14 Facts About Emperor Kanmu

Emperor Kanmu was the eldest son of Prince Shirakabe, and was born prior to Shirakabe's ascension to the throne.

Emperor Kanmu's mother was Princess Inoe, a daughter of Emperor Shomu; but instead of Osabe, it was Kanmu who was later named to succeed their father.

Later, when he ascended to the throne in 781, Emperor Kanmu appointed his young brother, Prince Sawara, whose mother was Takano no Niigasa, as crown prince.

Emperor Kanmu granted the second title of shogun to Sakanoue no Tamuramaro for subduing the Emishi in northern Honshu.

Emperor Kanmu had 16 empresses and consorts, and 32 imperial sons and daughters.

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Emperor Kanmu is traditionally venerated at his tomb; the Imperial Household Agency designates, in Fushimi-ku, Kyoto, as the location of Emperor Kanmu's mausoleum.

Emperor Kanmu appointed Sakanoue no Tamuramaro to lead a military expedition against the Emishi.

Years of Emperor Kanmu's reign are more specifically identified by more than one era name .

In 784 Emperor Kanmu shifted his capital from Nara to Nagaoka-kyo in a move that was said to be designed to edge the powerful Nara Buddhist establishments out of state politics—while the capital moved, the major Buddhist temples, and their officials, stayed put.

Meanwhile, Emperor Kanmu's armies were pushing back the boundaries of his empire.

Consequently, in 792 Emperor Kanmu abolished national conscription, replacing it with a system wherein each province formed a militia from the local gentry.

In 784 Emperor Kanmu authorised the teaching of a new course based on the Spring and Autumn Annals based on two newly imported commentaries: Kung-yang and Ku-liang.

Emperor Kanmu sponsored the travels of the monks Saicho and Kukai to China, from where they returned to found the Japanese branches of, respectively, Tendai and Shingon Buddhism.

Emperor Kanmu disapproved of Fujiwara no Kusuko, daughter of Fujiwara no Tanetsugu; and Emperor Kanmu had her removed from his son's household.