Emperor Tenji

Asuka Emperor Emperor Tenji Emperor of the Askuka Period, mid 7th century Japanese 天智天皇 Tenji Tennô Lived 626-671 Reigned 668-671 Names: Ame Mikoto Hirakasu Wake (天命開別), Kazuraki (葛城), Naka no Ôe (中大兄)

Emperor Tenji, known throughout most of his career as Naka no Ôe, was one of the major political figures of the Asuka Period.

He was the second prince born to Emperor Jomei 舒明天皇.

In 645 with the help of Nakatomi no Kamatari 中臣鎌足 (later Fujiwara no Kamatari) he destroyed the Soga clan 蘇我氏. The same year he carried out the very significant Taika Reforms. After the death of his mother, the ruling emperor Empress Seimei, in 661 he took the position of regent and moved the capital to Ôtsu no Miya in Ômi province in 667, but did not actually ascend the throne till 668. In 670 he created the Kôgo-year Register of Families, the first such nation-wide registe, and promulgated the Ômi Law Code.

Morris in The Nobility of Failure has a chapter discussing him as the "successful villain" in contrast to his cousin Arima no Miko 有間皇子, son of Emperor Kôtoku, whom he executed on a rather doubtful charge of plotting a revolt.

Reference Kojien Dictionary

For the Taika Reforms see Sources of Japanese Tradition