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, also known as Empress Genmyō, was the 43rd monarch of Japan, Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'')
元明天皇 (43)
retrieved August 22, 2013.
according to the traditional order of succession. Genmei's reign spanned the years 707 through 715 CE. In the history of Japan, Genmei was the fourth of eight women to take on the role of empress regnant. The three female monarchs before Genmei were Suiko, Kōgyoku/Saimei, and Jitō. The four women sovereigns reigning after Genmei were Genshō, Kōken/Shōtoku, Meishō, and Go-Sakuramachi.


Traditional narrative

Before her ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, her personal name ('' imina'') was Abe''-hime''.Brown, p. 271. Empress Genmei was the fourth daughter of Emperor Tenji; and she was a younger sister of Empress Jitō by a different mother. Her mother, Mei-no-Iratsume (also known as Soga''-hime''), was a daughter of '' Udaijin'' Soga-no-Kura-no-Yamada-no-Ishikawa-no-Maro (also known as Soga Yamada-no Ō-omi).


Events of Genmei's life

Genmei became the consort (''nyōgo'') of Crown Prince Kusakabe no Miko, who was the son of Emperor Tenmu and Empress Jitō. After the death of their son Emperor Monmu in 707, she acceded to the throne.Ponsonby-Fane, p. 56. At least one account suggests that she accepted the role of empress because Emperor Monmu felt his young son, her grandson, was still too young to withstand the pressures which attend becoming emperor.Titsingh, p. 63. * July 18, 707 ('' Keiun 4, 15th day of the 6th month''): In the 11th year of Monmu''-tennō''s reign (文武天皇十一年), the emperor died; and the succession (''senso'') was received by the emperor's mother, who held the throne in trust for her young grandson. Shortly thereafter, Empress Genmei is said to have acceded to the throne (''sokui''). * 707 (''Keiun 4''): Deposits of copper were reported to have been found in
Chichibu is a city located in Saitama Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 61,159 in 26,380 households and a population density of . The total area of the city is . Geography Chichibu is in the westernmost part of Saitama. Unl ...
in Musashi Province in the region which includes modern day Tokyo; * 708 (''Keiun 5''):, The era name was about to be changed to mark the accession of Empress Genmei; but the choice of ''Wadō'' as the new '' nengō'' for this new reign became a way to mark the welcome discovery of copper. The Japanese word for copper is ''dō'' (銅); and since this was indigenous copper, the ''"wa"'' (the ancient Chinese term for Japan) could be combined with the ''"dō"'' (copper) to create a new composite term – ''"wadō"'' – meaning "Japanese copper." * May 5, 708 ('' Wadō 1, 11th day of the 4th month''): A sample of the newly discovered Musashi copper from was presented in Genmei's Court where it was formally acknowledged as "Japanese" copper; and a
mint MiNT is Now TOS (MiNT) is a free software alternative operating system kernel for the Atari ST system and its successors. It is a multi-tasking alternative to TOS and MagiC. Together with the free system components fVDI device drivers, XaAE ...
was established in Ōmi Province. * 708 (''Wadō 1, 3rd month''): Fuijwara no Fuhito was named Minister of the Right (''Udaijin'') . Isonokami no Maro was Minister of the Left ('' Sadaijin'').Titsingh, p. 64. * 709 (''Wadō 2, 3rd month''): There was an uprising against governmental authority in Mutsu Province and in Echigo Province. Troops were promptly dispatched to subdue the revolt. * 709 (''Wadō 2, 5th month''): Ambassadors arrived from
Silla Silla or Shilla (57 BCE – 935 CE) ( , Old Korean: Syera, Old Japanese: Siraki2) was a Korean kingdom located on the southern and central parts of the Korean Peninsula. Silla, along with Baekje and Goguryeo, formed the Three Kingdoms o ...
, bringing an offer of tribute. He visited Fujiwara no Fuhito to prepare the way for further visits. * 710 (''Wadō 3, 3rd month''): Empress Genmei established her official residence in
Nara The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is an " independent federal agency of the United States government within the executive branch", charged with the preservation and documentation of government and historical records. It ...
. In the last years of the Mommu's reign, the extensive preparations for this projected move had begun; but the work could not be completed before the late-emperor's death. Shortly after the ''nengō'' was changed to ''Wadō'', an Imperial Rescript was issued concerning the establishment of a new capital at the Heijō-kyō at Nara in Yamato Province. It had been customary since ancient times for the capital to be moved with the beginning of each new reign. However, Emperor Mommu decided not to move the capital, preferring instead to stay at the Fujiwara Palace which had been established by Empress Jitō.Varley, p. 140. Empress Genmei's palace was named Nara-no-miya. * 711 (''Wadō 4, 3rd month''): The Kojiki was published in three volumes. This work presented a history of Japan from a mythological period of god-rulers up through the 28th day of the 1st month of the fifth year of
Empress Suiko (554 – 15 April 628) was the 33rd monarch of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 推古天皇 (33)/ref> according to the traditional order of succession. Suiko reigned from 593 until her death in 628. In the history of Japa ...
's reign (597). Emperor Tenmu failed to bring the work to completion before his death in 686. Empress Genmei, along with other court officials, deserve credit for continuing to patronize and encourage the mammoth project. * 712 (''Wadō 5''): The Mutsu Province was separated from Dewa Province. * 713 (''Wadō 6, 3rd month''): Tanba Province was separated from Tango Province; Mimasaka Province was divided from Bizen Province; and Hyūga Province was divided from Ōsumi Province. * 713 (''Wadō 6''): The compilation of ''
Fudoki are ancient reports on provincial culture, geography, and oral tradition presented to the reigning monarchs of Japan, also known as local gazetteers. They contain agricultural, geographical, and historical records as well as mythology and ...
'' was begun with the imprimatur of an Imperial decree; and copies of the census of the provinces of
Izumo Izumo (出雲) may refer to: Locations * Izumo Province, an old province of Japan * Izumo, Shimane, a city located in Shimane Prefecture ** Izumo Airport * Izumo-taisha, one of Japan's most ancient and important Shinto shrines Ships * ''Izumo'' ...
, Harima, Hitachi and two other provinces still exist. This work was intended to describe all provinces, cities, mountains, rivers, valleys and plains. It is intended to become a catalog of the plants, trees, birds, and mammals of Japan. It also intended to contain information about all of the remarkable events which, from ancient times to the present, have happened in the country. * 713 (''Wadō 6''): The road which traverses Mino Province and Shinano Province was widened to accommodate travelers; and the road was widened in the Kiso District of modern Nagano Prefecture. After Empress Genmei transferred the seat of her government to Nara, this mountain location remained the capital throughout the succeeding seven reigns. In a sense, the years of the
Nara period The of the history of Japan covers the years from CE 710 to 794. Empress Genmei established the capital of Heijō-kyō (present-day Nara). Except for a five-year period (740–745), when the capital was briefly moved again, it remained the c ...
developed into one of the more significant consequences of her comparatively short reign. Genmei had initially planned to remain on the throne until her grandson might reach maturity. However, in 715, Genmei did abdicate in favor of Mommu's older sister who then became known as Empress Genshō. Genshō was eventually succeeded by her nephew, who then became known as
Emperor Shōmu was the 45th emperor of Japan, Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 聖武天皇 (45)/ref> according to the traditional order of succession. Shōmu's reign spanned the years 724 through 749, during the Nara period. Traditional narrative ...
. * 715 (''Wadō 8''): Genmei abdicates in favor of her daughter, Empress Genshō. The Empress reigned for eight 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 Genmei, who was followed on the throne by her daughter, remains the sole exception to this conventional argument. After abdicating, she was known as '' Daijō-tennō''; and she was only the second woman after Empress Jitō to claim this title. Genmei lived in retirement for seven years until her death at the age of 61 in December 721. The actual site of Genmei's
grave A grave is a location where a dead body (typically that of a human, although sometimes that of an animal) is buried or interred after a funeral. Graves are usually located in special areas set aside for the purpose of burial, such as grav ...
is known. This empress is traditionally venerated at a memorial
Shinto Shinto () is a religion from Japan. Classified as an East Asian religion by scholars of religion, its practitioners often regard it as Japan's indigenous religion and as a nature religion. Scholars sometimes call its practitioners ''Shint ...
shrine A shrine ( la, scrinium "case or chest for books or papers"; Old French: ''escrin'' "box or case") is a sacred or holy space dedicated to a specific deity, ancestor, hero, martyr, saint, daemon, or similar figure of respect, wherein they ...
(''misasagi'') in Narazaka-cho,
Nara City is the capital city of Nara Prefecture, Japan. As of 2022, Nara has an estimated population of 367,353 according to World Population Review, making it the largest city in Nara Prefecture and sixth-largest in the Kansai region of Honshu. Nara is ...
which has been designated by the Imperial Household Agency as Genmei's mausoleum. The "mountain shape" ''misasagi'' was named ''Nahoyama-no-higashi no misasagi.''Ponsonby-Fane, Richard. (1959). ''The Imperial House of Japan,'' p. 420.


Poetry

The '' Man'yōshū'' includes a poem written said to be composed by Empress Genmei in 708 (''Wadō 1'') – and this anthology also includes a reply created by one of the ladies of her court:: :::Listen to the sounds of the warriors' elbow-guards; ::::Our captain must be ranging the shields to drill the troops. :::::: – Genmei''-tennō''''Nippon Gakujutsu Shinkokai'', p. 81. :::Reply: :::Be not concerned, O my Sovereign; ::::Am I not here, :::I, whom the ancestral gods endowed with life, :::Next of kin to yourself? :::::: – Minabe-''hime''


Kugyō

'' Kugyō'' (公卿) is a collective term for the very few most powerful men attached to the court of the
Emperor of Japan The Emperor of Japan is the monarch and the head of the Imperial Family of Japan. Under the Constitution of Japan, he is defined as the symbol of the Japanese state and the unity of the Japanese people, and his position is derived from "the ...
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 Genmei's reign, this apex of the ''
Daijō-kan The , also known as the Great Council of State, was (i) (''Daijō-kan'') the highest organ of Japan's premodern Imperial government under the Ritsuryō legal system during and after the Nara period or (ii) (''Dajō-kan'') the highest organ of J ...
'' included: * '' Daijō-daijin'', Prince Hozumi. * '' Sadaijin'',
Isonokami no Maro was a Japanese statesman of the Asuka period and early Nara period His family name was Mononobe no Muraji, later Mononobe no Ason and Isonokami no Ason. He attained the court rank of and ''sadaijin'', and posthumously . In 672 Maro supported ...
(石上麻呂). 708–717 * '' Udaijin'', Fujiwara no Fuhito (藤原不比等). 708–720 * ''
Naidaijin The , literally meaning "Inner Minister", was an ancient office in the Japanese Imperial Court. Its role, rank and authority varied throughout the pre- Meiji period of Japanese history, but in general remained as a significant post under the Ta ...
'' * '' Dainagon''


Spouse and children

Empress Genmei was born to Emperor Tenji and his concubine, Soga no Mei-no-iratsume, who held the rank of Hin (Beauty).She initially was named Princess Abe (阿閇皇女).She had an elder sister by the same mother: Princess Minabe. Princess Abe married Prince Kusakabe, her eldest half-sister's son, and had issues: two daughters among which the eldest would become Empress Gensho and on son who will ascend the throne as Emperor Monmu. * Husband: Prince Kusakabe (草壁皇子, d. 10 May 689), son of Emperor Tenmu and Empress Jitō ** First Daughter: Princess Hidaka (氷高皇女) later Empress Gensho ** First Son: Prince Karu (珂瑠/軽) later Emperor Monmu ** Second Daughter: Imperial Princess Kibi (吉備内親王, 686–729) married Prince Nagaya


Eras of Genmei's reign

The years of Genmei's reign are more specifically identified by more than one era name or '' nengō''. * '' Keiun'' (704–708) * '' Wadō'' (708–715) * '' Reiki'' (715–717)


Ancestry


See also

* Empress of Japan *
Emperor of Japan The Emperor of Japan is the monarch and the head of the Imperial Family of Japan. Under the Constitution of Japan, he is defined as the symbol of the Japanese state and the unity of the Japanese people, and his position is derived from "the ...
* List of Emperors of Japan * Imperial cult


Notes


References

* * Brown, Delmer M. and Ichirō Ishida, eds. (1979)
''Gukanshō: The Future and the Past''.
Berkeley: University of California Press.
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.
OCLC 59145842
{{DEFAULTSORT:Genmei 660 births 721 deaths 8th-century women rulers 7th-century Japanese people 8th-century Japanese monarchs 8th-century Japanese women writers Japanese empresses regnant People of Asuka-period Japan People of Nara-period Japan Women of medieval Japan Japanese women poets 7th-century Japanese women 7th-century Japanese poets 8th-century Japanese women 8th-century Japanese poets Japanese princesses Japanese retired emperors Daughters of emperors