The sons of Niigasa had not been considered to be successors until 772, when the Empress (Inoe) was suddenly stripped of her rank following accusations that she had cursed the Emperor. The crown prince, her son, was also disinherited. They were dead two years later. Subsequently, Niigasa's son Prince Yamabe[3] was appointed as the crown prince and acceded to the throne as Emperor Kanmu.[4]
In 2001, Emperor Akihito told reporters "I, on my part, feel a certain kinship with Korea, given the fact that it is recorded in the Chronicles of Japan that the mother of Emperor Kammu [Niigasa] was one of the descendant of King Muryong of Baekje." It was the first time that a Japanese emperor publicly referred to Korean blood in the imperial line.[5] According to the Shoku Nihongi, Niigasa (720–790) is a descendant of Prince Junda, son of Muryeong, who died in Japan in 513 (Nihon Shoki Chapter 17).
Unless otherwise noted (as BC), years are in CE / AD1 individuals that were given the title of empress dowager posthumously
2 title removed in 896 due to a suspected affair with head priest of the Toko-ji Temple; title posthumously restored in 943
3 was made High Empress or de jure empress dowager during her husband's reign
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