The crowned queen of the grave
The monk who almost became emperor
The love that defied an empire
The secret letters of the Swedish queen
YOUR GOAL
Master of History's most surprising and forbidden love stories
andy Monk Dōkyō
He cured her fever and went for the throne, But the oracle said that the crown's not his own.
andy In 769, Dōkyō claimed a sacred Shinto oracle declared he should be made the next emperor, sparking a massive political crisis.
andy Blinded by affection, Empress Kōken elevated Dōkyō to unprecedented political heights, outraging the traditional Shinto nobility.
andy Play our history game and see if you can identify the monk who almost became emperor in one of history's forbidden love stories.
Imperial law: After Empress Shōtoku's reign, Japan banned women from ascending the throne for over eight centuries to prevent similar crises.
A female sovereign who rules an empire. In 769 AD, Japan's Empress Shotoku nearly appointed her companion, the monk Dokyo, as her imperial successor.
Which powerful aristocratic clan did Dōkyō's rise to power most threaten in 8th-century Japan?
Which Shinto deity's shrine supposedly sent the oracle claiming Dōkyō should be emperor?