July 2, 757 (9th year of Tenpyō Shōhō).
A secret report reached Fujiwara no Nakamaro from a government official.
The informant was Kamimichi no Fitasu.
The report claimed that Tachibana no Naramaro and others were plotting to remove Fujiwara no Nakamaro, depose the Crown Prince Ōi no Ō, and install a new emperor.
The next day, July 3.
Naramaro, along with Ōbun no Ō, Yasuka no Ō, and Shioyaki no Ō, were swiftly arrested.
The planned attack was thwarted before it could be carried out.
However, the incident did not conclude there.
Although those involved were initially pardoned by an edict from Empress Dowager Kōmyō, the interrogations on July 4 led to renewed and intense scrutiny.
During this process, Ōbun no Ō, Michinushi no Ō, Ōtomo no Komaro, and Ono no Azumahito lost their lives under torture.
On the other hand, the fate of Tachibana no Naramaro, the central figure of the incident, is not explicitly detailed in the “Shoku Nihongi.”
The political upheaval later known as the “Tachibana no Naramaro Incident” ended without escalating into a large-scale conflict. Why was this the case?
The background involved over a decade of tension over imperial succession, the rise of Fujiwara no Nakamaro, and a series of betrayals from within the plot.
1. Naramaro, Son of Tachibana no Moroe
Tachibana no Naramaro was the son of Tachibana no Moroe, who rose to the position of Left Minister.
His mother was said to be Taino, a daughter of Fujiwara no Fuhito.
In 740, he attained the rank of Junior Fifth Rank, Lower Grade, and subsequently held positions such as Head of the University, Governor of Settsu, Assistant Minister of Popular Affairs, and Councillor.
By June 757, he had become the Right Major Controller.
Naramaro matured as an official during the period when his father, Moroe, was at the center of government.
However, within the court, Fujiwara no Nakamaro was gradually expanding his influence.
In 755, Moroe was reported for remarks made at a drinking party.
Although Emperor Shōmu did not charge him, Moroe resigned as Left Minister in 756 and passed away in January 757.
By the time Naramaro became involved in the incident, the political foundation his father had built was already eroding.
However, Naramaro’s involvement in the imperial succession issue did not begin in 757.
His actions can be traced back at least to 745.
2. 745—The First Succession Plan
Tenpyō 17 (745).
Emperor Shōmu fell gravely ill.
According to the interrogation records from July 757, during this time, Naramaro approached Saeki no Zenjō, seeking his cooperation in a succession plan.
Naramaro was reportedly considering Ōbun no Ō as a candidate for the throne and sought the support of the Ōtomo and Saeki clans.
This information came to light during interrogations conducted 12 years later.
Moreover, the 757 interrogations resulted in deaths due to torture.
Therefore, we should be cautious in accepting every detail of the plan described in the testimony as the absolute truth of 745.
Nevertheless, it is clear from this testimony that Naramaro’s interest in the imperial succession did not suddenly emerge in 757.
3. 756 – The Death of Emperor Shomu
In May of the 8th year of Tenpyo Shoho (756).
Emperor Shomu passed away.
By his will, Prince Doso was appointed as the Crown Prince.
Prince Doso was the son of Prince Niitabe, a child of Emperor Tenmu, and was positioned as the successor to Empress Koken.
However, on March 29, 757, Prince Doso was deposed as Crown Prince.
The “Shoku Nihongi” records that his conduct during the mourning period for Emperor Shomu was called into question.
Within the court, the selection of a new Crown Prince became a matter of contention once more.
Minister of the Right Fujiwara no Toyonari and Fujiwara no Nagate supported Prince Shioyaki, while Otomo no Komaro and others backed Prince Ikeda.
Among these candidates, Prince Oi was chosen.
4. April 4 – Prince Oi Becomes Crown Prince
On April 4, 757.
Prince Oi became the Crown Prince.
Prince Oi was the son of Prince Toneri and a grandson of Emperor Tenmu.
Before his appointment, he had been living at the residence of Fujiwara no Nakamaro, indicating a close relationship with Nakamaro.
The Nara National Research Institute for Cultural Properties’ timeline also confirms that on April 4, Prince Oi was brought from the Tamura residence to be made Crown Prince.
For Naramaro, who had been attempting to influence the imperial succession since around 745, this appointment marked a significant political shift.
Subsequently, Naramaro is said to have strengthened his efforts to remove Fujiwara no Nakamaro by contacting figures from the Otomo, Saeki, and Tajihi clans.
5. Prince Kogumon – Son of Prince Nagaya
In Naramaro’s plans, Prince Kogumon held a significant position.
Prince Kogumon was not a son of Emperor Shomu.
His father was Prince Nagaya.
He was a great-grandson of Emperor Tenmu.
When his father, Prince Nagaya, committed suicide during the 729 Incident of Prince Nagaya, Prince Kogumon was spared along with his brothers, Princes Asuka and Yamashiro.
It is said that their mother’s status as a daughter of Fujiwara no Fuhito played a role in this.
The interrogation records from 757 suggest that Naramaro had already considered Prince Kogumon as a candidate for the throne as early as 745.
Furthermore, the testimony following the incident’s revelation records a plan to establish a new emperor from among four princes, including Prince Kogumon.
This underscores the importance of the succession issue in this incident.
6. June 757 – Repeated Secret Meetings
In June.
Naramaro and his associates are said to have held secret meetings at multiple locations.
Discussions took place at Naramaro’s residence, near the Library Bureau, and at the Daijokan Office.
In addition to Naramaro, participants reportedly included Kōbun-ō, Ōtomo no Komaro, Ono no Azumahito, Tajihi no Tokuyō, and Kamo no Sumitashi.
On the other hand, the imperial court was not entirely unguarded.
Empress Dowager Kōmyō is said to have sensed the unrest and cautioned against rash actions.
As the plot progressed, its traces had already begun to leak outside.
7. June 28th—Kōbun-ō’s Brother Yamashiro-ō’s Accusation
June 28th.
An important accusation reached Emperor Kōken’s side.
The accuser was Yamashiro-ō.
He was Kōbun-ō’s brother and also a son of Prince Nagaya.
Yamashiro-ō reported that Naramaro and others were preparing weapons and planning to surround Fujiwara no Nakamaro’s residence.
While Kōbun-ō joined Naramaro’s side, his brother Yamashiro-ō turned to expose the plan.
Even so, the secret discussions did not completely cease.
On the night of the 29th, Kōbun-ō and others reportedly gathered at the Dajōkan office.
During later interrogations, Prince Anjaku testified that he was taken by his brother Kōbun-ō to the Dajōkan office, where they worshipped the heavens with Naramaro and others.
Prince Anjaku claimed he was unaware of the details and was deceived into participating.
Even after the initial accusation, those involved in the plan continued their activities.
8. July 2nd—Kamimichi no Hetatsu’s Betrayal
July 2nd.
Kamimichi no Hetatsu secretly informed Fujiwara no Nakamaro of the plan’s details.
With this information, Nakamaro’s side acted before the plan could be executed.
According to the testimony of Ono no Azumahito and others after the incident, Naramaro and his group first intended to attack Nakamaro’s residence, kill him, and remove Crown Prince Ōi-ō.
They also planned to seize the imperial seal from the Empress Dowager’s palace, dethrone Emperor Kōken, and establish a new emperor from among the four princes, including Kōbun-ō.
However, this detailed scenario was obtained through interrogations after the incident was uncovered.
During these interrogations, torture was employed, resulting in many deaths.
Therefore, it cannot be conclusively said that the plan was initially decided in the exact order described in the testimonies.
What can be confirmed is that there was a plan involving the removal of Fujiwara no Nakamaro and a succession to the throne, which was reported, prompting Nakamaro’s side to act before it was carried out.
9. July 3rd—Mass Arrests and Pardons
July 3rd.
Tachibana no Naramaro, Kōbun-ō, Anjaku-ō, and Shioyaki-ō were among those arrested in quick succession.
However, by decree of Empress Dowager Kōmyō, they were temporarily pardoned.
This did not mark the end of the incident.
Investigations into those involved continued.
Then, on the following day, the 4th.
Prompted by the testimony of Ono no Azumahito and others, a new round of intense questioning began.
10. July 4th—Interrogation and Torture
July 4th.
Interrogations of those involved, including Ono Azumahito, were conducted.
According to testimonies recorded in the Shoku Nihongi, Naramaro Tachibana is depicted as the central figure in a plot to eliminate Fujiwara no Nakamaro and alter the imperial succession.
The interrogations involved severe torture using canes.
O no Fumio.
Michinokimi no O.
Otomo no Komaro.
Ono Azumahito.
Tajihi no Tokuyō.
Kamo no Kakashi.
These individuals are said to have died under the cane during torture.
O no Fumio was a member of the imperial family who survived the 729 Incident of Prince Nagaya.
Michinokimi no O had been the Crown Prince just three months earlier.
The political upheaval over the imperial succession and the elimination of Fujiwara no Nakamaro led to an incident where many members of the imperial family, nobility, and officials lost their lives.
11. The Unclear Fate of Naramaro Tachibana
Regarding the fate of Naramaro Tachibana himself, careful consideration of historical sources is necessary.
Institutions like the Nara Prefectural Manyo Culture Museum and the Nihon Daihyakka Zensho describe Naramaro as having died in prison after severe interrogation and torture.
However, while the Shoku Nihongi records the deaths of O no Fumio and Michinokimi no O under the cane, it does not specify when or how Naramaro himself died.
The World Encyclopedia also notes that the subsequent fate of Naramaro is not mentioned in the Shoku Nihongi.
After the incident, Naramaro’s name disappears from the political stage.
While it is generally believed that he died during the interrogation process of the incident, his exact end cannot be clearly traced from primary sources.
12. Why the Plan Was Thwarted Before Execution
In the case of Naramaro Tachibana’s plot, no large-scale battle occurred.
This was because the plan leaked before Naramaro and his associates could fully mobilize their forces.
On June 28th, Prince Yamashiro reported the plot.
Subsequently, on July 2nd, Kamitsumichi no Fuhito provided more detailed information to Nakamaro.
The following day, on the 3rd, Naramaro and his associates were apprehended.
Naramaro and his group were reportedly attempting to involve members of military-related clans such as the Otomo and Saeki clans in their plan.
However, before they could convert this potential into actual military force, the key figures were captured.
Additionally, among the close royal and official circles, individuals like Prince Yamashiro and Kamitsumichi no Fuhito emerged to inform the court of the plot.
The primary reason the 757 political upheaval did not escalate into a large-scale military conflict was not due to battlefield defeat.
It was because the plan was detected before execution, and the initiative was seized.
13. The Establishment of Fujiwara no Nakamaro’s Regime
The repercussions of the incident were not limited to the Tachibana clan.
Many members of the Otomo, Saeki, and Tajihi clans, as well as numerous imperial family members, nobles, and officials, were punished.
Figures like Prince Anjuku and Otomo no Kojihi were exiled.
Additionally, Fujiwara no Toyonari, the elder brother of Fujiwara no Nakamaro and a Minister of the Right, was demoted to a position outside the capital at Dazaifu for failing to report the plan to the court despite knowing about it.
In the first year of Hōki (770), an official document from the Dajōkan confirmed that a list included the names of 443 individuals involved in this incident as “rebels.”
This reveals the wide-reaching impact of the incident.
Meanwhile, the imperial and noble factions capable of opposing Fujiwara no Nakamaro suffered significant setbacks.
The following year, 758.
Ōi no Ō was enthroned as Emperor Junnin after receiving the throne from Empress Kōken.
Fujiwara no Nakamaro was granted the name “Fujiwara no Emi no Oshikatsu” and subsequently rose to the highest rank of Grand Minister.
Summer of 757.
The plan to remove Fujiwara no Nakamaro and alter the line of imperial succession collapsed due to a betrayal before any military action could commence.
And seven years later.
This time, Fujiwara no Nakamaro himself, now at the pinnacle of power, clashed with the retired Empress Kōken and raised an army.
Although Nakamaro had previously quashed opposing forces during the Tachibana Naramaro Incident, by 764, during the Fujiwara no Nakamaro Rebellion, he found himself ousted from the capital.
The struggle over the throne and political power that began in 757 did not end there.
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Fujiwara no Nakamaro: The Extraordinary Politician Who Moved Ancient Royal Power (Chuko Shinsho 2648) [Atsushi Nito]
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