realm in order to acquire full knowledge of local affairs, and raised the military establishment to a state of high efficiency. On his death a princess, daughter of Tenchi and sister of Kōbun, succeeded to the throne as the Empress Jitō. In the third year of her reign the heir apparent, Prince Kusakabe, died. The empress convoked a council of all the high dignitaries of state to determine a successor to the prince, but they could not come to any agreement until Prince Kadono advanced the principle that when neither son nor grandson was available to succeed to the throne, the scepter should pass to the brothers and sisters of the sovereign in due order, since by no other means could disputes be avoided. The outcome was that Karu, son of the late Prince Kusakabe, was proclaimed heir apparent. He subsequently ascended the throne as the Emperor Mommu, well known in history for his ability and the codification under his direction of the laws of the Taihō period.[2] FOOTNOTES: [1] The following is a brief genealogical table of the sovereigns of this period of disputed successions: 30. Emperor Bitatsu.--(Prince Oshisakahikohito). | +---------------------------------+ |--34. Emperor Jōmyō.--38. Emperor Tenchi.--(41. Empress Jitō, consort of | | the 40th emperor, Temmu). | | | | | +----------------------------------+ | | | | | +--(43. Empress Gemmyō, mother of the 42d | | | emperor Mommu). | | +--39. Emperor Kōbun. | | +--(Prince Shiki).--49. Emperor Kōnin. | | | 40. Emperor Temmu.--(Prince Kusakabe). | | | (Prince Toneri).--47. Emperor Junnin. +--(Prince Chinu.)--35. Empress Kōkyoku.--37. Empress Saimei. | 36. Emperor Kōtoku. [2] Chronological table of sovereigns. 36. Emperor Kōtoku, 645-655. 37. Empress Saimei, 655-668. 38. Emperor Tenchi, 668-672. 39. Emperor Kōbun, 672-673. 40. Emperor Temmu, 673-690. 41. Empress Jitō, 690-697. 42. Emperor Mommu, 697-708. Chapter V THE NARA EPOCH. 710-794 A. D.