, or Kammu, was the 50th

emperor of Japan The emperor of Japan is the hereditary monarch and head of state of Japan. The emperor is defined by the Constitution of Japan as the symbol of the Japanese state and the unity of the Japanese people, his position deriving from "the will of ...

Imperial Household Agency The (IHA) is an agency of the government of Japan in charge of state matters concerning the Imperial House of Japan, Imperial Family, and the keeping of the Privy Seal of Japan, Privy Seal and State Seal of Japan. From around the 8th century ...

(''Kunaichō'')
桓武天皇 (50)
retrieved 2013-8-22. according to the traditional

order of succession An order, line or right of succession is the line of individuals necessitated to hold a high office when it becomes vacated, such as head of state or an honour such as a title of nobility.Nara period The of the history of Japan covers the years from 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 capita ...

to the

Heian period The is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. It followed the Nara period, beginning when the 50th emperor, Emperor Kammu, moved the capital of Japan to Heian-kyō (modern Kyoto). means in Japanese. It is a ...

Traditional narrative

Kammu's personal name (''

imina in modern times consist of a family name (surname) followed by a given name. Japanese names are usually written in kanji, where the pronunciation follows a special set of rules. Because parents when naming children, and foreigners when adoptin ...

'') was .Brown, p. 277
He was the eldest son of Prince Shirakabe (later known as

Emperor Kōnin was the 49th emperor of Japan, Emperor Kōnin, Tahara no Higashi Imperial Mausoleum, Imperial Household Agency according to the traditional order of succession. Kōnin's reign lasted from 770 to 781. Traditional narrative The personal name of ...

), and was born prior to Shirakabe's ascension to the throne. According to the , Yamabe's mother, Yamato no Niigasa (later called

Takano no Niigasa was a concubine of Emperor Kōnin of Japan and the mother of Emperor Kanmu. Her full name was Takano no Asomi Niigasa ( 高野朝臣新笠). Life Niigasa was a daughter of Yamato no Ototsugu (和乙継) who was a descendant of Prince Junda (c. ...

), was a 10th generation descendant of

Muryeong of Baekje Muryeong (461/462–523) was the 25th king of Baekje, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, reigning from 501 to 523. During his reign, Baekje remained allied with Silla against Goguryeo, and expanded its relationships with China and Japan. Acco ...

(462–523). After his father became emperor, Kammu's half-brother, Prince Osabe was appointed to the rank of

crown prince A crown prince or hereditary prince is the heir apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The female form of the title, crown princess, is held by a woman who is heir apparent or is married to the heir apparent. ''Crown prince ...

. His mother was

Princess Inoe Princess Inoe or ''Inoue'' (717–775) was the empress consort of Emperor Kōnin of Japan. She was deposed in 772, accused of witchcraft. Biography Inoue was the daughter of Emperor Shōmu, who reigned from March 3, 724 until August 19, 749.I ...

, a daughter of

Emperor Shōmu was the 45th Emperor of Japan, emperor of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 聖武天皇 (45)/ref> according to the traditional List of Emperors of Japan, order of succession. Shōmu's reign spanned the years 724 through 749, duri ...

; but instead of Osabe, it was Kammu who was later named to succeed their father. After Inoe and Prince Osabe were confined and then died in 775, Osabe's sister – Kammu's half-sister

Princess Sakahito was a Japanese princess, born a daughter of Emperor Kōnin. Her mother was reported to be Princess Inoue—a daughter of Emperor Shōmu, but there is another theory that her mother was Takano no Niigasa. After her father was enthroned as the e ...

– became Kammu's wife. Later, when he ascended to the throne in 781, Kammu appointed his young brother,

Prince Sawara (circa 750 – November 8, 785) was the fifth son of Prince Shirakabe (later Emperor Kōnin), by Takano no Niigasa. Biography In 781 he was named heir-presumptive after his elder brother succeeded the abdicated Emperor Kōnin as the Emperor ...

, whose mother was Takano no Niigasa, as crown prince. Hikami no Kawatsugu, a son of

Emperor Tenmu was the 40th Emperor of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 天武天皇 (40) retrieved 2013-8-22. according to the traditional order of succession. Ponsonby-Fane, Richard. (1959). ''The Imperial House of Japan'', p. 53. He ascended ...

's grandson Prince Shioyaki and Shōmu's daughter Fuwa, attempted to carry out a coup d'état in 782, but it failed and Kawatsugu and his mother were sent into exile. In 785 Sawara was expelled and died in exile. The

Nara period The of the history of Japan covers the years from 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 capita ...

saw the appointment of the first ''

shōgun , officially , was the title of the military rulers of Japan during most of the period spanning from 1185 to 1868. Nominally appointed by the Emperor, shoguns were usually the de facto rulers of the country, except during parts of the Kamak ...

'',

Ōtomo no Otomaro was a Japanese general of the Nara period and of the early Heian period. He was the first to hold the title of '' sei-i taishōgun''. The title of Shōgun was bestowed by Emperor Kanmu in 794. Some believe he was born in 727. His father was Ō ...

by Emperor Kammu in 794 CE. The shōgun was the

military dictator A military dictatorship, or a military regime, is a type of dictatorship in which power is held by one or more military officers. Military dictatorships are led by either a single military dictator, known as a strongman, or by a council of mili ...

of Japan with near absolute power over territories via the military. Otomaro was declared "Sei-i Taishōgun" which means "Barbarian-subduing Great General". Emperor Kammu granted the second title of shōgun to

Sakanoue no Tamuramaro was a court noble, general and ''shōgun'' of the early Heian period of Japan. He served as Dainagon, Minister of War and ''Ukon'e no Taisho'' (Major Captain of the Right Division of Inner Palace Guards). He held the ''kabane'' of Ōsukune an ...

for subduing the

Emishi The were a group of people who lived in parts of northern Honshū in present-day Japan, especially in the Tōhoku region. The first mention of the Emishi in literature that can be corroborated with outside sources dates to the 5th century AD, ...

in northern

Honshu , historically known as , is the largest of the four main islands of Japan. It lies between the Pacific Ocean (east) and the Sea of Japan (west). It is the list of islands by area, seventh-largest island in the world, and the list of islands by ...

. Kammu had 16 empresses and consorts, and 32 imperial sons and daughters. Among them, three sons would eventually ascend to the imperial throne:

Emperor Heizei , also known as ''Heijō-tennō'', was the 51st emperor of Japan, Emperor Heizei, Yamamomo Imperial Mausoleum, Imperial Household Agency according to the traditional order of succession. Heizei's reign lasted from 806 to 809. Traditional nar ...

Emperor Saga was the 52nd emperor of Japan, Emperor Saga, Saganoyamanoe Imperial Mausoleum, Imperial Household Agency according to the traditional order of succession. Saga's reign lasted from 809 to 823. Traditional narrative Saga was the second son of ...

and

Emperor Junna was the 53rd emperor of Japan, Emperor Junna, Ōharano no Nishi no Minenoe Imperial Mausoleum, Imperial Household Agency according to the traditional order of succession. Junna reigned from 823 to 833. Traditional narrative Junna had six empr ...

. Some of his descendants (known as the ''Kammu Taira'' or ''Kammu Heishi'') took the

Taira The was one of the four most important clans that dominated Japanese politics during the Heian period of Japanese history – the others being the Minamoto, the Fujiwara, and the Tachibana. The clan is divided into four major groups, named ...

hereditary clan title, and in later generations became prominent warriors. Examples include

Taira no Masakado was a Heian period provincial magnate (''gōzoku'') and samurai based in eastern Japan, notable for leading the first recorded uprising against the central government in Kyōto. Along with Sugawara no Michizane and Emperor Sutoku, he is of ...

Taira no Kiyomori was a military leader and '' kugyō'' of the late Heian period of Japan. He established the first samurai-dominated administrative government in the history of Japan. Early life Kiyomori was born in Japan, in 1118 as the first son of Taira ...

, and (with a further surname expansion) the

Hōjō clan The was a Japanese samurai family who controlled the hereditary title of '' shikken'' (regent) of the Kamakura shogunate between 1203 and 1333. Despite the title, in practice the family wielded actual political power in Japan during this perio ...

. The ''

waka WAKA (channel 8) is a television station licensed to Selma, Alabama, United States, serving as the CBS affiliate for the Montgomery area. It is owned by Bahakel Communications alongside Tuskegee-licensed CW+ affiliate WBMM (channel 22); B ...

'' poet

Ariwara no Narihira was a Japanese courtier and '' waka'' poet of the early Heian period. He was named one of both the Six Poetic Geniuses and the Thirty-Six Poetic Geniuses, and one of his poems was included in the '' Ogura Hyakunin Isshu'' collection. He ...

was one of his grandsons. Kammu is traditionally venerated at his tomb; the

designates , in

Fushimi-ku, Kyoto is one of the eleven wards in the city of Kyoto, in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. Famous places in Fushimi include the Fushimi Inari Shrine, with thousands of torii lining the paths up and down a mountain; Fushimi Castle, originally built by Toyoto ...

, as the location of Kammu's

mausoleum A mausoleum is an external free-standing building constructed as a monument enclosing the burial chamber of a deceased person or people. A mausoleum without the person's remains is called a cenotaph. A mausoleum may be considered a type o ...

Events of Kammu's life

Kammu was an active emperor who attempted to consolidate government hierarchies and functions. Kammu appointed

(758–811) to lead a military expedition against the

. * 737: Kammu was born. * 773: Received the title of crown prince. * April 30, 781(): In the 11th year of Kōnin's reign, he abdicated; and the succession was received by his son Kammu. Shortly thereafter, Emperor Kammu is said to have ascended to the throne. During his reign, the

capital of Japan The capital of Japan is Tokyo."About Japan"
The Government of Japan. Retrieved 9 March 2022.

was moved from

Nara The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is an independent agency of the United States government within the executive branch, charged with the preservation and documentation of government and historical records. It is also task ...

(

Heijō-kyō was the Capital of Japan during most of the Nara period, from 710 to 740 and again from 745 to 784. The imperial palace is a listed UNESCO World Heritage together with other places in the city of Nara (cf. Historic Monuments of Ancient ...

) to

Nagaoka-kyō was the capital of Japan from 784 to 794. Its location was in Otokuni District, Yamashiro Province, corresponding to a 4.3 x 5.3 kilometer area spanning the borders of modern cities of Mukō and Nagaokakyō, Kyoto, the town of Ōyamazaki ...

in 784.Brown, 278
Shortly thereafter, the capital would be moved again in 794.Brown, 279
* July 28, 782 (): The ''sadaijin''

Fujiwara no Uona Fujiwara no Uona (藤原魚名, 721 – August 31, 783) was a Japanese aristocrat and statesman of the Nara period who was Minister of the Left and a member of the Fujiwara clan. He was the fifth son of Fujiwara no Fusasaki (681–737). His grav ...

was involved in an incident that resulted in his removal from office and exile to Kyushi. Claiming illness, Uona was permitted to return to the capital where he died; posthumously, the order of banishment was burned and his office restored. In the same general time frame, Fujiwara no Tamaro was named Udaijin. During these days in which the offices of ''sadaijin'' and ''udaijin'' were vacant, the major counselors (the ''dainagon'') and the emperor assumed responsibilities and powers which would have been otherwise delegated.Titsingh, . * 783 (): The ''udaijin'' Tamaro died at the age of 62 years. * 783 (): Fujiwara no Korekimi became the new ''udaijin'' to replace the late Fujiwara no Tamaro. * 793 (): Under the leadership of Dengyō, construction began on the Enryaku Temple. * 794: The capital was relocated again, this time to

Heian-kyō Heian-kyō was one of several former names for the city now known as Kyoto. It was the official capital of Japan for over one thousand years, from 794 to 1868 with an interruption in 1180. Emperor Kanmu established it as the capital in 794, mo ...

, where the palace was named . * November 17, 794 (): The emperor traveled by carriage from Nara to the new capital of Heian-kyō in a grand procession. This marks the beginning of the

. * 794 appointed

as the first

Shōgun , officially , was the title of the military rulers of Japan during most of the period spanning from 1185 to 1868. Nominally appointed by the Emperor, shoguns were usually the de facto rulers of the country, except during parts of the Kamak ...

"Sei-i Taishōgun—"Barbarian-subduing Great General", together with

subdues the

in Northern

. * 806: Kammu died at the age of 70. Kammu's reign lasted for 25 years.

Eras of Kammu's reign

The years of Kammu's reign are more specifically identified by more than one

era name A regnal year is a year of the reign of a sovereign, from the Latin meaning kingdom, rule. Regnal years considered the date as an ordinal, not a cardinal number. For example, a monarch could have a first year of rule, a second year of rule, a t ...

(''nengō''). * ''

Ten'ō was a after ''Hōki'' and before ''Enryaku.'' This period lasted from January 781 through August 782. The reigning emperor was . Change of era * 24 October 781 : The new era name was created to mark an event or series of events. The previous ...

'' (781–82) * ''

Enryaku was a after '' Ten'ō'' and before '' Daidō''. This period spanned the years from August 782 through May 806. The reigning emperor was . Change of era * 12 November 782 : The new era name was created to mark an event or series of events. The p ...

'' (782–806)

Politics

Domestic relations

Earlier Imperial sponsorship of

Buddhism Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...

, beginning with

Prince Shōtoku , also known as or , was a semi-legendary regent and a politician of the Asuka period in Japan who served under Empress Suiko. He was the son of Emperor Yōmei and his consort, Princess Anahobe no Hashihito, who was also Yōmei's younger half ...

(574–622), had led to a general politicization of the clergy, along with an increase in intrigue and corruption. In 784 Kammu shifted his capital from

in a move that was said to be designed to encumber the powerful Nara Buddhist establishments out of state politics—while the capital moved, the major Buddhist temples, and their officials, stayed put. Indeed, there was a steady stream of edicts issued from 771 right through the period of Kūkai's studies which, for instance, sought to limit the number of Buddhist priests, and the building of temples. However, the move was to prove disastrous and was followed by a series of natural disasters including the flooding of half the city. In 785 the principal architect of the new capital, and royal favourite,

Fujiwara no Tanetsugu was a Japanese noble of the late Nara period. He was the grandson of the '' sangi'' Fujiwara no Umakai, the founder of the Fujiwara Shikike. He reached the court rank of and the position of '' chūnagon''. He was posthumously awarded the ran ...

, was assassinated. Meanwhile, Kammu's armies were pushing back the boundaries of his empire. This led to an uprising, and in 789 a substantial defeat for Kammu's troops. Also in 789 there was a severe drought and famine—the streets of the capital were clogged with the sick, and people avoiding being

draft Draft, the draft, or draught may refer to: Watercraft dimensions * Draft (hull), the distance from waterline to keel of a vessel * Draft (sail), degree of curvature in a sail * Air draft, distance from waterline to the highest point on a v ...

ed into the military, or into forced labour. Many disguised themselves as Buddhist priests for the same reason. Consequently, in 792 Kammu abolished national conscription, replacing it with a system wherein each province formed a militia from the local gentry, however this system vitiated the authority of the Emperor and led to proliferation of private armies. Then in 794 Kammu suddenly shifted the capital again, this time to Heian-kyō, which is modern day

Kyoto Kyoto ( or ; Japanese language, Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan's largest and most populous island of Honshu. , the city had a population of 1.46 million, making it t ...

. The new capital was started early the previous year, but the change was abrupt and led to even more confusion amongst the populace. Kammu's rule witnessed the frontiers of Japan expanding into Izawa and Shiba, under the command of a preeminent commander, Tamura Maro. Politically Kammu shored up his rule by changing the syllabus of the university.

Confucian Confucianism, also known as Ruism or Ru classicism, is a system of thought and behavior originating in ancient China, and is variously described as a tradition, philosophy, religion, theory of government, or way of life. Founded by Confucius ...

ideology still provided the ''raison d'être'' for the Imperial government. In 784 Kammu authorised the teaching of a new course based on the ''

Spring and Autumn Annals The ''Spring and Autumn Annals'' is an ancient Chinese chronicle that has been one of the core Chinese classics since ancient times. ''The Annals'' is the official chronicle of the State of Lu, and covers a 242-year period from 722 to 481&nbs ...

'' based on two newly imported commentaries: ''Kung-yang'' and ''Ku-liang''. These commentaries used political rhetoric to promote a state in which the Emperor, as "Son of Heaven," should extend his sphere of influence to barbarous lands, thereby gladdening the people. In 798 the two commentaries became required reading at the government university. Emperor Kanmu was the first person to conceive the ''

Shinsen Shōjiroku is an imperially commissioned Japanese genealogical record. It was first conceived during Emperor Kanmu's reign in 799 to properly track the clans' then ambiguous lineages, but was not completed before his death in 806. The project was later car ...

'', a

Japanese Japanese may refer to: * Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia * Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan * Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture ** Japanese diaspor ...

genealogical Genealogy () is the study of families, family history, and the tracing of their lineages. Genealogists use oral interviews, historical records, genetic analysis, and other records to obtain information about a family and to demonstrate kin ...

record in 799 to properly track the clans' then ambiguous lineages, but it was not able to be completed before his death in 806. The project was later carried over by his sons and was completed during

's reign in 814.

Foreign relations

China

Kammu also sponsored the travels of the monks

Saichō was a Japanese Buddhist monk credited with founding the Japanese Tendai school of Buddhism. He was awarded the posthumous title of Dengyō Daishi (伝教大師). Recognized for his significant contributions to the development of Japanese Budd ...

and

Kūkai , born posthumously called , was a Japanese Buddhist monk, calligrapher, and poet who founded the Vajrayana, esoteric Shingon Buddhism, Shingon school of Buddhism. He travelled to China, where he studied Tangmi (Chinese Vajrayana Buddhism) und ...

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...

, from where they returned to found the Japanese branches of, respectively,

Tendai , also known as the Tendai Dharma Flower School (天台法華宗, ''Tendai hokke shū,'' sometimes just ''Hokkeshū''), is a Mahāyāna Buddhist tradition with significant esoteric elements that was officially established in Japan in 806 by t ...

and

Shingon Buddhism is one of the major schools of Buddhism in Japan and one of the few surviving Vajrayana lineages in East Asian Buddhism. It is a form of Japanese Esoteric Buddhism and is sometimes called "Tōmitsu" (東密 lit. "Esoteric uddhismof Tō-j ...

Korea

He was specifically interested in Baekje (and to an extent,

Goguryeo Goguryeo (37 BC – 668 AD) (; ; Old Korean: Guryeo) also later known as Goryeo (; ; Middle Korean: 고ᇢ롕〮, ''kwòwlyéy''), was a Korean kingdom which was located on the northern and central parts of the Korea, Korean Peninsula an ...

) as his mother was of Baekje descent. Kammu's emphasis towards his Baekje heritage became prominent as his mother was not of the Imperial line, but was in fact a royal consort to Emperor Kōnin on top of coming from a

clan A clan is a group of people united by actual or perceived kinship and descent. Even if lineage details are unknown, a clan may claim descent from a founding member or apical ancestor who serves as a symbol of the clan's unity. Many societie ...

of foreign (Korean) origin, which could have negatively affected his ascension as emperor and be deemed illegitimate by some. To circumvent this, Kammu focused heavily on the mythological aspects of his mother's ancestor,

and Muryeong's own ancestor,

Dongmyeong of Goguryeo Dongmyeong of Goguryeo (), personal name Ko Chumong (), was the founding monarch of the kingdom of Goguryeo, and was worshipped as a god-king by the people of Goguryeo and Goryeo. King Dongmyeong was also an important figure for the kingdom of ...

(Ko Chumong), emphasizing Chumong's heritage as a grandchild of the god

Habaek Habaek (), also known as Habak () is the Goguryeo god of the Amnok River or, according to an alternative interpretation, the sun god Haebalk (). According to legend, his daughter Yuhwa married Haemosu and gave birth to Dongmyeong of Goguryeo (Ko ...

and Kammu's own lineage that continued it claiming that he was part of the "heavenly lineage". He mentions this in ''Shoku Nihongi'' when honoring his late mother. In 790, Emperor Kanmu issued a rescript that treated the

Kudara no Konikishi clan The Kudara no Konikishi clan (Japanese: 百済王氏, ''Kudara no konikishi-uji'') was a Japanese clan whose founder, Zenkō ( or ), was a son of King Uija, the last king of Baekje (located in the southwestern Korean Peninsula). Name ''Kudara' ...

(a fellow Japanese clan of Baekje descent) as "relatives by marriage". It was related to the fact that the emperor's mother belonged to the Baekje-originated

Yamato no Fuhito clan The , also known simply as , is an immigrant clan active in Japan since the Kofun period (250–538), according to the Nihon Shoki. History They descended from Prince Junda who died in 513 in Japan. Prince Junda was supposedly a son of Murey ...

, who then claimed its roots in the Baekje royal family. In addition, according to the

Shoku Nihongi The is an imperially-commissioned Japanese history text. Completed in 797, it is the second of the '' Six National Histories'', coming directly after the and followed by ''Nihon Kōki''. Fujiwara no Tsugutada and Sugano no Mamichi served as t ...

, Takano no Niigasa was a 10th-generation descendant of King

through his son Prince

Junda The list of Lithuanian gods is based on scarce written sources and late folklore. Many of them were outright invented. Lithuania converted to Christianity in 1387, but elements of Lithuanian mythology survived into the 19th century. The earlies ...

(

Nihon Shoki The or , sometimes translated as ''The Chronicles of Japan'', is the second-oldest book of classical Japanese history. It is more elaborate and detailed than the , the oldest, and has proven to be an important tool for historians and archaeol ...

, chapter 17), making Emperor Kammu an 11th-generation descendant of Muryeong through maternal lineage. The Kudara no Konikishi clan fell under the influence of the southern branch of the

Fujiwara clan The was a powerful family of imperial regents in Japan, descending from the Nakatomi clan and, as legend held, through them their ancestral god Ame-no-Koyane. The Fujiwara prospered since ancient times and dominated the imperial court until th ...

after Kudara no Konikishi Myōshin had married

Fujiwara no Tsugutada , also known as Fujiwara no Tsugutada and Monozomo no Udajin, was a Japanese statesman, courtier and politician during the Nara period.Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Fujiwara no Tsuginawa" in ; Brinkley, Frank ''et al.'' (1915). Career I ...

around 754. Emperor Kanmu's rescript of 790 aimed to support Myōshin's appointment as lady-in-waiting (尚侍), the highest post among court ladies, due to her similar background with Kammu. A 14th century book called "''

Jinnō Shōtōki is a Japanese historical book written by Kitabatake Chikafusa. The work sought both to clarify the genesis and potential consequences of a contemporary crisis in Japanese politics, and to dispel or at least ameliorate the prevailing disorder ...

''" by

Kitabatake Chikafusa was a Japanese court noble and writer of the 14th century who supported the Southern Court in the Nanboku-cho period, serving as advisor to five Emperors. Some of his greatest and most famous work was performed during the reign of Emperor ...

states that a record that claimed of Japan's origin with Korea was lost during Kammu's time, which indicates that such intentions were highly regarded during Emperor Kanmu's reign up until the book's disappearance. It can be deduced that Kammu advocated his Korean ancestry for both political and social reasons at the time, which was later officially recognized by the government coming from the

Emperor of Japan The emperor of Japan is the hereditary monarch and head of state of Japan. The emperor is defined by the Constitution of Japan as the symbol of the Japanese state and the unity of the Japanese people, his position deriving from "the will of ...

Kugyō

is a collective term for the very few most powerful men attached to the court of the

in pre-

Meiji Meiji, the romanization of the Japanese characters 明治, may refer to: Japanese history * Emperor Meiji, Emperor of Japan between 1867 and 1912 ** Meiji era, the name given to that period in Japanese history *** Meiji Restoration, the revolution ...

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 Kammu'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 Jap ...

'' included: * ''

Sadaijin The ''Kenkyusha's New Japanese-English Dictionary'', Kenkyusha Limited, was a government position in Japan during the Asuka to Meiji era. The Asuka Kiyomihara Code of 689 marks the initial appearance of the ''Sadaijin'' in the context of a cent ...

'',

(藤原魚名), 781–82. * ''Sadaijin'', Fujiwara no Tamaro (藤原田麿), 783. * ''

Udaijin was a government position in Japan during the Asuka to Meiji era. The position was consolidated in the Taihō Code of 701. The Asuka Kiyomihara Code of 689 marks the initial appearance of the ''Udaijin'' in the context of a central administrat ...

'', Ōnakatomi no Kiyomaro (大中臣清麿), 771–81 * ''Udaijin'', Fujiwara no Tamaro (藤原田麿), 782–83. * ''Udaijin'', Fujiwara no Korekimi (藤原是公), 783–89. * ''Udaijin'',

Fujiwara no Tsuginawa , also known as Fujiwara no Tsugutada and Monozomo no Udajin, was a Japanese statesman, courtier and politician during the Nara period.Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Fujiwara no Tsuginawa" in ; Brinkley, Frank ''et al.'' (1915). Career ...

(藤原継縄), 790–96. * ''Udaijin'', Miwa ōkimi or Miwa oh (神王), 798–806 * ''Udaijin'', Fujiwara no Uchimaro (藤原内麻呂) 756–812, 806–12. * ''

Dainagon was 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.Nussbaum, "Dainag ...

'' When the daughter of a ''

chūnagon was a counselor of the second rank in the Imperial court of Japan. The role dates from the 7th century. The role was eliminated from the Imperial hierarchy in 701, but it was re-established in 705. This advisory position remained a part of the I ...

'' became the favored consort of the Crown Prince Ate (later known as Heizei''-tennō''), her father's power and position in court was affected. Kammu disapproved of Fujiwara no Kusuko, daughter of

; and Kammu had her removed from his son's household.Ponsonby-Fane, p. 318. * ''

Chūnagon was a counselor of the second rank in the Imperial court of Japan. The role dates from the 7th century. The role was eliminated from the Imperial hierarchy in 701, but it was re-established in 705. This advisory position remained a part of the I ...

'', Fujiwara no Tadanushi

Consorts and children

Emperor Kammu's Imperial family included 36 children. *Empress (''

Kōgō are the tools and utensils used in , the Japanese way of tea. Tea utensils can be divided into five major categories: * * * * * A wide range of utensils, known collectively as , is necessary for even the most basic tea ceremony. Genera ...

''):

Fujiwara no Otomuro Fujiwara no Otomuro (藤原乙牟漏; �u͍ʑiwaɽa no otomuɽo 760 – April 28, 790) was a Japanese noblewoman and empress consort of Japan. Her sister was Fujiwara no Moroane. Fujiwara no Otomuro was a daughter of a noble called Fujiwara no ...

(藤原乙牟漏),

Fujiwara no Yoshitsugu was a Japanese statesman, courtier, and politician of the Nara period. He was the second son of the founder of the Shikike branch of the Fujiwara, Fujiwara no Umakai. His original name was . He was the maternal grandfather of the emperors Emperor ...

’s daughter **First Son: Imperial Prince Ate (安殿親王) later

**Fourth Son: Imperial Prince Kamino (賀美能親王/神野親王) later

**Imperial Princess Koshi (高志内親王; 789–809), married to

*Madame ''(

Bunin Ivan Alekseyevich Bunin ( or ; rus, Ива́н Алексе́евич Бу́нин, p=ɪˈvan ɐlʲɪkˈsʲejɪvʲɪdʑ ˈbunʲɪn, a=Ivan Alyeksyeyevich Bunin.ru.vorb.oga; – 8 November 1953)Kōtaigō Empress dowager (also dowager empress or empress mother; ) is the English language translation of the title given to the mother or widow of a monarch, especially in regards to Chinese, Japanese, Korean, or Vietnamese monarchs in the Chinese cult ...

)'': Fujiwara no Tabiko (藤原旅子),

Fujiwara no Momokawa was a Japanese statesman, courtier and politician during the Nara period.Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Fujiwara no Momokawa" in . His original name was . Career at court He was a minister during the reigns of Empress Kōken/Shōtoku a ...

’s daughter **Fifth Son: Imperial Prince Ōtomo (大伴親王) later

*''Consort ( Hi):'' Imperial

(酒人内親王),

’s daughter **First Daughter: Imperial Princess Asahara (朝原内親王; 779–817), 12th ''

Saiō or was the title of the unmarried female members of the Imperial House of Japan, Japanese Imperial Family, sent to serve at Ise Grand Shrine from the late 7th century to the 14th century. The 's residence, , was about north-west of the shrine ...

'' in

Ise Grand Shrine The , located in Ise, Mie Prefecture of Japan, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the solar goddess Amaterasu Ōmikami and the grain goddess Toyouke-hime (Toyouke Omikami). Also known simply as , Ise Shrine is a shrine complex composed of many Shi ...

(782–before 796), and married to

*Madame ( ''Bunin'''')'': Fujiwara no Yoshiko (藤原吉子; d.807),

Fujiwara no Korekimi was a Japanese aristocrat and statesman of the Nara period. He reached the court rank of Junior Second Rank and the position of Minister of the Right (''udaijin)'', and was posthumously promoted to Junior First Rank. He was also called . Li ...

’s daughter **Second Son: Imperial Prince Iyo (伊予親王; 783–807) *Madame ''(

Bunin Ivan Alekseyevich Bunin ( or ; rus, Ива́н Алексе́евич Бу́нин, p=ɪˈvan ɐlʲɪkˈsʲejɪvʲɪdʑ ˈbunʲɪn, a=Ivan Alyeksyeyevich Bunin.ru.vorb.oga; – 8 November 1953)Bunin Ivan Alekseyevich Bunin ( or ; rus, Ива́н Алексе́евич Бу́нин, p=ɪˈvan ɐlʲɪkˈsʲejɪvʲɪdʑ ˈbunʲɪn, a=Ivan Alyeksyeyevich Bunin.ru.vorb.oga; – 8 November 1953)Nyōgo)'' : Ki no Otoio (紀乙魚; d.840), Ki no Kotsuo's daughter *Court Lady ''( Nyōgo)'' : Kudarao no Kyōhō (百済王教法; d.840), Kudara no Shuntetsu's daughter *Court Lady ''( Nyōgo)'' : Tachibana no Miiko (橘御井子), daughter of Tachibana no Irii (橘入居) **Imperial Princess Sugawara (菅原内親王; d.825) **Sixteenth Daughter: Imperial Princess Kara (賀楽内親王; d.874) *Court Lady ''( Nyōgo)'' : Fujiwara no Nakako (藤原仲子), Fujiwara no Ieyori's daughter *Court Lady ( ''Nyōgo'') : Tachibana no Tsuneko (橘常子; 788–817), Tachibana no Shimadamaro's daughter **Ninth Daughter: Imperial Princess Ōyake (大宅内親王; d.849), married to

*Court Lady ''( Nyōgo)'': Fujiwara no ''Shōshi'' (藤原正子), Fujiwara no Kiyonari's daughter *Court Lady ''( Nyōgo)'': Sakanoue no Matako (坂上全子, d.790), Sakanoue no Karitamaro's daughter **Twelfth Daughter: Imperial Princess Takatsu (高津内親王; d.841), married to

*Court Lady ''( Nyōgo)'': Sakanoue no Haruko (坂上春子, d.834),

's daughter **Twelfth Son: Imperial Prince Fujii (葛井親王; 800–850) **Imperial Princess Kasuga (春日内親王; d.833) *Court Lady ''( Nyōgo)'': Fujiwara no Kawako (藤原河子, d.838), Fujiwara no Ōtsugu's daughter **Thirteenth Son: Imperial Prince Nakano (仲野親王; 792–867) **Thirteenth Princess: Imperial Princess Ate (安勅内親王; d.855) **Imperial Princess Ōi (大井内親王; d.865) **Imperial Princess Ki (紀内親王; 799–886) **Imperial Princess Yoshihara (善原内親王; d.863) *Court Lady ''( Nyōgo)'': Fujiwara no Azumako (藤原東子, d.816), Fujiwara no Tanetsugu's daughter **Imperial Princess Kannabi (甘南備内親王, 800–817), Married to

*Court Lady ''( Nyōgo)'': Fujiwara no ''Heishi/Nanshi'' (藤原平子/南子, d.833), Fujiwara no Takatoshi's daughter **Eighth Daughter: Imperial Princess Ito (伊都内親王), married to

Prince Abo was a Japanese Imperial Household of Japan, imperial prince of the early Heian period. Biography He was born in 792''Britannica Kokusai Dai-Hyakkajiten'' article "Abo-shinnō". Britannica.''MyPaedia'' article "Abo-shinnō". Hitachi.''Daijisen ...

*Court Lady ''( Nyōgo)'': Ki no Wakako (紀若子), Ki no Funamori's daughter **Seventh Son: Imperial Prince Asuka (明日香親王, d.834) *Court Lady ''( Nyōgo)'': Fujiwara no Kamiko (藤原上子), Fujiwara no Oguromaro's daughter **Imperial Princess Shigeno (滋野内親王, 809–857) *Court Lady ''( Nyōgo)'': Tachibana no Tamurako (橘田村子), Tachibana no Irii's daughter **Imperial Princess Ikenoe (池上内親王, d.868) *Court Lady ''( Nyōgo)'': Kawakami no Manu (河上好), Nishikibe no Haruhito's daughter **Imperial Prince Sakamoto (坂本親王, 793–818) *Court Lady ('' Nyōgo''): Kudarao no Kyōnin (百済王教仁), Kudara no Bukyō's daughter **Imperial Prince Ōta (大田親王, d.808) *Court Lady ('' Nyōgo''): Kudarao no Jōkyō (百済王貞香), Kudara no Kyōtoku's daughter **Imperial Princess Suruga (駿河内親王, 801–820) *Court Lady ('' Nyōgo''): Nakatomi no Toyoko (中臣豊子), Nakatomi no Ōio's daughter **Fifth Daughter: Imperial Princess Fuse (布勢内親王, d.812), 13th

in Ise Shrine, 797–806 *Court lady ('' Nyoju''): Tajihi no Toyotsugu (多治比豊継), Tajihi no Hironari's daughter **Nagaoka no Okanari (長岡岡成, d.848), removed from the Imperial Family by receiving the family name from Emperor (Shisei Kōka, 賜姓降下) in 787 *Court Lady ('' Nyoju''):: Kudara no Yōkei (百済永継), Asukabe no Natomaro's daughter **Yoshimine no Yasuyo (良岑安世, 785–830), removed from the Imperial Family by receiving the family name from Emperor (Shisei Kōka, 賜姓降下) in 802

Ancestry

Legacy

In 2001, Japan's emperor

Akihito Akihito (born 23 December 1933) is a member of the Imperial House of Japan who reigned as the 125th emperor of Japan from 1989 until 2019 Japanese imperial transition, his abdication in 2019. The era of his rule was named the Heisei era, Hei ...

told reporters "I, on my part, feel a certain kinship with Korea", given the fact that it is recorded in the ''Chronicles of Japan'' that the Emperor Kammu's mother was one of the descendant of King Muryong of Baekje (462–523). It was the first time that a Japanese emperor publicly referred to any Korean ancestry in the imperial line. According to the ''

'', Emperor Kammu's mother,

(720–90), is a descendant of

Prince Junda was a member of the royal family of Baekje. He was a son of King Muryeong and the founder of the () in Japan. of Junda Taishi is a title meaning Crown Prince, and Junda is the name. Biography According to the ''Shoku Nihongi'' (797), Prince ...

, son of Muryeong, who died in Japan in 513 (''

'', Chapter 17).

Notes

References

* * Ponsonby-Fane, Richard. (1959)
''The Imperial House of Japan.''
Kyoto: Ponsonby Memorial Society. * Titsingh, Isaac. (1834)
''Annales des empereurs du Japon''
(''

Nihon Ōdai Ichiran , ', is a 17th-century chronicle of the serial reigns of Japanese emperors with brief notes about some of the noteworthy events or other happenings. According to the 1871 edition of the ''American Cyclopaedia'', the 1834 French translation of ...

''). Paris: Royal Asiatic Society, Oriental Translation Fund of Great Britain and Ireland. * Varley, H. Paul. (1980)
''Jinnō Shōtōki: A Chronicle of Gods and Sovereigns''.
New York: Columbia University Press. ; {{DEFAULTSORT:Kanmu 730s births 806 deaths 8th-century Japanese monarchs 9th-century Japanese monarchs City founders Emperors of Japan People of the Heian period People of the Nara period Buddhism in the Heian period Buddhism in the Nara period Japanese Buddhist monarchs