Emperor Monmu
Emperor Monmu was the 42nd emperor of Japan by the traditional reckoning, reigning from 697 to 707.
A son of Prince Kusakabe, in his youth Fujiwara no Fuhito served as his official guardian. Monmu took the throne in 697, after his grandmother Empress Jitô abdicated in his favor; the following year, Fuhito's daughter Fujiwara Miyako and two other women were given to him as consorts.
During his reign, Monmu oversaw a number of significant reforms, including a reform of the system of court costume and caps in 701, and the establishment that same year of a "Faculty of gagaku," establishing gagaku as the official style of formal ritual music of the court and providing structures for members of the court to be trained in its performance.[1]
Roughly two months prior to his death, Emperor Monmu formally praised Fujiwara no Fuhito and granted him an estate of 5,000 households; after Fuhito demurred, this was reduced to 2,000.
Upon his death in 707, Monmu was succeeded by Empress Genmei.
| Preceded by Empress Jitô |
Emperor of Japan 697-707 |
Succeeded by Empress Genmei |
References
- ↑ Chia-Ying Yeh, "The Revival and Restoration of Ryukyuan Court Music, Uzagaku: Classification and Performance Techniques, Language Usage, and Transmission," PhD thesis, University of Sheffield (2018), 14.
