Emperor Reizei

Template:Infobox royalty

Template:Nihongo was the 63rd emperor of Japan,<ref name="kunaicho">Imperial Household Agency (Kunaichō): 冷泉天皇 (63)</ref> according to the traditional order of succession.<ref>Ponsonby-Fane, Richard. (1959). The Imperial House of Japan, p. 71.</ref>

Reizei's reign spanned the years from 967 through 969, ending with his abdication and retirement.<ref>Titsingh, Isaac. (1834). Annales des empereurs du japon, pp. 142–143; Brown, Delmer et al. (1979). Gukanshō, pp. 298–300; Varely, H. Paul. (1980). Jinnō Shōtōki, pp. 190–191.</ref>

BiographyEdit

Before his ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name (his imina) was Norihira-shinnō (憲平親王).<ref>Titsingh, p. 142; Varely, p. 190; Brown, p. 264; prior to Emperor Jomei, the personal names of the emperors (their imina) were very long and people did not generally use them. The number of characters in each name diminished after Jomei's reign.</ref>

Norihira-shinnō was the second son of Emperor Murakami. His mother, Empress Yasuko, was a daughter of minister of the right Fujiwara no Morosuke.<ref>Varley, p. 190.</ref> Soon after his birth he was appointed as crown prince, displacing the Emperor's first-born son with the daughter of Fujiwara no Motokata. This decision was supposedly made under the influence of Morosuke and his brother Fujiwara no Saneyori who had seized power in the court. Motokata soon died, in despair at having lost the prospect of being grandfather to the next emperor. The malevolent influence of Motokata's Template:Nihongo was blamed for Norihira-shinnō's mental illness, which resulted in Saneyori acting as regent for the duration of his short reign.<ref>Template:Cite thesis</ref>

From ancient times, there have been four noble clans, the Gempeitōkitsu (源平藤橘). One of these clans, the Minamoto clan (源氏) are also known as Genji, and of these, the Reizei Genji (冷泉源氏) are descended from 63rd emperor Reizei.

Events of Reizei's reignEdit

Questions about mental illness made Norihira-shinnō's succession somewhat problematic.

In 967 his father Murakami died and Reizei ascended to the throne at the age of eighteen.

July 5, 967 (Kōhō 4, 25th day of the 5th month): In the 16th year of Emperor Murakami's reign (村上天皇十六年), he died; and the succession (‘‘senso’’) was received by his second son. Shortly thereafter, Emperor Reizei is said to have acceded to the throne (‘‘sokui’’).<ref>Titsingh, p. 142; Brown, p. 298; 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.</ref>
969 (Anna 2): Reizei abdicated; and he took the honorific title of Reizei-in Jōkō. His reign lasted for just two years; and he lived another 44 years in retirement.<ref name="b298">Brown, p. 298.</ref>

File:Reizei kyoto.jpg

The tomb of Emperor Reizei, Kyoto (front view)

November 21, 1011 (Kankō 8, 24th day of the 10th month): Daijō-tennō Reizei-in Jōkō died at age 62.<ref>Titsingh, p. 155; Brown, p. 306; Varley, p. 190.</ref>

The actual site of Reizei's grave is known.<ref name="kunaicho"/> This emperor is traditionally venerated at a memorial Shinto shrine (misasagi) at Kyoto.

The Imperial Household Agency designates this location as Reizei's mausoleum. It is formally named Sakuramoto no misasagi<ref>Ponsonby-Fane, p. 420.</ref>

KugyōEdit

Template:Nihongo is a collective term for the very few most powerful men attached to the court of the Emperor of Japan in pre-Meiji eras.

In general, this elite group included only three to four men at a time. These were hereditary courtiers whose experience and background would have brought them to the pinnacle of a life's career. During Go-Toba's reign, this apex of the Daijō-kan included:

Kampaku, Ōno-no-miya Fujiwara no Saneyori (藤原実頼), 900–970.<ref name="b298"/>
Daijō-daijin, Fujiwara Saneyori.<ref name="b298"/>
Sadaijin, Minamoto no Takaakira (源高明) (relegated in 969 by Anna Incident)
Sadaijin, Fujiwara Morotada (藤原師尹)
Udaijin, Fujiwara Morotada (藤原師尹), 920–969.<ref name="b298"/>
Naidaijin (not appointed)
Dainagon, Fujiwara no Arihira (藤原在衡)
Dainagon, Minamoto no Kaneakira (源兼明)
Dainagon, Fujiwara no Koretada (藤原伊尹)

Eras of Reizei's reignEdit

The years of Reizei's reign are more specifically identified by more than one Template:Nihongo:<ref>Titsingh, p. 142.</ref>

Kōhō (964–968)
Anna (968–970)

Consorts and childrenEdit

Empress (Chūgū): Imperial Princess Masako (昌子内親王) later Kanon'in taigō (観音院太后), Emperor Suzaku’s daughter

Adopted Son: Imperial Prince Nagahira (永平親王; 965–988)

Consort (Nyōgo): Fujiwara no Kaishi/Chikako (藤原懐子, 945–975), Fujiwara no Koretada’s daughter

First Daughter: Imperial Princess Sōshi (宗子内親王; 964–986)
Second Daughter: Imperial Princess Sonshi (尊子内親王; 966–985), 15th Saiin in Kamo Shrine 968–975; later, married to Emperor En'yū in 980
First Son: Imperial Prince Morosada (師貞親王) later Emperor Kazan

Consort (Nyōgo): Fujiwara no Chōshi/Tōko (藤原超子; d.982), Fujiwara no Kaneie’s daughter