Empress Gensho
Encyclopedia
was the 44th emperor
of Japan
, according to the traditional order of succession.
Genshō's reign spanned the years 715 through 724.
In the history of Japan
, Genshō was the fifth of eight women to take on the role of empress regnant. The four female monarchs before Genshō were: (a) Suiko
, (b) Kōgyoku/Saimei
, (c) Jitō
and (d) Gemmei
. The three women sovereigns reigning after Genshō were (e) Kōken/Shōtoku
, (f) Meishō
, and (g) Go-Sakuramachi
.
, her personal name (imina) was Hidaka-hime.
Empress Genshō was an elder sister of Emperor Mommu
and daughter of Prince Kusakabe and his wife who later became Empress Gemmei
. Therefore she was a granddaughter of Emperor Temmu
and Empress Jitō
by her father and a granddaughter of Emperor Tenji
through her mother.
.
Obito was appointed Crown Prince in 714 by Empress Gemmei
. In the next year, 715, Empress Gemmei, then in her fifties, abdicated in favor of her daughter Gensho. Prince Obito was then 14 years old.
Prince Obito remained the crown prince, heir to the new empress. Fujiwara no Fuhito
, the most powerful courtier in Gemmei's court, remained at his post until his death in 720. After his death, Prince Nagaya
, a grandson of Emperor Temmu and the Empress Gensho's cousin, seized power. This power shift was a background for later conflicts between Prince Nagaya and Fuhito's four sons during the reign of Emperor Shōmu (formerly Prince Obito).
Under Gensho's reign, the Nihonshoki was finished in 720. This was the first Japanese history book. Organization of the law system known as the ritsuryo
was continued under the initiatives of Fuhito until his death. These laws and codes were edited and enacted by Fujiwara no Nakamaro
, a grandson of Fuhito, and published as Yoro ritsuryo
under the name of Fuhito. The taxation system which had been introduced by Empress Jitō
in the late 7th century began to malfunction. To compensate for the decreased tax revenue, the "Act of possession in three generations", an initiative of Prince Nagaya, was enacted in 723. Under this act, people were allowed to possess a newly cultivated field once every three generations. In the fourth generation, the right of possession would revert to the national government. This act was intended to motivate new cultivation, but it only remained in effect for about 20 years.
Empress Genshō reigned for nine years. Although there were seven other reigning empresses, their successors were most often selected from amongst the males of the paternal Imperial bloodline, which is why some conservative scholars argue that the women's reigns were temporary and that male-only succession tradition must be maintained in the 21st century. Empress Gemmei, who was succeeded by her daughter, remains the sole exception to this conventional argument.
In 724, Gensho abdicated in favor of her nephew, who would be known as Emperor Shōmu. Genshō lived for 25 years after she stepped down from the throne. She never married and had no children. She died at age 65.
Empress Genshō's grave
is located in Nara. This emperor is traditionally venerated at a memorial
Shinto
shrine
(misasagi) , also in Nara. The Imperial Household Agency
has designated this location as Mommu's mausoleum
, and has been formally named Nahoyama no nishi no misasagi. The Imperial tomb can be visited today in Narazaka-cho, Nara City.
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 Genshō's reign, this apex of the Daijō-kan included:
Emperor
An emperor is a monarch, usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife or a woman who rules in her own right...
of Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, according to the traditional order of succession.
Genshō's reign spanned the years 715 through 724.
In the history of Japan
History of Japan
The history of Japan encompasses the history of the islands of Japan and the Japanese people, spanning the ancient history of the region to the modern history of Japan as a nation state. Following the last ice age, around 12,000 BC, the rich ecosystem of the Japanese Archipelago fostered human...
, Genshō was the fifth of eight women to take on the role of empress regnant. The four female monarchs before Genshō were: (a) Suiko
Empress Suiko
was the 33rd emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Suiko's reign spanned the years from 593 until her death in 628....
, (b) Kōgyoku/Saimei
Empress Kogyoku
, also known as , was the 35th and 37th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Kōgyoku's reign spanned the years from 642-645. Her reign as Saimei encompassed 655-661...
, (c) Jitō
Empress Jito
was the 41st emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Jitō's reign spanned the years from 686 through 697.In the history of Japan, Jitō was the third of eight women to take on the role of empress regnant. The two female monarchs before Jitō were Suiko and Kōgyoku/Saimei...
and (d) Gemmei
Empress Gemmei
, also known as Empress Genmyō, was the 43rd emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Gemmei's reign spanned the years 707 through 715....
. The three women sovereigns reigning after Genshō were (e) Kōken/Shōtoku
Empress Koken
, also known as , was the 46th and the 48th emperor of Japan respectively, according to the traditional order of succession. Empress Kōken first reigned from 749 to 758, then she reascended the throne as Empress Shōtoku from 765 until her death in 770....
, (f) Meishō
Empress Meisho
was the 109th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Meishō's reign spanned the years from 1629 to 1643.In the history of Japan, Meishō was the seventh of eight women to become empress regnant. The six female monarchs who reigned before Meishō-tennō were Suiko, ...
, and (g) Go-Sakuramachi
Empress Go-Sakuramachi
was the 117th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Go-Sakuramachi's reign spanned the years from 1762 through 1771....
.
Traditional narrative
Before her ascension to the Chrysanthemum ThroneChrysanthemum Throne
The is the English term used to identify the throne of the Emperor of Japan. The term can refer to very specific seating, such as the takamikura throne in the Shishin-den at Kyoto Imperial Palace....
, her personal name (imina) was Hidaka-hime.
Empress Genshō was an elder sister of Emperor Mommu
Emperor Mommu
was the 42nd emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Mommu's reign spanned the years from 697 through 707.-Traditional narrative:Before his ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name was Karu-shinnō....
and daughter of Prince Kusakabe and his wife who later became Empress Gemmei
Empress Gemmei
, also known as Empress Genmyō, was the 43rd emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Gemmei's reign spanned the years 707 through 715....
. Therefore she was a granddaughter of Emperor Temmu
Emperor Temmu
was the 40th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Temmu's reign lasted from 672 until his death in 686.-Traditional narrative:...
and Empress Jitō
Empress Jito
was the 41st emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Jitō's reign spanned the years from 686 through 697.In the history of Japan, Jitō was the third of eight women to take on the role of empress regnant. The two female monarchs before Jitō were Suiko and Kōgyoku/Saimei...
by her father and a granddaughter of Emperor Tenji
Emperor Tenji
, also known as Emperor Tenchi, was the 38th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Tenji's reign spanned the years from 661 through 671.-Traditional narrative:...
through her mother.
Events of Genshō's life
Empress Gensho's succession to the throne was intended as a regency until Prince Obito, the son of her deceased younger brother Mommu, was mature enough to ascend the throne. Prince Obito would later become the Emperor ShōmuEmperor Shomu
was the 45th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Shōmu's reign spanned the years 724 through 723.-Traditional narrative:...
.
Obito was appointed Crown Prince in 714 by Empress Gemmei
Empress Gemmei
, also known as Empress Genmyō, was the 43rd emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Gemmei's reign spanned the years 707 through 715....
. In the next year, 715, Empress Gemmei, then in her fifties, abdicated in favor of her daughter Gensho. Prince Obito was then 14 years old.
- 715 (ReikiReiki (era)was a after Wadō and before Yōrō. This period spanned the years from September 715 through November 717. The reigning empress was .-Change of era:* 715 ; 715: The new era name was created to mark the beginning of the reign of Empress Genshō...
1, 9th month): In the 7th year of Gemmei-tennō 's reign (元明天皇7年), the empress abdicated; and the succession (senso) was received by her daughter, who held the throne in trust for her younger brother. Shortly thereafter, Empress Genshō acceded to the throne (sokui) as Empress Regnant.
Prince Obito remained the crown prince, heir to the new empress. Fujiwara no Fuhito
Fujiwara no Fuhito
Fujiwara no Fuhito was a powerful member of the imperial court of Japan during the Asuka and Nara periods...
, the most powerful courtier in Gemmei's court, remained at his post until his death in 720. After his death, Prince Nagaya
Nagaya
Nagaya was a politician of the Nara period and an imperial prince of Japan, a son of Prince Takechi ....
, a grandson of Emperor Temmu and the Empress Gensho's cousin, seized power. This power shift was a background for later conflicts between Prince Nagaya and Fuhito's four sons during the reign of Emperor Shōmu (formerly Prince Obito).
Under Gensho's reign, the Nihonshoki was finished in 720. This was the first Japanese history book. Organization of the law system known as the ritsuryo
Ritsuryo
is the historical law system based on the philosophies of Confucianism and Chinese Legalism in Japan. The political system in accord to Ritsuryō is called "Ritsuryō-sei"...
was continued under the initiatives of Fuhito until his death. These laws and codes were edited and enacted by Fujiwara no Nakamaro
Fujiwara no Nakamaro
, later also given the name of by Emperor Kōnin, was an aristocrat and poet of Nara period in Japan. His father was Fujiwara no Muchimaro, founder of Nanke lineage of Fujiwara clan....
, a grandson of Fuhito, and published as Yoro ritsuryo
Yoro Code
The was one iteration of several codes or governing rules compiled in early Nara period in Classical Japan. Major work on the Yōrō Code was completed in 718....
under the name of Fuhito. The taxation system which had been introduced by Empress Jitō
Empress Jito
was the 41st emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Jitō's reign spanned the years from 686 through 697.In the history of Japan, Jitō was the third of eight women to take on the role of empress regnant. The two female monarchs before Jitō were Suiko and Kōgyoku/Saimei...
in the late 7th century began to malfunction. To compensate for the decreased tax revenue, the "Act of possession in three generations", an initiative of Prince Nagaya, was enacted in 723. Under this act, people were allowed to possess a newly cultivated field once every three generations. In the fourth generation, the right of possession would revert to the national government. This act was intended to motivate new cultivation, but it only remained in effect for about 20 years.
Empress Genshō reigned for nine years. Although there were seven other reigning empresses, their successors were most often selected from amongst the males of the paternal Imperial bloodline, which is why some conservative scholars argue that the women's reigns were temporary and that male-only succession tradition must be maintained in the 21st century. Empress Gemmei, who was succeeded by her daughter, remains the sole exception to this conventional argument.
In 724, Gensho abdicated in favor of her nephew, who would be known as Emperor Shōmu. Genshō lived for 25 years after she stepped down from the throne. She never married and had no children. She died at age 65.
Empress Genshō's grave
Grave (burial)
A grave is a location where a dead body is buried. Graves are usually located in special areas set aside for the purpose of burial, such as graveyards or cemeteries....
is located in Nara. This emperor is traditionally venerated at a memorial
Memorial
A memorial is an object which serves as a focus for memory of something, usually a person or an event. Popular forms of memorials include landmark objects or art objects such as sculptures, statues or fountains, and even entire parks....
Shinto
Shinto
or Shintoism, also kami-no-michi, is the indigenous spirituality of Japan and the Japanese people. It is a set of practices, to be carried out diligently, to establish a connection between present day Japan and its ancient past. Shinto practices were first recorded and codified in the written...
shrine
Shrine
A shrine is a holy or sacred place, which is dedicated to a specific deity, ancestor, hero, martyr, saint, daemon or similar figure of awe and respect, at which they are venerated or worshipped. Shrines often contain idols, relics, or other such objects associated with the figure being venerated....
(misasagi) , also in Nara. The Imperial Household Agency
Imperial Household Agency
The is a government agency of Japan in charge of the state matters concerning Japan's imperial family and also keeping the Privy Seal and the State Seal...
has designated this location as Mommu's mausoleum
Mausoleum
A mausoleum is an external free-standing building constructed as a monument enclosing the interment space or burial chamber of a deceased person or persons. A monument without the interment is a cenotaph. A mausoleum may be considered a type of tomb or the tomb may be considered to be within the...
, and has been formally named Nahoyama no nishi no misasagi. The Imperial tomb can be visited today in Narazaka-cho, Nara City.
Kugyō
is a collective term for the very few most powerful men attached to the court of the Emperor of JapanEmperor of Japan
The Emperor of Japan is, according to the 1947 Constitution of Japan, "the symbol of the state and of the unity of the people." He is a ceremonial figurehead under a form of constitutional monarchy and is head of the Japanese Imperial Family with functions as head of state. He is also the highest...
in pre-Meiji
Meiji period
The , also known as the Meiji era, is a Japanese era which extended from September 1868 through July 1912. This period represents the first half of the Empire of Japan.- Meiji Restoration and the emperor :...
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 Genshō's reign, this apex of the Daijō-kan included:
- Daijō-daijin (Chi-daijō-kanji 知太政官事), Toneri-shinnō (Prince Toneri) (舎人親王). (9th son of Emperor TemmuEmperor Temmuwas the 40th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Temmu's reign lasted from 672 until his death in 686.-Traditional narrative:...
) 720-735 - SadaijinSadaijin, most commonly translated as "Minister of the Left", was a government position in Japan in the late Nara and Heian periods. The position was consolidated in the Taihō Code of 702. The Asuka Kiyomihara Code of 689 marks the initial appearance of the Sadaijin in the context of a central...
, Iso-no-Kami no Maro (石上麻呂). 708-717 - UdaijinUdaijinUdaijin , most commonly translated as the "Minister of the Right", was a government position in Japan in the late Nara and Heian periods. The position was consolidated in the Taihō Code of 702. The Asuka Kiyomihara Code of 689 marks the initial appearance of the Udaijin in the context of a central...
, Fujiwara no FuhitoFujiwara no FuhitoFujiwara no Fuhito was a powerful member of the imperial court of Japan during the Asuka and Nara periods...
(藤原不比等). 708-720 - UdaijinUdaijinUdaijin , most commonly translated as the "Minister of the Right", was a government position in Japan in the late Nara and Heian periods. The position was consolidated in the Taihō Code of 702. The Asuka Kiyomihara Code of 689 marks the initial appearance of the Udaijin in the context of a central...
, Prince Nagaya (長屋王). 721-724 - DainagonDainagonwas a counselor of the first rank in the Imperial court of Japan. The role dates from the 7th century.This advisory position remained a part of the Imperial court from the 8th century until the Meiji period in the 19th century....
, Abe no Sukunamaro (阿倍宿奈麻呂). 718-720 - DainagonDainagonwas a counselor of the first rank in the Imperial court of Japan. The role dates from the 7th century.This advisory position remained a part of the Imperial court from the 8th century until the Meiji period in the 19th century....
, Prince Nagaya (長屋王). 718-721 - DainagonDainagonwas a counselor of the first rank in the Imperial court of Japan. The role dates from the 7th century.This advisory position remained a part of the Imperial court from the 8th century until the Meiji period in the 19th century....
, Tajihi no Ikemori (多治比池守). 721-730
Eras of Genshō's reign
The years of Genshō's reign are more specifically identified by more than one era name or nengō.- ReikiReiki (era)was a after Wadō and before Yōrō. This period spanned the years from September 715 through November 717. The reigning empress was .-Change of era:* 715 ; 715: The new era name was created to mark the beginning of the reign of Empress Genshō...
(715-717) - YōrōYoroYoro is the capital city of the Yoro department of Honduras....
(717-724) - JinkiJinki (era)was a after Yōrō and before Tenpyō. This period spanned the years from February 724 through August 729. The reigning emperor was .-Change of era:* 724 : The new era name was created to mark an event or series of events...
(724-729)
See also
- Japanese empressesJapanese empressesIn Japan, empress may refer to either or .- Empresses regnant :There were eight female imperial reigns in Japan's early history between 593 and 770, and two more in the early modern period...
- Emperor of JapanEmperor of JapanThe Emperor of Japan is, according to the 1947 Constitution of Japan, "the symbol of the state and of the unity of the people." He is a ceremonial figurehead under a form of constitutional monarchy and is head of the Japanese Imperial Family with functions as head of state. He is also the highest...
- List of Emperors of Japan
- Imperial cultImperial cultAn imperial cult is a form of state religion in which an emperor, or a dynasty of emperors , are worshipped as messiahs, demigods or deities. "Cult" here is used to mean "worship", not in the modern pejorative sense...