Empress Kogyoku

Empress K?gyoku (???? K?gyoku Tenn?), also Empress Saimei (???? Saimei Tenn?) (594–661) was the 35th imperial ruler of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. From 642 she ruled as K?gyoku, but abdicated after the assassination of Soga no Iruka and gave up the throne to her brother Emperor K?toku in 645. After K?toku died in 655, she reascended the throne as Empress Saimei, and ruled under that name until her death. She was a great-granddaughter of Emperor Bidatsu. Her birth name was Princess Takara.

Related Topics:
594 - 661 - Imperial ruler - Japan - 642 - Soga no Iruka - Emperor K?toku - 645 - 655 - Emperor Bidatsu

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She was the wife and Empress Consort of Emperor Jomei. They had three children: Prince Naka no ?e (Emperor Tenji), Prince ?ama (Emperor Temmu), and Princess Hashihito.

Related Topics:
Emperor Jomei - Emperor Tenji - Emperor Temmu

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During her first reign the Soga clan seized power. Her son Naka no ?e 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.

Related Topics:
Soga clan - Soga no Iruka

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After Emperor K?toku died, though Naka no ?e was the crown prince, he had his mother reascend the throne, and remained as the crown prince under his mother. He, and not his mother, however, led the politics of Japan. In the fifth year of her second reign, Paekche in Korea was destroyed in 660. Japan assisted Paekche loyals to the attempt of retrieving former Paekche territory. Early in 661, Saimei started from the capital in Yamato province in Honshu with both an army and a navy and crossed the Inland Sea of Japan from east to west. The empress stayed in Ishiyu Temporary Palace in Iyo province, today D?go spa. 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 Paekche was prepared the war against Silla but on July 24 (Japanese calendar), 661 she 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). Her funeral ceremony was held in early November.

Related Topics:
Paekche - Korea - 660 - 661 - Yamato province - Honshu - Inland Sea of Japan - Iyo province - D?go - May - Tsukushi province - Kyushu - Fukuoka prefecture - Silla - July - October - Osaka city - November

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After her death, her son Naka no ?e ascended to the throne in 663, after the battle against Silla and the Sui Dynasty.

Related Topics:
663 - Sui Dynasty

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