In 724, Empress Genshō abdicated her throne to let her nephew become emperor
Empress Genshō made history in 724 by abdicating the Japanese throne, ensuring a peaceful transition of power to her nephew and cementing the legacy of the Nara period's female monarchs.
On March 3, 724, Empress Genshō stepped down from the Chrysanthemum Throne in favor of her nephew, who became Emperor Shōmu. Genshō was a rare female sovereign who ascended the throne not as a consort, but as a ruler in her own right. Her reign was marked by the completion of the Nihon Shoki, the first official history of Japan.
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