Emperor Monmu

Emperor Monmu (683–707), previously Prince Karu, was a son of Prince Kusakabe and Princess Abe, later Empress Genmei. In 697, his grandmother, Empress Jitō, yielded the throne to him. He ruled from the capital at Fujiwara in present-day Nara. Jitō continued to oversee government during the earlier part of his reign. Monmu's consort Fujiwara no Miyako, a daughter of the official Fuhito, became the mother of the future Emperor Shōmu. [S01, S02, S03, S04]

Under Monmu, Prince Osakabe, Fuhito and other officials compiled the Taihō legal code, completed in 701, with implementation continuing in 702. Its regulations organized offices, official ranks and the obligations of government and population. This was a collective undertaking within a court already engaged in legal and administrative reform. In 702, an embassy departed for Tang China, renewing diplomatic contact after a long interruption. [S01, S04]

The later reign faced disasters, famine and epidemic disease. Administrative changes followed, including the establishment of the middle-counsellor office in 705 and revision of officials' evaluation periods in 706. The new code remained subject to adjustment as the government encountered practical problems. Monmu died in 707; his young son did not immediately succeed him. Instead, Abe took the throne as Genmei, continuing the government and the royal family's succession. [S01, S03]