Empress Jitō (持統天皇) (645-703) was the 41st imperial ruler of Japan. She was the daughter of Emperor Tenji. She took the throne in 687 following the death of her husband, Emperor Temmu, who was also her uncle, in order to ensure the eventual succession of her grandson, Emperor Mommu. In 697 she abdicated in Mommu's favor, but she continued to hold power as a cloistered ruler, which became a persistent trend in Japanese politics.
