Born: 645, Japan
Died: 13 January 703
Country most active: Japan
The following bio was written by Emma Rosen, author of On This Day She Made History: 366 Days With Women Who Shaped the World and This Day In Human Ingenuity & Discovery: 366 Days of Scientific Milestones with Women in the Spotlight, and has been republished with permission.
In 686, Empress Jitō (持統天皇 Jitō-tennō | 645 – 13 January 703) ascended the throne as the 41st monarch of Japan, following the traditional line of succession.
Her reign, which spanned from 686 to 697, marked her as the third woman in Japanese history to ascend to the role of empress regnant. She followed in the footsteps of Empresses Suiko and Kōgyoku/Saimei. After her reign fire more women ruled as sovereigns: Empresses Genmei, Genshō, Kōken/Shōtoku, Meishō, and Go-Sakuramachi.
Jitō took charge of court administration after her husband, Emperor Tenmu, who was also her uncle, passed away. She became the ruler in 687 to ensure her son, Kusakabe-shinnō’s eventual succession. During this period, she governed from the Fujiwara Palace in Yamato. In 689, she banned Sugoroku, performed a special ritual during her enthronement in 690, and, in 692, disregarded Minister Miwa-no-Asono-Takechimaro’s advice by traveling to Ise.
Prince Kusakabe was named crown prince, but his early death led to his son, Karu-no-o, being chosen as Jitō’s successor, later known as Emperor Monmu.
Empress Jitō’s reign lasted for eleven years. While there were seven other empresses, their successors were usually males from the Imperial family, prompting some to argue for maintaining male-only succession into the 21st century. The only exception to this was Empress Genmei, followed by her daughter, Empress Genshō.
In 697, Jitō abdicated in favor of Monmu, taking on the post-reign title of daijō-tennō. This practice continued with her successors who abdicated.
As a cloistered ruler, Jitō wielded ongoing influence, setting a lasting trend in Japanese politics.