Emperor of Rokugan
From L5r: Legend of the Five Rings
The Emperor of Rokugan is the title given to the ruler of the Empire of Rokugan. It is a hereditary monarchy, passed with few exceptions from eldest son to eldest son. Two dynasties have held the title of emperor: the Hantei, under whom the title was established and held for a thousand years, and the Toturi, the incumbent dynasty whose last blood member Toturi III died without an heir, throwing the succession into confusion. Toturi III's wife Toturi Kurako is the current emperor.
The position of emperor was created by the Kami Hantei, who was son of Amaterasu and Onnotangu and victor of the Tournament of the Kami. After the Tournament, Hantei was declared ruler of all Rokugan, but this was not truly so until the reign of his grandson, Hantei Ningi, when the Imperial Court and post of Emerald Champion were established.
The Emperor of Rokugan is the highest authority in the Empire of Rokugan. Inherent in the position is absolute administrative, judicial, religious and military control of the empire, although many of these roles are delegated to trusted subordinates.
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[edit] Titles of the Emperor
The emperor can be referred to as tenno, or "Heavenly Sovereign". The heir apparent can be referred to as kotaishi.
The Emperor is not only the head ruler of Rokugan, but also the chief priest of Shinseism. As such, the training of the Emperor's children (the prospective future Emperors) has a great focus on the Tao of Shinsei as well as the religion of the Fortunes.
Since the time of Hantei X, the emperors of Rokugan upon their coronations have dropped their personal names and keep only the name of their dynasty, to reaffirm their noble blood and right to rule. It also demonstrates their ascendance within the Celestial Order over the rest of the empire, in that they have left behind the mortal world in leaving behind their own names.
[edit] Succession and Abdication
Imperial succession is generally inherited directly from father to eldest son. If an Emperor has no surviving son, a daughter may claim the throne as Empress. If the Emperor has no surviving child, the Emperor's younger brother or sister may be called to claim the throne. In the rare occasion when an Emperor dies without a clear successor, the empire's historians will search through the histories of the Otomo and find the living person with the closest blood ties to the ruling line.
Historically, the children of the emperor who do not ascend to the throne ritually abdicate their claims to the throne upon the coronation of their eldest brother, abandon the dynastic name, and join either the Seppun or Otomo family. The only people allowed to bear the Emperor's dynastic name are the Emperor, his wife and his children. On the occasions when the Emperor's siblings are needed to claim the throne after he dies with no heir, they are allowed to renounce their abdication.
[edit] Emperors of Rokugan
[edit] Hantei Dynasty
Begun with Hantei at the foundation of the empire, the Hantei Dynasty ruled Rokugan for eleven centuries.
| Hantei | Pre-calendar - 45 |
| Hantei Genji | 46 - 247 |
| Hantei Ningi | 247 - ? |
| Hantei Bosai | ? - 371 |
| Hantei Fujiwa | 371 - 391 |
| Otomo Tohojatsu (Regent) | 391 - 397 |
| Hantei Kusada | 397 - 435 |
| Hantei Yugozohime | 435 - 442 |
| Hantei Muhaki | 442 - ? |
| Hantei Retsuhime | ? - 487 |
| Hantei X | 487 - ? |
| Hantei XI | (circa 510) |
| Hantei XII | ? - ? |
| Hantei XIII | ? - ? |
| Hantei XIV | ? - ? |
| Hantei XV | ? - 589 |
| Hantei XVI | 589 - 597 |
| Hantei XVII | 597 - ? |
| Hantei XVIII | ? - ? |
| Hantei XIX | ? - ? |
| Hantei XX | ? - ? |
| Hantei XXI | ? - 740 |
| Hantei XXII | 740 - 821 |
| Hantei XXIII | 821 - ? |
| Hantei XXIV | ? - ? |
| Hantei XXV | ? - ? |
| Hantei XXVI | ? - ? |
| Hantei XXVII | ? - ? |
| Hantei XXVIII | ? - ? |
| Hantei XXIX | ? - ? |
| Hantei XXX | ? - ? |
| Hantei XXXI | ? - ? |
| Hantei XXXII | ? - ? |
| Hantei XXXIII | ? - ? |
| Hantei XXXIV | ? - ? |
| Hantei XXXV | ? - ? |
| Hantei XXXVI | ? - ? |
| Hantei XXXVII | ? - 1103 |
| Hantei XXXVIII | 1103 - 1123 |
| Hantei XXXIX | 1123 - 1128 |
[edit] Interregnum
After his assassination of Hantei XXXVIII during the Scorpion Coup, Bayushi Shoju claimed the empire, crowning himself Emperor Shoju I. His reign lasted five days, from his assassination of the emperor in the evening of 14th day of the Rooster in 1123, until his death at the hands of Akodo Toturi in the evening of the 19th day of the Rooster.
[edit] Toturi Dynasty
After the posession of Hantei XXXIX by Fu Leng and his death on the Second Day of Thunder, the throne was claimed by Toturi, the Lion Thunder.
| Toturi I | 1129 - 1158 |
| Takuan (regent) | 1130 - 1132 |
| Toturi Kaede (regent) | 1158 - 1160 |
| Toturi II | 1159 - 1160 |
| Toturi III | 1160 - 1168 |
| Toturi Kurako (regent) | 1168 - 1169 |
[edit] Major References
- Winter Court: Kyuden Seppun Especially pages 26-34.
