17-497: Empress Kōken ( 孝謙天皇 , Kōken- tennō , 718 – August 28, 770) , known as Empress Shōtoku ( 称徳天皇 , Shōtoku-tennō ) after her second accession to the throne, was the 46th (with the name Empress Kōken) and the 48th monarch of Japan (with the name Empress Shōtoku), according to the traditional order of succession . Both her reigns occurred during the Nara period . The daughter of Emperor Shōmu , Empress Kōken succeeded to
34-545: A Buddhist temple in the Arashiyama neighborhood of Kyoto , was founded by Shōtoku in the middle of the eighth century. 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
51-637: A threat to the government. According to the Shoku Nihongi , he was sent to the Usa Shrine to receive a divine message; stating that only those of descent from Amaterasu could become emperor, it refuted the previous divine message claiming Dōkyō was to be the next emperor after Empress Kōken (later Empress Shōtoku). This report angered Dōkyō, who used his influence with the Empress to have an edict issued sending Kiyomaro into exile; he also had
68-494: Is not traditionally listed. Tenn%C5%8D Too Many Requests If you report this error to the Wikimedia System Administrators, please include the details below. Request from 172.68.168.226 via cp1108 cp1108, Varnish XID 219778873 Upstream caches: cp1108 int Error: 429, Too Many Requests at Thu, 28 Nov 2024 07:51:12 GMT Wake no Kiyomaro Wake no Kiyomaro ( 和気 清麻呂 , 733–799)
85-413: The shoguns (military dictators). In the history of Japan , Kōken/Shōtoku was the sixth of eight women to take on the role of empress regnant. The five female monarchs before her were Suiko , Kōgyoku/Saimei , Jitō , Genmei and Genshō , and the two women sovereigns reigning after Kōken/Shōtoku were Meishō and Go-Sakuramachi . Empress Kōken's personal name ( imina ) was Abe ( 阿倍 ) . Her father
102-520: The sinews of Kiyomaro's legs cut, and only the protection of the Fujiwara clan saved him from being killed outright. The following year, however, Empress Shōtoku died. She was succeeded by Emperor Kōnin , who in turn exiled Dōkyō to Shimotsuke Province and not only recalled Wake no Kiyomaro from exile, but also appointed him as both kami (governor) of Bizen Province and Udaijin (junior minister of state). The following year, he petitioned
119-400: The empress sent Wake no Kiyomaro ( 和気清麻呂 ) to verify the pronouncement, Hachiman decreed that only one of imperial blood should ascend to the throne. As with the seven other reigning empresses whose successors were most often selected from amongst the males of the paternal imperial bloodline, she was followed on the throne by a male cousin, which is why some conservative scholars argue that
136-437: The governor of Dazaifu to send officials to Usa to investigate allegations of "fraudulent oracles"; in his later report, Wake no Kiyomaro stated that out of five oracles checked, two were found to be fabricated. This resulted in the government relieving Usa no Ikemori of his position as head priest and replacing him with the previously-disgraced Ōga no Tamaro . Following this, Wake no Kiyomaro returned to Yamato . He remained
153-632: The pinnacle of a life's career. During Kōken's reign, this apex of the Daijō-kan included: The kugyō during Shōtoku's reign included: Empress Kōken, known as Imperial Princess Abe (阿倍内親王), was the second daughter of Emperor Shōmu born by his empress consort, Fujiwara Asukabehime . She had a younger brother, but he didn't survive to adulthood. Empress Kōken never married or had children. Unless otherwise noted (as BC), years are in CE / AD Imperial Consort and Regent Empress Jingū
170-528: The retired empress Kōken is said to have become close to a monk without a noble background, named Dōkyō , by 762. Their precise relationship remains a mystery, although there is a common version that it was romantic. The retired empress had taken Buddhist oaths and became a nun, but retained a decisive role in politics. After Kōmyō's death in July 760, the growing power struggle between Kōken's and Nakamaro's opposing factions became increasingly inevitable. Following
187-436: The suppression of the Fujiwara no Nakamaro Rebellion and his murder, Kōken reascended the throne as Empress Shōtoku in 764 and ruled until her death in 770, concentrating the government into her own hands. Dōkyō was appointed Grand Minister within a year. In 766, he was promoted to Hōō (priestly emperor) and in around 769 tried to ascend the throne himself, which led to a scandal; this was one of few recorded instances when there
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#1732780272396204-433: The throne at the age of 31, following her father's renunciation. She first reigned from 749 to 758. During this period, the government was heavily influenced by her mother, the former empress consort Kōmyō , and the latter's nephew, Fujiwara no Nakamaro . She was eventually replaced on the throne by her relative, Emperor Junnin , whose rule was a continuation of Nakamaro's regime. During the intermediate period of her reigns,
221-463: The women's reigns were temporary and that male-only succession tradition must be maintained in the 21st century. Empress Genmei , who was followed on the throne by her daughter, Empress Genshō , remains the sole exception to this conventional argument. She is also known for sponsoring the Hyakumantō Darani , one of the largest productions of printed works in early Japan. Otagi Nenbutsu-ji ,
238-577: Was Emperor Shōmu , and her mother was Empress Kōmyō . Kōken is traditionally venerated at her tomb; the Imperial Household Agency designates Takano no Misasagi ( 高野陵 , Takano Imperial Mausoleum) , in Nara, Nara , as the location of Kōken's mausoleum . The site is publicly accessible. The years of Kōken's reign are more specifically identified by more than one era name . The years of Shōtoku's reign are more specifically identified by more than one era name . Koken's reign
255-531: Was a high-ranking Japanese official during the Nara period. He was born in Bizen Province (now Wake, Okayama ) to a family of politically important, devoted Buddhists who hoped to keep Buddhism and politics separate through religious reform. He became a trusted advisor to Emperor Kanmu , a position which he used to encourage the development of Buddhism in a direction which would prevent it from posing
272-469: Was an attempt to end the imperial dynasty . The death of the empress, presumably from smallpox , and resistance from the aristocracy destroyed his plans. This incident was a reason for the later move of the Japanese capital from Nara (Heijō). Empress Kōken was one of the most politically powerful women in Japanese history: subsequent empresses were only ritual rulers, while the government was dominated by
289-450: Was turbulent, and she survived coup attempts by both Tachibana no Naramaro and Fujiwara no Nakamaro . Today, she is remembered chiefly for her alleged affair with a Buddhist monk named Dōkyō (道鏡), a man she honored with titles and power. An oracle from Usa Shrine , the shrine of the kami Hachiman ( 八幡 ) in Usa , is said to have proclaimed that the monk should be made emperor; but when
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