HIMEMIKO*WEB

Ahe no Himemiko's father is Emperor Tenchi and her mother Mei no Iratsume, who is a daughter of Soga no Kurayamada no Ishikawa Maro and gave birth to Minabe no Himemiko before she was born.

She got married with Kusakabe no Miko, Uno no Sarara no Himemiko's son, and had a son and two daughters: Karu no Miko, Hidaka no Himemiko and Kibi no Himemiko.

Kusakabe no Miko was made the Prince Imperial and he was supposed to be the next Emperor after Temmu Tenno's death, but he died without assuming the Imperial Dignity.

Instead, his mother, Uno no Sarara no Himemiko, succeeded the Imperial Dignity (Jito Tenno) and abdicated it to Karu no Miko in 697.

Karu no Miko assumed the Imperial Dignity (Mommu Tenno) in that year, but ten years later he died.

Karu no Miko had one son, Obito no Miko, but he was just a little child when Karu died. Somebody had to be the Emperor until Obito grew up but there are no other appropriate Princes of Blood at that time. That was why Ahe no Himemiko temporarily assumed the Imperial Dignity to be Empress Gemmei.

Although she was the "temporary" Imperial ruler, she did her best in political actions. It is during her dynasty that the Wado copper coins began to be distributed, that the capital was removed to Nara, and that the national chronicles, Kojiki and Nihon Shoki, were completed.