Emperor Kanmu

Emperor Kanmu was the 50th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. He reigned from 781 to 806, and it was during his reign that the scope of the emperor's powers reached its peak. He was the eldest son of Prince Shirakabe, later known as Emperor Konin, and his mother was a descendant of King Muryeong of Baekje, a Korean kingdom. He was named as the crown prince in 773, after his father became emperor. He ascended to the throne in 781, after his father's abdication. He gave his reign the era name of Enryaku, meaning "prolonged succession". Emperor Kanmu was an active and ambitious ruler, who attempted to consolidate the government hierarchies and functions, and to reduce the influence of the Buddhist clergy and the aristocracy on the state affairs. He issued edicts that limited the construction of new Buddhist temples, the entry of people into monasteries, and the sale or donation of land to Buddhist institutions. He also supported the growth of two new Buddhist sects, the Shingon and the Tendai, that opposed the older schools. He reformed the taxation system, the provincial administration, the military organization, and the court ranks. He also promoted the development of culture, literature, and education. One of his most notable achievements was the relocation of the capital from Nara to Heian-kyo, or Kyoto, in 794. He moved the capital twice, first to Nagaoka-kyo in 784, and then to Heian-kyo in 794, in order to escape the political intrigues and the religious influence of the Buddhist temples in Nara. He also wanted to establish a new city that would reflect his vision of a centralized and powerful state. Heian-kyo was modeled after Chang'an, the capital of the Chinese Tang dynasty, and was planned on a grand scale, with wide avenues, palaces, government offices, and temples. The move to Heian-kyo marked the beginning of the Heian period, which lasted until the 12th century, and was considered a golden age of Japanese culture and civilization. Emperor Kanmu also expanded the territory of Japan by launching military campaigns against the Emishi, the indigenous people of northern Honshu, and the Ryukyu Islands. He appointed the first shogun, or military commander, Otomo no Otomaro, in 794, and granted him the title of "Sei-i Taishogun", meaning "Barbarian-subduing Great General". He also appointed Sakanoue no Tamuramaro as the second shogun, and entrusted him with the task of subduing the Emishi. He also sent diplomatic missions to China, Korea, and other countries, and maintained friendly relations with them. Emperor Kanmu had 16 empresses and consorts, and 32 imperial sons and daughters. Among them, three sons would eventually succeed him as emperors: Emperor Heizei, Emperor Saga, and Emperor Junna. Some of his descendants took the Taira clan name, and became prominent warriors in later generations. Examples include Taira no Masakado, Taira no Kiyomori, and the Hojo clan. The waka poet Ariwara no Narihira was one of his grandsons. Emperor Kanmu died in 806, at the age of 70, of natural causes. He was buried in Kashiwabara no Misasagi, in Fushimi-ku, Kyoto. He is traditionally venerated as one of the greatest emperors of Japan.