Japanese Royalty - Emperor Mutsuhito, Empress Haruko

Postcards : Royalty

 

Real photos, by Rotary photo. Matte finish so early cards circa 1903-05. Found them in my Royalty postcard book. He died in July 1912. VG condition.

Emperor Meiji (Mutsuhito) (b. 03/11/1852, d. 30/07/1912)

One of Japan's most famous emperor, Mutsuhito supervised the modernization and Westernization of Japan, in what would bring the country from feudal backwaters to world superpower. Mutsuhito received the posthumous name of Meiji, meaning "enlightened rule".

Empress Shken (Shken Ktaig?) (9 May 1849 - 9 April 1914) was empress consort of Japan as the wife of Emperor Meiji.

Born Masako Ichij (Ichij Masako?), she was the third daughter of Lord Tadaka Ichij, sometime Minister of the Left and head of the Ichij branch of the House of the Fujiwara. She married Emperor Meiji on 2 September 1867 and she adopted the given name Haruko, which was intended to reflect her diminutive size and serene beauty.

Item ID: 7632