Emperor Shirakawa

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Emperor Shirakawa bigraphy, stories - japanese emperor

Emperor Shirakawa : biography

July 7, 1053 – July 24, 1129

Shirakawa’s reign lasted from 1073 to 1087.translated by D.M. Brown and I. Ishida (1979). Fujiwara Yoshinobu’s Part in Go-Sanjō’s Appointment as Crown Prince, pp. 72

Eras of Shirakawa’s reign

The years of Shirakawa’s reign are more specifically identified by more than one era name or nengō.Titsingh, p. 168-171; Brown, p. 315-316.

  • Enkyū (1069–1074)
  • Jōhō (1074–1077)
  • Jōryaku (1077–1081)
  • Eihō (1081–1084)
  • Ōtoku (1084–1087)

Notes

Genealogy

Before his ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name (imina)Brown, pp. 264; prior to Emperor Jomei, the personal names of the emperors were very long and people did not generally use them. The number of characters in each name diminished after Jomei’s reign. was Sadahito-shinnō (貞仁親王).Titsingh, p. 169; Brown, 314; Varley, p. 198.

He was the eldest son of Emperor Go-Sanjō and Fujiwara Shigeko (藤原茂子)Brown, 72.

Shirakawa had one Empress and one Imperial Consort and nine Imperial sons and daughters.Brown, p. 317.

  • 1074–1077 Imperial Prince Atsufumi (敦文親王)
  • 1075–1105 Prince Kakugyō (覚行法親王)—Buddhist Priest
  • 1076–1096 Imperial Princess ?? (媞子内親王), Empress Dowager Ikuyoshi (郁芳門院)
  • 1076–1131 Imperial Princess ?? (善子内親王)—Rokkaku >saigū (Imperial Princess serving at the Grand Shrine of Ise)
  • 1078–1144 Imperial Princess ?? (令子内親王)—saigū
  • 1079–1107 Imperial Princes Taruhito (善仁親王)—Emperor Horikawa
  • 1081–1156 Imperial Princess ?? (禛子内親王)—Tsuchimikado Saiin (土御門斎院)
  • 1090–???? Imperial Princess ?? (宮子内親王)—Saiin (斎院)
  • 1092–1153 Prince ?? (覚法法親王)—Buddhist Priest
  • 1093–1132 Imperial Princess Junko (恂子内親王)—Higuchi saigū 樋口斎宮
  • 1094–1137 Prince ?? (聖恵法親王)—Buddhist Priest
  • 1101–1165 Gyōkei (行慶)—High Priest
  • 1128–???? Engyō? (円行)
  • ?? (静證)

Empresses and consorts

  • 1057–1084 Empress (chūgū): Fujiwara no Kenshi (藤原賢子)—daughter of Minamoto Akifusa (源顕房), adopted by Fujiwara Morozane (藤原師実); mother of Emperor Horikawa
  • 1042–1132 Court Lady: Fujiwara ?? (藤原道子)—daughter of Fujiwara ?? (藤原能長)
  • 1070–1148 Court Lady: Minamoto ?? (源師子)—daughter of Minamoto Akifusa (源顕房), later wife of Fujiwara no Tadazane (藤原忠実)
  • Lady-in-waiting Fujiwara ?? (藤原佳子)

Events of Shirakawa’s life

He was the first emperor to ostensibly retire to a monastery, but in fact continue to exert considerable influence over his successor. This process would become known as cloistered rule.

When he was very young, his relations with his father were very cold, but in 1068, when his father was enthroned, he was proclaimed a shinnō (Imperial Prince), becoming Imperial Prince Sadahito. In 1069, he became Crown Prince and in due course, he became emperor at the age of 19.

  • January 18, 1073 (Enkyū 4, on the 8th day of the 12th month): In the 6th year of Emperor Go-Sanjō-tennō ‘s reign (桓武天皇6年), the emperor abdicated; and the succession (‘‘senso’’) was received by his son. Shortly thereafter, Emperor Shirakawa is said to have acceded to the throne (‘‘sokui’’).Titsingh, p. 169; Brown, p. 314; Varley, p. 44; a distinct act of senso is unrecognized prior to Emperor Tenji; and all sovereigns except Jitō, Yōzei, Go-Toba, and Fushimi have senso and sokui in the same year until the reign of Emperor Go-Murakami.

A kampaku was put in place, but Shirakawa attempted to rule directly, like his father. He attempted to regulate the shōen (manor) system, working to weaken the influence of the sekkan lines.

  • 1074 (Jōhō 1, 1st month): Dianagon Minamoto- no Takakune asked to be relieved of his duties because of his age. He was 71, and he wanted to retire to Uji. In his retirement, he was visited by many friends with whom he pursued research into the history of Japan. He brought this work together in a book.Titsingh, p. 169.
  • 1074 (Jōhō 1, 7th day of the 2nd month): The former kampaku Fujiwara Yorimichi died at the age of 83. In this same period, his sister, the widow of Emperor Ichijo, died at the age of 87.
  • 1074 (Jōhō 1, 3rd day of the 10th month): Empress Jōtō-mon In died at the age of 87.Brown, pp. 315–316.