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Empress Jitō

Type Figure Region Japan Time 645–703 Also known as Empress Jitō、Princess Usu-no-sarara

Empress Jitō (645 – January 13, 703), daughter of Emperor Tenchi and empress of Emperor Tenmu, assumed power after Tenmu's death in 686, formally acc…

Timeline

  1. 673–686Asuka-kyō · Yamato ProvinceServed as empress during Emperor Tenmu's reign, participating in court governance and accumulating political experience and connections for her later personal rule.
  2. 686–697Asuka-kyō · Yamato ProvinceAfter Emperor Tenmu's death in 686, she ruled as empress regent, formally acceding in 690, and as a female emperor continued to advance codification and centralization policies.
  3. 689–703Fujiwara-kyō · Yamato ProvincePromulgated the Asuka Kiyomihara Code in 689 and moved the capital to Fujiwara-kyō in 694. After abdicating to her grandson Emperor Monmu in 697, she guided court affairs as retired emperor. The Taihō Code was promulgated in 701 (under Monmu), and Heijō-kyō was built by Empress Genmei after 708 — neither was done during Jitō's reign. She died on January 13, 703.

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