Chrysanthemum Throne: The oldest ruling dynasty in history. Imperial dynasty

In Tokyo (Japan).

Direct descendant of Jimmu, the legendary first emperor of Japan. Born into the family of Emperor Hirohito and Empress Kojun, he became their fifth child but first son. At birth he received the name Tsugu no Miya.

Following the tradition of education for members of the Japanese imperial family, from 1940 to 1952 he studied with personal tutors, as well as at a school for members of the imperial family and the highest aristocracy (Gakushuin).

IN recent years During World War II, Akihito was temporarily taken with his fellow students from Tokyo to the Nikko mountains, but after the end of the war he returned to his homeland and continued his studies at school.

As a result of Japan's defeat in the war, the power of the Japanese emperor was significantly limited: mainly ceremonial functions were left to him. New conditions and new limits of imperial power required changes in the nature of the education received by the heir to the throne: the prince learned English language and acquired a wide knowledge of Western culture. The American teacher Elizabeth Gray Vining, a famous author of children's books, helped him in this.

In 1952, the prince entered the department of politics at the Faculty of Politics and Economics at Gakushuin University.

In November 1952, he came of age and was officially declared Crown Prince.

Akihito graduated from the university in March 1956, having received specialized training in a wide range of subjects, including Japanese history and constitutional law.

On April 10, 1959, breaking with 1,500 years of tradition, Akihito entered into a morganatic marriage with Michiko Shoda (born October 20, 1934), the daughter of a wealthy Japanese businessman and a graduate of the Roman Catholic Women's University in Tokyo. The Crown Prince's marriage to a commoner was unanimously approved by the Imperial Household Council, headed by the Prime Minister.

Foreign trips have become business card heir to the Japanese throne: before his enthronement, he visited 37 countries.
In September 1988, due to his father's illness, Akihito assumed a number of responsibilities as emperor.

On January 7, 1989, after the death of Emperor Hirohito, Akihito was proclaimed Emperor of Japan. A new period of national chronology began in the country (corresponding to the period of imperial rule). The era of Akihito's reign began on January 8, 1989, under the motto Heisei, which translated means "peace everywhere," "the establishment of peace."

After the death of the emperor, the name of the era becomes his posthumous name. The previous Emperor Hirohito is supposed to be called "Emperor Showa" in memory of the era of his reign ("enlightenment and harmony").

The official coronation of Emperor Akihito took place on November 12, 1990, in the presence of representatives from 158 countries and two international organizations.

According to the Japanese constitution, the emperor is not vested with powers related to the exercise of government power. Akihito maintains complete neutrality with regard to current politics, but occasionally (in agreement with the Japanese political leadership) makes statements and commits actions that have a significant impact on Japan’s position in the world and the attitude of other countries towards it.

In Japan, religion and state are formally separated, but the emperor remains. He performs rituals at the palace and at the great Ise Shrine, dedicated to the ancestor of the imperial family, the Sun Goddess Amaterasu no Omikami, where he is believed to communicate with his divine ancestors.

The emperor is known as an ichthyologist and traveler. He is the author of several dozen scientific articles on ichthyology, co-author of two books about the fish of Japan, including the collective work The Fishes of the Japanese Archipelago (1984). He is also an honorary member of the Linnean Society of London (1986), the Zoological Society of London (1992) and the Research Institute for Natural Science of Argentina (1997).

The imperial couple have three children: the current Crown Prince Naruhito (Hiro no Miya), Prince Akishino (Aya no Miya) and Princess Sayako (Nori no Miya). Together with his wife, Akihito changed the way of life in the imperial family. Despite their constant busyness with official events, they raised their children themselves, without placing them in the care of nannies and valets.

The material was prepared based on information from RIA Novosti and open sources

There are not many countries in the world where the monarchy has been preserved. Oddly enough, Japan is one of them. Nowhere will you find such an attitude towards the person of the emperor as in the Land of the Rising Sun. At the same time, Japan is one of the most high-tech countries in the world. If you look at it, the post of president of Japan is occupied by two people - the emperor and the prime minister.

The status of president formally belongs to the emperor, who represents the country in the foreign policy arena. At the same time, the actual duties of the president are performed by the Prime Minister of Japan, who is the head of government. Nevertheless, the mentality of the Japanese, who sacredly honor their ancient traditions, provided the Emperor of Japan with popular love. This can be fully seen during Founding Day, which is a national Japanese holiday. It is celebrated on February 11th. It was on this day that the first Japanese emperor Jimmu was born, who received this status in the 7th century BC

Japan's new constitution clearly defines the role of the emperor. It is “a symbol of the state and the unity of the people.” In fact, since 1945, Japan has been governed by a parliament that carries out reforms, issues decrees, and sets tasks and goals for the further development of the country. However, the emperor must sign all important government papers.

The role of the emperor in Japanese history

Imperial power in Japan, as in many Asian countries, has a religious background. The first Japanese semi-legendary Emperor Jimmu was a direct descendant of the sun goddess Amaterasu Omikami. It is not known for sure whether this ruler actually existed, but it is not customary to doubt the divine essence of imperial power in Japan. This position has always been very convenient for the ruling elite of society. Any dissatisfaction was regarded as blasphemy and was severely punished. The orders of the emperor were perceived as the will of the Almighty.

The Japanese imperial power, according to some sources, has existed for 2,600 years, so the Japanese emperors can rightfully be considered the oldest dynasty in the world that has survived to this day. If you compare it with the European ruling dynasties, you can see that the age difference between them is more than 1,500 years.

The first emperors in Japanese history

As mentioned above, the first Japanese emperor is considered to be Jimmu, who ruled the country from 660 to 585 BC. Although many European historians have repeatedly raised doubts about whether he is a real person, no one in Japan doubts his reality. In the Japanese epic Kojiki, Emperor Jimmu is not only mentioned, his time of birth, years of reign and death are clearly indicated there. Since Emperor Jimmu came from the island of Kyushu, where archaeological finds show that the culture was more developed, it can be assumed that it was he who managed to create a powerful tribal union based on conquests.

The first Japanese emperor whose existence is confirmed in official documents that have survived to this day was Sujin. It was he who was prescribed the creation of the first Japanese state, Yamato. This emperor reigned from 97 to 29 BC. Sujin was the 10th Japanese emperor of the Yayoi era. Even in those ancient times, the imperial power in Japan was significantly different from the European one, which was formed much later. Japanese dynasties did not belong to the same clan, but were representatives of the same dynastic line.

When the emperor ascended the throne, he received the title "Tenno Heika", which means His Majesty the Emperor. The ruler's real name was not used until his death. After several centuries, the imperial title in Japan was “overgrown” with various titles and ranks that emphasized the divinity and exclusivity of the imperial person. This tradition migrated to the island from China.

Although Imperial ruling house in Japan it is considered the oldest in the world; it acquired the official status of “imperial” only in the 6th – 7th centuries. This happened thanks to wandering monks who, having visited China, were able to establish a legal mechanism supreme power in Japan in the image and likeness of the Chinese.

In order to raise the imperial title to a height unattainable for the common people, it was declared that the emperor was the high priest, and his divine origin was beyond doubt. Only in this way was it possible to strengthen power in medieval society and save it from constant wars between principalities.

It was at this time that the first official regalia of imperial power appeared in Japan, which have survived to this day:

The main symbol of imperial power is the sword. It symbolizes courage;
Necklace made of precious stones. The main one is jasper, which symbolizes wealth;
A mirror symbolizing wisdom.

These symbols were passed from one emperor to another during the succession ceremony.

The Golden Era of the Emperors of Japan

The golden age of Japanese imperial power began with the advent of the Yamato era, which took shape between 400 and 539 AD. In addition to the strengthening of imperial power in Japan, this period is characterized by:

The spread of Buddhism throughout the country;
Recognition of Japanese emperors as descendants of gods on earth;
Formation of the country's governance structure;
Establishing trade and political ties with China and Korea.

It was Chinese culture that had a huge influence on the development of Japanese statehood, and its introduction occurred thanks to the efforts of Buddhist monks.

The Yamato era is associated with the names of two Japanese emperors: Yuryaku and Keitai. They tried to strengthen state power in Japan, due to the development of eastern religious teachings. All Japanese emperors of this era adopted Buddhism.

It was during the Yamato era that a stable principle of succession to the throne was formed. Imperial power passed to the eldest son of the deceased emperor. Although legally only men could be emperors in Japan, the country was often ruled by women who became regents for their young sons.

Strengthening imperial power in Japan

During the Nara era, which began at the beginning of the 8th century and continued until its end, imperial power in Japan strengthened significantly. The country has turned into a real state with its own laws and governing bodies. This period was quite calm, its feature was the introduction of Chinese culture into society. Even Japanese cities were built according to Chinese standards.

Although the Japanese emperor gained real power during the Nara era, it was not unlimited. It was limited by a large state council, which was even spelled out in Japanese laws of that time. It was during the Nara period that such a public holiday as the Emperor's Birthday appeared, which is still celebrated today.

During those same years, there was a struggle for power between the ruling imperial house and the Buddhist monks, who had enormous power in the country. In the middle of the 8th century, Buddhist monks even tried to overthrow the legitimate emperor, but thanks to the intervention of the Fujiwara clan, this attempt failed.

Starting in 781, a new era began in the country, called in history as the Heian era. It lasted until 1198. This period is considered one of the most dramatic in the history of Japan, since at that time there was a struggle for power between strong and noble Japanese clans. The imperial power was greatly weakened, which ultimately had a negative impact on the economy of the entire country. Gradually, rival clans almost completely removed the emperor from governing the country, leaving him only for appearances.

The powerful Japanese emperors turned into puppets who could only advise the major parties on how to govern the country. During the Heian era, the country had 33 emperors, many of whom had rather tragic fates. Palace coups, conspiracies and even open murders of emperors occurred quite often at this time.

The complete decline of imperial power in the country began when the shogunate was formed in Japan - a new government, which included representatives of noble samurai families and high nobles. Although the emperor's supporters repeatedly tried by force to revive the emperor's right to sole power in the country, rich samurai, each of whom had his own strong army, quickly and effectively dealt with the dissatisfied.

The imperial house became impoverished, and its budget was especially hit hard by the transfer of the capital of Japan to the city of Heian (modern Kyoto). All orders and decrees of the emperor concerned mainly state rituals and ceremonies, and financial well-being now completely dependent on sales noble titles and government positions.

The Kamakura era (1198-1339) did not bring anything good for the imperial power in terms of strengthening it. The first Japanese emperor who tried to revive the power of the imperial dynasty was Go-Daigo. He carried out a series of reforms aimed at restoring the full power of the emperor. The standard in those days was the Nara era, so Go-Daigo tried to return the country to this period. Unfortunately, these attempts led to bloody wars, which, although they led to the defeat of the shogunate, split the imperial ruling house into northern and southern dynasties.

After the split of the ruling dynasty, the country plunged into chaos. It was then that the samurai became the main force in the country, and were able to develop military art to unimaginable heights. Unfortunately, they mainly honed their personal skills, and did not pay due attention to the training of the militias.

With the rise to power of the rulers of the Muromachi era, imperial power did not increase at all. Every rich samurai could openly tell the emperor how he should act in a given situation, and if something happened, he could go to war against his formal master. Only the advent of the Edo era was able to return the Japanese imperial house to its former power.

IN early XIX century, imperial power in Japan began to be considered the main symbol of the state. Since that time, Japan has become a real empire, possessing a strong army and almost unlimited power over its subjects.

Women in power in Japan

In Japanese history, there were many noble women who managed to become equals to emperors, since the title of regent that they bore was actually equivalent to the title of emperor. In the official chronicles, which are called “Annals of Japan”, the following female names are mentioned:

Empress Suiko occupied the imperial throne for 35 years. She acted as regent for her nephew Shotoku. It was she who was able to make Buddhism the main religion in the country, although this is attributed to the merits of her nephew Shotoku. Another significant achievement of hers is the first set of official laws in Japanese history, the so-called “17 Articles of Law”;
Empress Kogyoku-Saimei is a woman who occupied the imperial throne twice: from 642 to 645 under the name Kogeku and from 655 to 661 as Saimei;
Jito - Japanese empress (686-697) and poetess;
Genmei - 43rd Empress of Japan (707-715), took the throne after the death of her son, which was a violation of existing customs. She appealed to the authority of Emperor Tenchi, who allegedly admitted that the dying emperor had the right to choose his own successor. It created a precedent for indirect inheritance, which later became very common in Japanese history. By her order, the chronicle of imperial power “Kojiki” was created, as well as the “Annals of Japan”;
Gensho - Japanese empress who occupied the throne from 715 to 724;
Koken-Shotoku is one of two rulers of the Land of the Rising Sun who occupied the throne twice (the first was Empress Kogeku-Saimei). She became the 46th empress after the abdication of her father, Emperor Semu, and held office under the name Koken from 749 to 758 until she abdicated power in favor of her grandson. She next ascended the throne in 765 and ruled until 770 under the name Setoku;
Meisho - became empress after the abdication of her father, Emperor Go-Mizuno in 1629 and occupied the throne until 1643, after which she renounced power in favor of her younger brother. She was considered the first woman to sit on the Japanese throne since Empress Shotoku;
Go-Sakuramachi was the last of eight women to occupy the Japanese throne, and ruled from 1762 to 1771, after which she gave up the throne to her nephew.

Women could become regents, and in fact empresses, until 1889, when the Statute of the Imperial Family was adopted. It officially stated that women could not bear the highest title of the Japanese Empire.

Japanese emperors of modern times

Japan received formal imperial status during the reign of Emperor Meiji. It was he who was able to raise the country to extraordinary high level. During the reign of Emperor Meiji (1876-1912), the country achieved the following successes:

Came out of economic and political isolation;
Western value systems began to be actively inculcated in society;
Reforms were carried out in industry, public administration, the economy and the banking sector;
Industry began to develop, and at such a rapid pace that Japan was able to win Russian-Japanese war 1904-1905;
Japan became one of the three largest maritime powers in the world;
In 1889, Japan created its first constitution.

It was in the text of the constitution that the Japanese emperor was officially equated to a deity, and his power was practically unlimited. Although all orders and laws adopted by the emperor had to be approved by parliament, it played only a secondary role, since the constitution granted the emperor the right to dissolve parliament.

All the tasks set by the emperors of the Meiji era were the basis of Japanese foreign and domestic policy, and were immediately enshrined at the legislative level. The Emperor had the following rights:

He could convene and dissolve parliament;
He was the first person of the state;
Was commander in chief Armed Forces Empires;
Could bestow titles and appoint to government positions;
Declare war or make peace;
Conclude all kinds of military, political and economic alliances.

After the death of Emperor Meiji, Taisho, better known as Yoshihito, became Emperor of Japan. The period of his reign was relatively calm for the Japanese, both politically and economically. The era of the reign of Emperor Yoshihito entered the history of Japanese statehood as “Great Justice”.

In 1926, Showa, better known as Hirohito, became Emperor of Japan. It was under him that Japan took part in World War II on the side fascist Germany. Despite the fact that many are still convinced that it was Hirohito who became the ideological inspirer of Japan’s entry into the war, the emperor himself tried to resolve everything peacefully until the very end. Placed in a hopeless situation, he was forced to sign a decree on the start of hostilities, as a result of which Japan suffered a crushing defeat.

Realizing that there was no escape from the war, Hirohito supported his army and people to the last. After the war, Japan almost lost its emperor, as the allies (especially the USSR) insisted that the emperor abdicate the throne. As a result, imperial power was preserved, although the new Japanese constitution of 1946 deprived him of real power in the country.

Functions of the Japanese Emperor at present

After the end of World War II, Japan established a constitutional monarchy, which still exists there today. Similar monarchies exist in Great Britain, Sweden and the Netherlands. It is noteworthy that the power of the Japanese emperor is significantly less than the power of the English queen. Japanese Emperor Hirohito, who held this title until his death in 1989, like his successor Akihito, who is currently emperor, is not involved in any way in governance state affairs Japan.

The Japanese Emperor ceded all his powers to the Cabinet of Ministers, which is headed by the Prime Minister. Representative functions, organization and participation in state ceremonies remained under the authority of the imperial court. In addition, the emperor has the right:

Submit candidates to parliament for the role of Prime Minister and Head of Supreme Court. However, this right is purely advisory in nature;
As a personal initiative, the Japanese Emperor may submit amendments to existing laws to Parliament;
Proclaim elections of deputies;
Provide amnesties;
Confirm ministers and major government officials;
Accept all kinds of letters from foreign ambassadors.

The current Emperor of Japan, Akihito, has ruled the country since 1989. He has three children and a wife, Empress Michiko. He is now 84 years old, but he leads an active lifestyle, appearing with his wife at many official events in Japan. If Emperor Akihito dies, his eldest son Naruhito will become the new emperor. In 2017, the Japanese Diet passed new law, according to which the current emperor can abdicate the throne voluntarily in favor of his eldest son.

Currently, the residence of the Japanese emperors is located in Tokyo. This is where the Koiko palace complex is located. The emperor's residence appeared in Tokyo in 1869. It was then that Emperor Meiji moved from Kyoto to Tokyo. The palace looks like a real fortress, and this is not surprising, because it was built on the site of Edo Castle, which was a real fortress.

During World War II, the palace complex of the Japanese Emperor was repeatedly bombed and was seriously damaged. It was completely restored only in 1968. Now the residence of the Japanese emperors is the largest residence in the whole world. It is here that the emperor’s chambers are located, and official ceremonies and meetings take place here. During major public holidays, which include the emperor's birthday, tourists are allowed into some parts of the palace complex.

The first written monument in the history of Japan - “Kojiki”, “Records of Ancient Deeds” - appeared only in 712, almost 14 centuries after the grandson of the mythical Ninigi no Mikoto, the legendary Emperor Jimmu built in Kashihara (in the territory of the present Nara Prefecture) the palace where he assumed the throne. This happened on February 11, 660 BC. e.

It would be difficult to demand from chroniclers accuracy in covering the events of hoary antiquity, and especially in dates. When recording legends, it is easy to make mistakes by a couple of centuries. Nevertheless, historiographers have determined how this conventional date for Jimmu’s accession to the throne was calculated. According to the Chinese theory of cycles, 1260 years pass from one world-shattering event to another. One of the most ancient upheavals officially recognized by Japanese historians took place at the turn of the 5th and 6th centuries - a time of important government reforms in Japan, the modernization of the country's governance in the Chinese way and the spread of Buddhism on the islands. Counting 1260 years into the past from this point in history, the researchers arrived at the date 660 BC. e.

It would be possible to test myths with science, in this case archaeology. Indeed, in the vicinity of the former Jimmu Palace, on the Nara Plain, many ancient burial mounds were discovered, where the former rulers of the country, including the first monarch, found rest. But the Imperial Household Administration did not give permission for excavations, so as not to disturb the remains of the great ancestors. This means that you can believe in the appearance on earth of the great-great-grandson of the Sun goddess, or you can doubt it. Both are now not forbidden.

THE RISE OF THE FUJIWARA CLAN

Official historiography has built a detailed family tree Japanese emperors starting with Jimmu. It is, of course, not flawless. The existence of the first 28 rulers is not supported at all by any data other than mythology. In addition, among the first emperors there were many long-livers, which was clearly fantastic for those times. For example, it is claimed that Jimmu himself lived to be 126 years old.

Power was not always passed on from father to son. The chrysanthemum throne (the emblem of the imperial house was and remains a 16-petalled chrysanthemum flower) passed to uncles, nephews, second cousins, and children born not to the emperor’s wife, but to a concubine. In history one can find a period when the country simultaneously had two emperors and, accordingly, two courts at war with each other.

It happened, although very rarely - only 10 times during the existence of the dynasty - that the imperial regalia ended up in female hands. Two women, Kogyoku and Koken, ascended the throne twice. At the end of the 19th century, an imperial decree finally removed all representatives of the ruling dynasty from the list of candidates for succession to the throne.

The first emperors were called by the long and magnificent title “Great King who rules over everything under heaven” - “Ame no Shita Okimi”. The name of the “Great King” was not mentioned, since it was not customary for the Japanese to call other people, especially high-ranking people, by name. In the 7th century, when Japan established strong contacts with China, along with various information from the spheres of religion, science and culture, the Japanese borrowed from their Western neighbors a more easily pronounced title for their ruler. They began to call him “tenno” (heavenly ruler), and sometimes “tenshi” (son of heaven), thereby emphasizing his kinship with divine forces.

Initially, tenno was entrusted with the sacred role of the chief priest, the supreme sender of the cult of the goddess Amaterasu. Upon ascending the throne, the new emperor was required to perform some kind of religious ceremony. Secluded in one of the rooms of the Ise Temple, dedicated to the Sun Goddess, closed to other people, he communicated with the spirits of his ancestors, including, naturally, the ancestor goddess. As a result, it was believed that the emperor acquired a number of miraculous abilities. Accordingly, it was inappropriate for him to engage in the daily routine associated with running the country. The entirety of “low” tasks was entrusted to the assistants. Tenno only stooped to consolidate the prepared laws and decrees by imposing his seal.

Among the courtiers crowding around the throne there were always those who wanted to lend their shoulders to the heavy burden of solving state problems. At first, this work was successfully mastered by the Mononobe family, then by the Soga family. In the 7th century, during a fierce struggle, as a result of intrigues, conspiracies and murders, the Fujiwara family pushed their predecessors from the throne.

It was this family that soon monopolized the right to supply the emperor with wives and concubines. The head of the clan became not only an adviser to the emperor, but also his father-in-law. One day, at the insistence of his advisers, the emperor was forced to marry his own aunt, all from the same clan.

Subsequently, the heads of the Fujiwara house secured two court titles for themselves - regent under the minor emperor and chancellor under the ruler who had reached adulthood. It was easier to control the desires of a child, so the Fujiwara courtiers often forced the maturing emperor to leave the throne, giving way to the next young scion of the family. Therefore, it is not surprising that the influence of this feudal clan on life in the country has increased to an unimaginable degree.

It is not for nothing that historians often call the 8th-11th centuries the “Fujiwara period.” Even the capital, founded in 682 for Emperor Tenmu, was named Fujiwara-kyo. True, Tenmu himself did not live to see the move to the new residence, and it was his widow, Empress Jito, who had to master Fujiwara-kyo.

CAPITAL FOR SCIENCE

Perhaps the first of the Japanese capitals of which memory has been preserved was Naniwa-kyo. It was located on the site of one of the suburbs of present-day Osaka. Subsequently, the residence of the monarch was moved to the swampy plain of Asuka, to Kiyomihara, then to the small settlement of Otsu on the shores of Lake Biwa. And from there the court moved to Fujiwara-kyo.

The wanderlust of emperors and their entourage is simply explained. Shintoism, the main religion practiced by the Japanese at the time, directly associates death with spiritual pollution. The place where a person died, especially one who occupied a high level in the state hierarchy, was considered desecrated. It was unacceptable to continue living in the palace after the death of the emperor and using his things. That is why every new ruler, upon ascending the throne, sought to change his place of residence. And after him we had to move to new city and court servants, guards, merchants.

Previous capitals faced an inglorious death. Left without proper supervision, they burned out from an accidental fire or rotted on the vine due to the damp climate. And within a few years, the peasants plowed up the former streets and squares for new rice fields.

Fujiwara-kyo was fundamentally different from previous palace complexes and their surroundings. It was decided to build the city “in Chinese style.” This meant a rectangular layout, oriented to the cardinal points. One of the main features of Chinese urban planning was adherence to the principles of geomancy - a pseudoscience that links the social, financial and even physical well-being of citizens and their rulers with the surrounding geographical objects.

The city planners took the Chinese city of Luoyang as a model. Fujiwara-kyo was divided into two parts by a road leading from the palace to the south. Then, for the first time in the life of the main Japanese city, the terms “sakyo” and “ukyo” (“left capital” and “right capital”) appeared. By where a particular family lived, one could judge its social status: the closer to the palace, the higher the status.

Excavations provide an idea of the size of Fujiwara-kyo. From north to south the city extended approximately 3 kilometers, from west to east - 2 kilometers. It is estimated that the population of Empress Jito's city reached 30 thousand people.

The appearance of this capital is now quite difficult to reproduce. All that was left of the former splendor were heaps of ash, charred wooden tablets with records of some government and economic orders, and pieces of tiles that covered the houses of wealthy residents. However, one should not underestimate the role of Fujiwara-kyo in Japanese history. It is from this city (and not from Nara) that the list of permanent capitals of Japan begins; it was this city that became the first attempt at planned urban planning, the visible result of the development of which was later Nara and Kyoto, in whose appearance one can still see the old features.

History has given Fujiwara-kyo a rather short period of prosperity. After a decade and a half, this place was abandoned. And it wasn’t just the death of the palace resident. Buddhism became the state religion. The imperial court became more and more magnificent, the court ritual became more complicated, requiring more and more chambers and palaces. The court no longer wanted (and could not) move from place to place in the event of the death of the next emperor, thereby cleansing itself of filth. Moreover, Buddhism, unlike Shintoism, did not require this.

The centralized state apparatus also needed stability. And so in the 8th century, Empress Genmei decided to found a new permanent capital. The place chosen for this was the Nara Valley, where the city of Heijō-kyo grew up - “the capital of the citadel of the world”, which later changed its name to Nara. It was also built according to the then fashionable Chinese canons.

Then there were Kyoto and Edo (present-day Tokyo). However, the list of main cities in Japan does not end there. In addition to the main (imperial) capitals, there were several alternative capitals in the country, sometimes not inferior to the main ones either in beauty or in influence on the life of society.

THE END OF DUAL POWER

Alternative capitals appeared during the struggle for power, which did not stop either with the change of monarchs or with the transfer of the palace to a new location. Moreover, such a “tug of war” occurred not only among the court aristocratic clans. The emperors themselves, who were sick to death of the intrusive and selfish guardianship of chancellors and regents, tried to defend the right to act according to their own understanding.

Sometimes this struggle took very bizarre forms. Thus, in the 11th century, the system of insei - monastic rule - was formed. In an effort to get away from the heavy hand of Fujiwara, the emperor voluntarily abdicated the throne in favor of the heir, and, having accepted monastic rank, he seemed to withdraw from the world, stopping contacts with his hated guardians, devoting himself to purely religious practice. However, in reality, the emperor-monk had his own staff of courtiers, palace guards and other attributes of power.

From the monastery, he tried to govern the state in his own way, fighting with the Fujiwara clan for key positions in the government, for new lands, estates and, consequently, for income. The Insei system made it possible to gradually weaken the influence of this family.

The vertical of power in the capital suffered gradual corrosion, which could not but affect life in the provinces. Peasants, crushed by unaffordable taxes, left villages to earn their daily bread by robbing the roads. The ruling princes refused to cooperate with the emperor's envoys, that is, with the tax collectors from Fujiwara.

The power of the aristocracy began to give way to the power of military feudal lords who had their own armed units. Even monasteries acquired their own squads, which not only successfully fought off armed robbers, but also carried out raids against their neighbors. Civil strife flared up. The Taira, Minamoto, Ashikaga, and later Tokugawa dynasties, which possessed serious military power, entered the political arena.

Having defeated his competitors from the Taira clan in 1185, with whom he died future emperor- six-year-old Prince Antoku, the Minamoto family received from the new tenno the right to rule the country by military means. The head of the clan was awarded the highest military title - seii-taishogun (“ great commander, conqueror of the barbarians" - previously only commanders who successfully fought against the aborigines from the Ainu and Emisi tribes were crowned with such a title).

The shogun settled away from the palaces and villas of the courtiers with their incessant machinations and intrigues - in the small fishing village of Kamakura (just south of modern Tokyo). A military bakufu government was created there, which began solving all pressing state problems. At the same time, the shogun took serious measures not only to ensure the safety of Kamakura, but also to transform it into a truly capital city, not much inferior in beauty, number of temples and, most importantly, influence to the official capital.

In one form or another, such dual power lasted in the country until 1867. In January 1868, Emperor Meiji became a full-fledged autocrat. He chose Edo as his capital, where the headquarters of the Tokugawa shogun had previously been located, renaming the city for this occasion the Eastern capital - Tokyo, or, as we used to write, Tokyo.

COUNTRY SYMBOL

The Constitution of 1869 vested the Emperor with supreme legislative, executive and military power. It was from this time that in foreign correspondence they began to call him emperor, so that the title of tenno was not inferior to the titles of the monarchs of France, Austria, Russia, Germany, and China.

But the restoration of the full rights of the emperor was only apparent. He still remained, as it were, above the problems of life and ruled the country through a complex system of newly-minted institutions of power - the cabinet of ministers, the privy council, general staffs land and naval forces, the council of elders. Their opinion, and most importantly, their practical activities did not always coincide with the position of the monarch.

Suffice it to recall how in August 1945, when Japan was on the verge of defeat in World War II, Emperor Hirohito recorded on magnetic tape his call on the nation to lay down their arms and surrender. This recording had to be delivered to the radio station secretly so that the generals, who were planning to continue hostilities, would not intercept such an important document for the entire country.

It was then that the Japanese first heard the voice of their monarch on the radio. Before that, everything connected with the tenno and his family was covered in a thick veil of secrecy. And on January 1, 1946, Hirohito publicly renounced the divine origin of the imperial dynasty.

The new constitution of Japan, which came into force in May 1947, preserved the monarchy, but significantly limited the rights and powers of the emperor, proclaiming him a symbol of the state and the unity of the people. The emperor was left with his eternal right to be the high priest of the Shinto religion, as well as a whole range of representative tasks - opening meetings of the newly elected parliament, confirming lists of new cabinets of ministers, receiving distinguished foreign guests, and distributing awards.

The country is now ruled by Akihito, the 125th Emperor of Japan (from Jimmu). In January 1989, at the age of 56, he inherited the throne after the death of his father. Akihito is already approaching the 80-year mark, his health is beginning to fail, which means it’s time to think about his heirs. And there is something to think about. The imperial family has recently been experiencing the same problems as the entire nation related to demography. In 2001, after many attempts to conceive a child, Crown Princess Masako, wife of the emperor's eldest son, Naruhito, gave birth to a daughter. Masako will turn 49 this December, and there is no longer any hope of having a boy.

The transfer of imperial regalia and the throne to a woman is prohibited in accordance with the law on the imperial family. There were no other male heirs in the ruling dynasty. The parliament began to discuss the possibility of revising the law in order to allow Akihito's granddaughter to inherit the throne in due course.

Saved the situation youngest son Emperor, Prince Akishino, into whose family a boy was born in 2006 - the first male baby in the imperial house for many decades. Young Prince Hisahito is third in line to the throne, after Crown Prince Naruhito and his father. But what happens if for some reason Hisahito doesn’t wait his turn? The Japanese talk about this with trepidation, realizing that then the country will face the acute problem of extending the life of the oldest dynasty on the planet.

Japan still remains a mystery to Europeans today in many respects. There, along with high technologies, centuries-old traditional ways coexist, and the country is ruled by the oldest monarchical dynasty in the world. This review presents 6 facts about Japanese emperors that may seem very strange to Europeans.

1. The Japanese monarchy is the oldest in the world

The Japanese monarchy is considered the oldest continuous ruling dynasty. Its founder is Emperor Jimmu, who ascended the throne in 660 BC. e. For comparison: in Britain the monarchy reigned in 1066, and in Denmark since 935. The current ruler of the country, Akihito, is the 125th in a row. This stability is explained by the fact that the real political power was not with the emperor, but was concentrated in the hands of politicians who ruled the country on behalf of the monarch.

2. The Japanese Emperor is a direct descendant of the gods

Shintoism is the dominant religion in Japan. According to beliefs, all Japanese emperors are direct descendants of Shinto deities. The first Emperor Jimmu was called the great-grandson of the Sun Goddess Amaterasu. According to the Japanese, if this ruling dynasty were replaced by another, the gods would immediately turn away from the country, dooming its inhabitants to hunger and suffering. The Emperor, being the high priest of Shintoism, performs certain rituals to obtain a good harvest. Modern Japanese still attach great importance to this.

3. Three names of the monarch

Ancient Japanese monarchs had three names. The emperor received his first name at birth, he was given the second name after being declared heir, and the third was given posthumously. Last name contained the motto that the ruler followed during his lifetime. For historical chronicles only third names were important.

For example, the current Emperor of Japan, Akihito, rules under the motto “Heisei,” which means “Peace and Tranquility.” When he passes into another world, his descendants will call him “Emperor Heisei,” thereby paying tribute to the era of his reign.

4. You couldn’t look at the emperor

Today the royal couple is receiving active participation in public events. However, many centuries ago, the inhabitants of the Land of the Rising Sun experienced fanatical reverence for their ruler. It was believed that one could go blind from the grace that the emperor radiated, so looking at him was strictly forbidden. It was impossible to even paint his portraits. Often, the monarch even communicated with his officials through a screen. Emperor Meiji, who ruled in the 19th century, partially departed from tradition. During his lifetime, he ordered two of his official portraits to be painted. Moreover, he allowed himself to be photographed.

5. A Japanese ruler should not ride a horse

Before life in the imperial palace took place very measuredly. Admiring nature, poetry, calligraphy implied a leisurely pastime. Emperors traveled exclusively in palanquins. They were not trained to ride horses. When in the 19th century future ruler Meiji wanted to go to his father’s palace not in a palanquin, but on a horse, the entire court retinue was confused. And if Meiji can be forgiven for his willfulness, since he broke many established stereotypes, then the chronicle of the 10th century tells about Emperor Kazan, who was called mentally ill only because he decided to ride a horse.

6. After the death of the emperor, they were not buried immediately

After the death of the emperor, they were in no hurry to bury him. The process of transition to another world could drag on for weeks, or even months. While Shinto priests performed rituals, chose a favorable day for the funeral, and officials decided on an heir, they continued to bring food to the deceased, wash him, and change his clothes.

Despite the fact that the ruling dynasty tries to follow ancient traditions, modern life makes his own adjustments.

Japan knows only one imperial dynasty, it has never been interrupted or replaced. This unique case in history, given the length of the family’s reign (more than 2.5 thousand years) and the country’s importance on the world stage. The ruling dynasty has no surname, only first names. This once again emphasizes its exclusivity and constancy. The current Emperor of Japan is Akihito, the 125th representative of his family on the throne.

A unique dynasty

The imperial house traces its origins to Jimmu, who led Japan in 660 BC. According to legend, he was a descendant of Amaterasu, the supreme goddess, thus all the emperors of Japan have divine blood flowing in their veins.

Actually, this is one of the reasons for such a long reign: according to legend, if the ruler is overthrown, the gods will turn away from Japan, and it will perish.

The second reason is mundane and simple to the point of banality: the emperor decides practically nothing. Therefore, at all times, the struggle was not for the throne of Japan, but for the right to rule the country on behalf of the sovereign.

The names of all the rulers of the land of the rising sun have been preserved. Women rarely gained power - nine times throughout history, last time the empress headed the state a little less than 400 years ago - in the mid-17th century. Currently, succession to the throne in Japan is passed exclusively through the male line.

The main attributes of the ruler, transmitted by inheritance, are a sword, a mirror and a jasper seal. Sometimes this seal - a chrysanthemum with 16 yellowish-ochre petals - is used as the coat of arms of Japan, since the country does not have an official coat of arms.

By the way, now he is the only emperor on earth. There is no other form of government like this anywhere in the world.

What can emperors do?

In the country's politics, the role of the emperor is quite nominal. According to European ideas, this is more of a Pope than a President. The similarity is strengthened by the fact that the emperor is also the high priest of Shintonism and, accordingly, conducts important ceremonies that are of great importance even for modern Japanese.

One of the main privileges of the emperor is to choose his motto for his reign. For example, Akihito chose "Peace and Calm". These mottos are used to calculate chronology - such a system was adopted back in the 7th century. The announcement of a new motto in Japan begins new era.

Previously, one emperor could change his motto several times. Usually this happened after various disasters in the country or in honor of an important event in the life of the ruler. This system led to Godaigo changing 21 mottos during the 21 years of his reign.

And each time a new era began. Only a little over 100 years ago it was decided that one ruler could only have one motto. For example, 2018 is the 29th year of the “Peace and Tranquility” (“Heisai”) era, since Akihito came to power in!989.

However, history knows of at least two cases of more global influence of Japanese emperors on the course of history. At the end of the 19th century, young Meiji authorized the reform of Japan along European lines, and half a century later, Hirohito took responsibility for a difficult and important decision for the whole world - the surrender of his country in World War II.