Traditional narrative

Empress Kōken's personal name (imina) was . Her father was Emperor Shōmu, and her mother was Empress Kōmyō.

Kōken is traditionally venerated at her tomb; the Imperial Household Agency designates , in Nara, Nara, as the location of Kōken's mausoleum. The site is publicly accessible.

Events of Kōkens life

• August 19, 749: In the 25th year of Shōmu-tennō 's reign (聖武天皇二十五年), the emperor renounced his throne and the succession (senso) was received by his daughter. Shortly thereafter, Kōken is said to have acceded to the throne.

• 757: Conspiracy to overthrow Empress Kōken was not successful.

• 758: Kōken abdicated in favor of a cousin who would become known as Emperor Junnin. The Empress had reigned for about ten years.

• 764: In the sixth year of Junnin-tennō 's reign, the emperor was deposed by his adoptive mother, and the succession was received by former-Empress Kōken.

• January 26, 765: Kōken formally reascended the throne (sokui) as Empress Shōtoku.

• August 28, 770 (: Empress Shōtoku died at age 57, leaving the throne vacant. She was succeeded by her first cousin twice removed, Emperor Kōnin. Empress Shōtoku had reigned for five years.

Eras of her reigns

The years of Kōken's reign are more specifically identified by more than one era name.

• Tenpyō-kanpō (749)

• Tenpyō-shōhō (749–757)

• Tenpyō-hōji (757–765)

The years of Shōtoku's reign are more specifically identified by more than one era name.

• Tenpyō-hōji (757–765)

• Tenpyō-jingo (765–767)

• Jingo-keiun (767–770)

Legacy

Koken's reign was turbulent, and she survived coup attempts by both Tachibana no Naramaro and Fujiwara no Nakamaro. Today, she is remembered chiefly for her alleged affair with a Buddhist monk named Dōkyō (道鏡), a man she honored with titles and power. An oracle from Usa Shrine, the shrine of the kami in Usa, is said to have proclaimed that the monk should be made emperor; but when the empress sent to verify the pronouncement, Hachiman decreed that only one of imperial blood should ascend to the throne.

As with the seven other reigning empresses whose successors were most often selected from amongst the males of the paternal imperial bloodline, she was followed on the throne by a male cousin, which is why some conservative scholars argue that the women's reigns were temporary and that male-only succession tradition must be maintained in the 21st century. Empress Genmei, who was followed on the throne by her daughter, Empress Genshō, remains the sole exception to this conventional argument.

She is also known for sponsoring the Hyakumantō Darani, one of the largest productions of printed works in early Japan.

Otagi Nenbutsu-ji, a Buddhist temple in the Arashiyama neighborhood of Kyoto, was founded by Shōtoku in the middle of the eighth century.

Kugyō

is a collective term for the very few most powerful men attached to the court of the Emperor of Japan in pre-Meiji 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 Kōken's reign, this apex of the Daijō-kan included:

• Taihō, Emi no Oshikatsu (formerly Fujiwara no Nakamaro).

• Daijō-daijin

• Sadaijin, Tachibana no Moroe (formerly Katsuragi-ō, Prince Katsuragi) (half brother of Empress Kōmyō).

• Udaijin, Fujiwara no Toyonari (first son of Fujiwara no Muchimaro).

• Udaijin, Fujiwara no Nakamaro (second son of Fujiwara no Muchimaro).

• Naidaijin

• Dainagon

The kugyō during Shōtoku's reign included:

• Daijō-daiji, Dōkyō.

• Sadaijin

• Udaijin, Kibi Makibi.

• Nadaijin

• Dainagon, Fujiwara Matate.

Ancestry

死因他說

舉凡稱德天皇死因，諸說紛紜。有說緣於神祟，有說肇因疾病，亦有暗殺等說。

史料《日本紀略》有云：

◎寶龜元年三月十五日，天皇聖體不豫，不視朝百餘日。天皇愛道鏡法師，將失天下。道鏡欲快帝心，於由義宮，以雜物進之。不得拔。於是，寶命白頹，醫藥無驗。或尼一人出來云：「梓木作金筋，塗油挾出。則全寶命。」百川竊逐卻。皇帝遂八月四日崩。天皇平生未立皇太子。至此，右大臣真備等論曰：「御史大夫從二位文室淨三真人，是長親王之子也。立為皇太子。」百川與左大臣永手、內大臣良繼論云：「淨三真人有子十三人，如後世何?」真備等都不聽之。圍淨三真人為皇太子。淨三推辭，仍更圍其弟參議從三位文室大市真人為皇太子。亦所辭之。百川與永手、良繼定策，偽作宣命語。宣命使立庭令宣制。右大臣真備捲舌無如何。百川即命諸仗圍白壁王為皇太子。

言其死因與道鏡之情事有關。佛教文書《日本靈異記》亦云：「弓削氏僧道鏡法師，與皇后同枕交通，天下政相攝，治天下。」

家族

孝謙天皇終身未婚，所以沒有子女。

• 父：聖武天皇

• 母：光明皇后

• 弟：基王

• 異母兄弟姐妹：井上內親王、不破內親王、安積親王

譜系

參考

• 《續日本紀》——卷十七　孝謙天皇　寶字稱德孝謙皇帝

• 《續日本紀》——卷廿六　稱德天皇　高野天皇