His mother, Ota no Himemiko, was the princess of Emperor Tenchi, and also older sister of Empress Uno no Sarara (later known as Empress Jito), so if she had been alive when her husband, Emperor Tenmu, had ascended the throne, it was almost certain that she would have become an Empress.
母の大田皇女は天智天皇の皇女で鵜野讃良皇后（後の持統天皇）の姉だったため、夫天武天皇即位時に生きていれば、間違いなく皇后になっていた人物だった。