become known as Emperor Kōtoku.
  • 654: Kōtoku died and the throne was vacant.
  • 655: She re-ascended, beginning a new reign as Saimei-tennō.
  • 661: Saimei ruled until her death caused the throne to be vacant again.

The two reigns of this one woman spanned the years from 642 through 661.[4]

In the history of Japan, Kōgyoku/Saimei was the second of eight women to take on the role of empress regnant. The sole female monarch before Kōgyoku/Saimei was Suiko-tennō. The six female sovereigns reigning after Kōgyoku/Saimei were Jitō, Genmei, Genshō, Kōken/Shōtoku, Meishō, and Go-Sakuramachi.

Traditional narrative Edit

Before her ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, her personal name (imina)[5] was Takara (宝).[6] As empress, her name would have been Ametoyo Takara Ikashi Hitarashi hime (天豐財重日足姬).[7]

Princess Takara (Takara no miko) was a great-granddaughter of Emperor Bidatsu.[8]

Events in Kōgyoku's reign Edit

During her first reign the Soga clan seized power. Her son Naka no Ōe planned a coup d'état and slew Soga no Iruka at the court in front of her throne. The Empress, shocked by this incident, abdicated the throne.

Kōgyoku's contemporary title would not have been tennō, as most historians believe this title was not introduced until the reigns of Emperor Tenmu and Empress Jitō. Rather, it was presumably Sumeramikoto or Amenoshita Shiroshimesu Ōkimi (治天下大王), meaning "the Great Queen who rules all under Heaven". Alternatively, Kōgyoku might have been referred to as (ヤマト大王/大君) or the "Great Queen of Yamato".

Empress Kōgyoku reigned for four years. The years of Kōgyoku's reign are not linked by scholars to any era or nengō.[9] The Taika era innovation of naming time periods – nengō – was yet to be initiated during her son's too-brief reign.

In this context, Brown and Ishida's translation of Gukanshō offers an explanation about the years of Empress Jitō's reign which muddies a sense of easy clarity in the pre-Taiho time-frame:

"The eras that fell in this reign were: (1) the remaining seven years of Shuchō [(686+7=692?)]; and (2) Taika, which was four years long [695–698]. (The first year of this era was kinoto-hitsuji [695].) ... In the third year of the Taka era [697], Empress Jitō yielded the throne to the Crown Prince."[10]

The years of Kōgyoku's reign are not more specifically identified by more than one era name or nengō which was an innovation of Kōtoku's brief reign.[11]

Events in Saimei's reign Edit

When Kōtoku died, his designated heir was Naka no Ōe. When Naka no Ōe's mother re-ascended, he continued in the role of her heir and crown prince. In this role, he could and did remain active in the political life of Japan.

In the fifth year of Saimei's reign, Paekche in Korea was destroyed in 660. Japan assisted Paekche loyals in an attempt to aid the revival of Paekche dynasty. Early in 661, Saimei responded to the situation by leaving her capital in Yamato Province. Her plan was to lead a military expedition to Korea. The empress stayed in Ishiyu Temporary Palace in Iyo Province, today Dōgo Onsen. In May she arrived at Asakura Palace in the north part of Tsukushi province in Kyūshū, today a part of Fukuoka Prefecture. The allied army of Japan and Baekje was preparing for war against Silla, but the death of the empress thwarted those plans. In 661, Saimei died in the Asakura Palace before the army departed to Korea. In October her body was brought from Kyūshū by sea to Port Naniwa-zu (today Osaka city); and her state funeral was held in early November.

Empress Saimei ruled for seven years. The years of Saimei's reign are not linked by scholars to any era or nengō.[11] The Taika era innovation of naming time periods – nengō – languished until Mommu reasserted an imperial right by proclaiming the commencement of Taihō in 701.

The actual site of Kōgyoku/Saimei's grave is known,[2] having been identified as the Kengoshizuka tomb in the village of Asuka, Nara Prefecture.[12][13] This empress is traditionally venerated at a memorial Shinto shrine (misasagi) at Nara.

The Imperial Household Agency designates this location as Kōgyoku/Seimei's mausoleum. It is formally named Ochi-no-Okanoe no misasagi.[14]

Kugyō Edit

Kugyō (公卿) is a collective term for the very few most powerful men attached to the court of the Emperor of Japan in pre-Meiji eras.

In general, this elite group included only three to four men at a time. These were hereditary courtiers whose experience and background would have brought them to the pinnacle of a life's career. During Kōgyoku's reign, this apex of the Daijō-kan included:

The kugyō during Saimei's reign included:

Spouses and children Edit

Empress Sanmei, born Princess Takara, was the daughter of Prince Chinu, a grandson of Emperor Bidatsu, and his princess consort.

Firstly, she married Prince Takamuku and had a son. Secondly, the princess married Prince Toneri who also was Emperor Bidatsu's grandson.The marriage produce one daughter and two sons who both ascended the throne in the future.

Popular culture Edit

Ancestry Edit

[16]

See also Edit

Notes Edit

  1. ^ Imperial Household Agency (Kunaichō): 皇極(こうぎょく)天皇 (35) and 齊明(さいめい)天皇 (37)
  2. ^ a b Kunaichō: 斉明天皇 (37)
  3. ^ Ponsonby-Fane, Richard. (1959). The Imperial House of Japan, pp. 49, 51.
  4. ^ Brown, Delmer et al. (1979). Gokanshō, p. 265–267; Varley, H. Paul. (1980). Jinnō Shōtōki. p. 130–134; Titsingh, Isaac. (1834). Annales des empereurs du Japon, pp. 43–54., p. 43, at Google Books
  5. ^ Brown, pp. 264; prior to Emperor Jomei, the personal names of the emperors (imina) were very long and people did not generally use them; however, the number of characters in each name diminished after Jomei's reign.
  6. ^ Ponsonby-Fane, p. 8.
  7. ^ Ashton, William. (2005). Nihongi, p. 171; Ponsonby-Fane, p. 8.
  8. ^ Brown, p. 265.
  9. ^ Titsingh, pp. 43–47.
  10. ^ Brown, p. 270.
  11. ^ a b Titsingh, pp. 43–54.
  12. ^ http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20100910a5.html Japan Times: Nara tomb said that of seventh century empress
  13. ^ http://www.japantoday.com/category/national/view/tomb-identified-as-that-of-7th-century-empress-saimei[permanent dead link] Japan Today: Tomb identified as that of 7th-century Empress Saimei
  14. ^ Ponsonby-Fane, p. 420.
  15. ^ a b Brown, p. 267.
  16. ^ "Genealogy". Reichsarchiv (in Japanese). Retrieved 25 January 2018.

References Edit

Regnal titles
Preceded by Empress of Japan:
Kōgyoku
642–645 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Empress of Japan:
Saimei
655–661 		Succeeded by
Royal titles
Preceded by Empress consort of Japan
630–641 		Succeeded by

September 16, 2023
empress, kōgyoku, 皇極天皇, kōgyoku, tennō, also, known, empress, saimei, 斉明天皇, saimei, tennō, 35th, 37th, monarch, japan, according, traditional, order, succession, empress, saimei皇極天皇, 斉明天皇empress, regnant, japan, kōgyoku, first, reign, reign19, february, july, . Empress Kōgyoku 皇極天皇 Kōgyoku tennō 594 661 also known as Empress Saimei 斉明天皇 Saimei tennō was the 35th 1 and 37th monarch of Japan 2 according to the traditional order of succession 3 Empress Kōgyoku Empress Saimei皇極天皇 斉明天皇Empress regnant of Japan Kōgyoku first reign Reign19 February 642 12 July 645PredecessorJomeiSuccessorKōtoku Saimei second reign Reign14 February 655 24 August 661PredecessorKōtokuSuccessorTenjiEmpress consort of JapanTenure630 641BornTakara 宝 7 August 594JapanDied24 August 661 aged 66 67 Asakura no MiyaBurialOchi no Okanoe no misasagi 越智崗上陵 Nara SpousesPrince Takamuku Emperor JomeiIssuePrince Kara Emperor Tenji Hashihito Empress Consort Emperor TenmuPosthumous nameChinese style shigō Empress Kōgyoku 皇極天皇 Empress Saimei 斉明天皇 Japanese style shigō Ametoyotakaraikashihitarashi hime no Sumeramikoto 天豊財重日足姫天皇 FatherPrince ChinuMotherPrincess Kibitsu himeKōgyoku s reign spanned the years from 642 to 645 Her reign as Saimei encompassed 655 to 661 In other words 642 She ascended the throne as Kōgyoku tennō and she stepped down in response to the assassination of Soga no Iruka see Isshi incident 645 She abdicated in favor of her brother who would become known as Emperor Kōtoku 654 Kōtoku died and the throne was vacant 655 She re ascended beginning a new reign as Saimei tennō 661 Saimei ruled until her death caused the throne to be vacant again The two reigns of this one woman spanned the years from 642 through 661 4 In the history of Japan Kōgyoku Saimei was the second of eight women to take on the role of empress regnant The sole female monarch before Kōgyoku Saimei was Suiko tennō The six female sovereigns reigning after Kōgyoku Saimei were Jitō Genmei Genshō Kōken Shōtoku Meishō and Go Sakuramachi Contents 1 Traditional narrative 1 1 Events in Kōgyoku s reign 1 2 Events in Saimei s reign 1 3 Kugyō 2 Spouses and children 3 Popular culture 4 Ancestry 5 See also 6 Notes 7 ReferencesTraditional narrative EditBefore her ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne her personal name imina 5 was Takara 宝 6 As empress her name would have been Ametoyo Takara Ikashi Hitarashi hime 天豐財重日足姬 7 Princess Takara Takara no miko was a great granddaughter of Emperor Bidatsu 8 Events in Kōgyoku s reign Edit During her first reign the Soga clan seized power Her son Naka no Ōe planned a coup d etat and slew Soga no Iruka at the court in front of her throne The Empress shocked by this incident abdicated the throne Kōgyoku s contemporary title would not have been tennō as most historians believe this title was not introduced until the reigns of Emperor Tenmu and Empress Jitō Rather it was presumably Sumeramikoto or Amenoshita Shiroshimesu Ōkimi 治天下大王 meaning the Great Queen who rules all under Heaven Alternatively Kōgyoku might have been referred to as ヤマト大王 大君 or the Great Queen of Yamato Empress Kōgyoku reigned for four years The years of Kōgyoku s reign are not linked by scholars to any era or nengō 9 The Taika era innovation of naming time periods nengō was yet to be initiated during her son s too brief reign In this context Brown and Ishida s translation of Gukanshō offers an explanation about the years of Empress Jitō s reign which muddies a sense of easy clarity in the pre Taiho time frame The eras that fell in this reign were 1 the remaining seven years of Shuchō 686 7 692 and 2 Taika which was four years long 695 698 The first year of this era was kinoto hitsuji 695 In the third year of the Taka era 697 Empress Jitō yielded the throne to the Crown Prince 10 The years of Kōgyoku s reign are not more specifically identified by more than one era name or nengō which was an innovation of Kōtoku s brief reign 11 Events in Saimei s reign Edit When Kōtoku died his designated heir was Naka no Ōe When Naka no Ōe s mother re ascended he continued in the role of her heir and crown prince In this role he could and did remain active in the political life of Japan In the fifth year of Saimei s reign Paekche in Korea was destroyed in 660 Japan assisted Paekche loyals in an attempt to aid the revival of Paekche dynasty Early in 661 Saimei responded to the situation by leaving her capital in Yamato Province Her plan was to lead a military expedition to Korea The empress stayed in Ishiyu Temporary Palace in Iyo Province today Dōgo Onsen In May she arrived at Asakura Palace in the north part of Tsukushi province in Kyushu today a part of Fukuoka Prefecture The allied army of Japan and Baekje was preparing for war against Silla but the death of the empress thwarted those plans In 661 Saimei died in the Asakura Palace before the army departed to Korea In October her body was brought from Kyushu by sea to Port Naniwa zu today Osaka city and her state funeral was held in early November Empress Saimei ruled for seven years The years of Saimei s reign are not linked by scholars to any era or nengō 11 The Taika era innovation of naming time periods nengō languished until Mommu reasserted an imperial right by proclaiming the commencement of Taihō in 701 The actual site of Kōgyoku Saimei s grave is known 2 having been identified as the Kengoshizuka tomb in the village of Asuka Nara Prefecture 12 13 This empress is traditionally venerated at a memorial Shinto shrine misasagi at Nara The Imperial Household Agency designates this location as Kōgyoku Seimei s mausoleum It is formally named Ochi no Okanoe no misasagi 14 Kugyō Edit Kugyō 公卿 is a collective term for the very few most powerful men attached to the court of the Emperor of Japan in pre Meiji eras In general this elite group included only three to four men at a time These were hereditary courtiers whose experience and background would have brought them to the pinnacle of a life s career During Kōgyoku s reign this apex of the Daijō kan included Sadaijin UdaijinThe kugyō during Saimei s reign included Sadaijin Kose no Tokoda 巨勢徳太 593 658 649 658 15 Udaijin not appointed Naidaijin 内臣 Nakatomi no Kamako 中臣鎌子 Fujiwara no Kamatari 藤原鎌足 614 669 645 669 15 Spouses and children EditEmpress Sanmei born Princess Takara was the daughter of Prince Chinu a grandson of Emperor Bidatsu and his princess consort Firstly she married Prince Takamuku and had a son Secondly the princess married Prince Toneri who also was Emperor Bidatsu s grandson The marriage produce one daughter and two sons who both ascended the throne in the future First Husband Prince Takamuku 高向王 Prince Tame s son also Emperor Yomei s grandson First Son Prince Kara 漢皇子 Second Husband Prince Tamura 田村皇子 later Emperor Jomei Prince Oshisaka no hikohito no Ōe s son also Emperor Bidatsu s grandson Second Son Prince Naka no Ōe 中大兄皇子 later Emperor Tenji First Daughter Princess Hashihito 間人皇女 d 665 married Emperor Kōtoku Third Son Prince Ōama 大海人皇子 later Emperor TenmuPopular culture EditPortrayed by Kim Min kyung in the 2012 2013 KBS1 TV series Dream of the Emperor Ancestry Edit 16 Ancestors of Empress Kōgyoku16 Emperor Kinmei 509 571 8 Emperor Bidatsu 538 585 17 Princess Ishi4 Prince Oshisakanohikohito no Ōe9 Hiro hime d c 575 2 Prince Chinu1 Empress Kōgyoku Empress Saimei24 Emperor Keitai dates for Emperor Keitai s lifespan and reign unverified 12 Emperor Kinmei 509 571 25 Princess Tashiraka d 5 6 Sakurai no Miko 560 587 26 Soga no Iname 506 570 13 Soga no Kitashihime3 Princess Kibitsu hime d 643 See also EditEmpress of Japan Emperor of Japan List of emperors of Japan Imperial cultNotes Edit Imperial Household Agency Kunaichō 皇極 こうぎょく 天皇 35 and 齊明 さいめい 天皇 37 a b Kunaichō 斉明天皇 37 Ponsonby Fane Richard 1959 The Imperial House of Japan pp 49 51 Brown Delmer et al 1979 Gokanshō p 265 267 Varley H Paul 1980 Jinnō Shōtōki p 130 134 Titsingh Isaac 1834 Annales des empereurs du Japon pp 43 54 p 43 at Google Books Brown pp 264 prior to Emperor Jomei the personal names of the emperors imina were very long and people did not generally use them however the number of characters in each name diminished after Jomei s reign Ponsonby Fane p 8 Ashton William 2005 Nihongi p 171 Ponsonby Fane p 8 Brown p 265 Titsingh pp 43 47 Brown p 270 a b Titsingh pp 43 54 http search japantimes co jp cgi bin nn20100910a5 html Japan Times Nara tomb said that of seventh century empress http www japantoday com category national view tomb identified as that of 7th century empress saimei permanent dead link Japan Today Tomb identified as that of 7th century Empress Saimei Ponsonby Fane p 420 a b Brown p 267 Genealogy Reichsarchiv in Japanese Retrieved 25 January 2018 References EditAston William George 1896 Nihongi Chronicles of Japan from the Earliest Times to A D 697 London Kegan Paul Trench Trubner OCLC 448337491 Brown Delmer M and Ichirō Ishida eds 1979 Gukanshō The Future and the Past Berkeley University of California Press ISBN 978 0 520 03460 0 OCLC 251325323 Ponsonby Fane Richard Arthur Brabazon 1959 The Imperial House of Japan Kyoto Ponsonby Memorial Society OCLC 194887 Titsingh Isaac 1834 Nihon Ōdai Ichiran ou Annales des empereurs du Japon Paris Royal Asiatic Society Oriental Translation Fund of Great Britain and Ireland OCLC 5850691 Varley H Paul 1980 Jinnō Shōtōki A Chronicle of Gods and Sovereigns New York Columbia University Press ISBN 978 0 231 04940 5 OCLC 59145842Regnal titlesPreceded byEmperor Jomei Empress of Japan Kōgyoku642 645 Succeeded byEmperor KōtokuPreceded byEmperor Kōtoku Empress of Japan Saimei655 661 Succeeded byEmperor TenjiRoyal titlesPreceded byPrincess Hashihito no Anahobe Empress consort of Japan630 641 Succeeded byPrincess Hashihito Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Empress Kōgyoku amp oldid 1172966675, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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