The emperor of Japan is a position as the head of state which traditionally dates back to the 7th century BCE and the legendary figure of Emperor Jimmu (r. 660-585 BCE). Emperors came to be known as the Tenno or 'heavenly sovereign' in reference to the widely held belief that they were directly descended from the Shinto sun goddess Amaterasu.
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Definition
Timeline
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660 BCE - 585 BCETraditional reign dates of Emperor Jimmu, Japan's first emperor.
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97 BCE - 30 BCEPossible reign dates of Japan's Emperor Sujin.
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c. 531 CE - 571 CEReign of Emperor Kimmei in Japan.
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535 CE - 539 CEReign of Emperor Senka in Japan.
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572 CE - 585 CEReign of Emperor Bidatsu in Japan.
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587 CE - 592 CEReign of Emperor Sushun in Japan.
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592 CE - 628 CEReign of Empress Suiko, Japan's first empress.
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594 CE - 622 CEReign of Prince Shotoku as regent for Japanese Empress Suiko.
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629 CE - 641 CEReign of Emperor Jomei in Japan.
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642 CE - 645 CEReign of Empress Kogyoku in Japan.
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645 CE - 654 CEReign of Emperor Kotoku in Japan.
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645 CEFujiwara no Kamatari leads a coup d'etat in Japan, removing the Soga clan from power.
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661 CE - 671 CEReign of Emperor Tenji in Japan.
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671 CE - 672 CEReign of Emperor Kobun in Japan.
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671 CE - 672 CEThe Jinshin Incident in Japan which establishes Temmu as emperor.
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672 CE - 686 CEReign of Emperor Temmu in Japan.
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686 CE - 697 CEReign of Empress Jito in Japan.
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697 CE - 707 CEReign of Emperor Mommu in Japan.
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707 CE - 715 CEReign of Empress Gemmei in Japan.
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715 CE - 724 CEReign of Empress Gensho in Japan.
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724 CE - 749 CEReign of Emperor Shomu in Japan.
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740 CEA rebellion led by the Fujiwara exile Hirotsugu is quashed by Emperor Shomu.
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749 CE - 758 CEFirst reign of Empress Koken in Japan.
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758 CE - 764 CEReign of emperor Junnin in Japan.
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764 CE - 770 CESecond reign of Empress Koken, now known as Shotoku, in Japan.
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770 CE - 781 CEReign of Emperor Konin in Japan.
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781 CE - 806 CEReign of Emperor Kammu in Japan.
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784 CEEmperor Kammu moves the Japanese capital from Nara to Nagaokakyo.
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794 CEEmperor Kammu moves the Japanese capital to Heiankyo (Kyoto).
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866 CEFujiwara no Yoshifusa becomes the first Japanese regent not of royal blood.
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887 CE - 897 CEReign of Japan's Emperor Uda
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897 CE - 930 CEReign of Japan's Emperor Daigo.
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1073 CE - 1087 CEReign of Japan's Emperor Shirakawa.
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1180 CE - 1185 CEThe Genpei War in Japan between the Taira and Minamoto clans.
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1183 CE - 1198 CEReign of Japan's Emperor Go-Toba.
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1185 CEBattle of Dannoura where the Minamoto defeat the rival Taira. The young emperor Antoku drowns.
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1246 CE - 1259 CEReign of Japan's Emperor Go-Fukakusa.
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1259 CE - 1274 CEReign of Japan's Emperor Kameyama.
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1337 CE - 1392 CEJapan has two competing emperors: the 'Northern and Southern Courts.
