Wikipedia

Emperor Konoe

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Enkyo2 (talk | contribs) at 19:05, 23 May 2007 (→Events of Konoe''-tennō'''s life). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Emperor Konoe (近衛天皇 Konoe-tennō) (June 16, 1139 – August 22, 1155) was the 76th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. He reigned from January 5, 1142 to his death on August 22, 1155. His personal name was Narihito (体仁).

Genealogy

Emperor Konoe was the eighth son of Emperor Toba.[1] His mother was Fujiwara Tokuko (1117-1160), the wife of Emperor Toba.[2]

Kōgō Fujiwara Masuko (1140-1201) was the wife of Emperor Konoe; and after his death, she married Emperor Nijo. Later, she was called Grand Empress Dowager Omiya.[3]

Events of Konoe-tennō's life

Konoe was named heir to the Chrysanthemum Throne shortly after he was born in 1139; and he was proclaimed emperor in in the 12th month of Eiji gannen at the age of 3. At that time, the Kampaku Fujiwara-no Tadamichi became Sesshō or regent. The Cloistered Emperor Toba continued to direct all the affairs of government, while the retired Emperor Sutoku had no powers. This conflict resulted in many controversies during Konoe's reign.[4]

  • Ten'yō gannen or Ten'yō 1, in the 7th month (1145): A comet was sighted in the sky; and for this reason, the name of the nengō was changed to Kyūan.[7]
  • Kyūan gannen or Kyūan 1, in the 8th month (1145): The mother of former Emperor Sutoku (also known as "Taï-ken-mon-in") died.[8]
  • Kyūan 2, in the 2nd month (1146), Konoe visited Toba-no-Hōō.[9]
  • Kyūan 2, in the 12th month (1146), Konoe joined in a celebration honoring Sesshō Fujiwara no Tadamichi (the regent) on his 58th birthday.[10]
  • Kyūan 4, in the 6th month (1148: The imperial palace was consumed by flames.[11]
  • Kyūan 6, in the 1st month (1150): Konoe assumed the role of a mature adult; and he married Fujiwara-no Tokoku, who had been raised by Sadaijin Yorinaga. Tokoku was the daughter of Dainagon Taira-no Kiyomori. This bride became "Ohochi," or first empress.[12]
  • Kyūan 6, in the 3rd month (1150): Konoe married again, this time to "Feï-si," who had been raised by Sesshō Fujiwara-no Tadamichi. She was the daughter of Dainagon Fujiwara-no Koremichi. This bride became "Tsiougou," or second empress. Konoe was so very much enamoured of this second wife that he neglected his first wife, which caused discord in the kugyō, especially between Tadamichi and Yorinaga.[13]
  • Kyūan 6, in the 12th month (1150): Sesshō Minamoto-no Tadamichi, resigns his position and is named Daijō Daijin. In this same month, Minamoto-no Yoshikane became head of the Ashikaga clan in Shimotsuke province.[14]
  • Ninpei gannen or Ninpei 1, in the 1st month (1151): Sadaijin Yorinaga was given additional power as "Naï-ken," which gave him the duty and opportunity of reading formal written requests before they should be presented to the emperor. This had been amongst the powers of the Sesshō or the Kampaku. Factions in the court who favored Yorinaga tened to dislike Tadamichi, and they employed any means possible to help elevate Yorinaga's position. However, Yorinaga was himself generally disliked because of his capricious character. his tactics and stragtegy for enhancing his own prestige were focused primarily on diminishing Tadamichi's role in the court.[15]
  • Ninpei 2, on the 7th day of the 3rd month (1152): Konoe visited the home of Toba-no-Hōō to celebrate his father's 50th birthday; and the emperor stayed until the next day, amusing himself with dances and with listening to musical performances.[16]
  • Ninpei 3, on the 2nd day of the 1st month (1153): Konoe visited his father's home; and in the same month Taira-no Tadamori, the head of the criminal tribunal, died; and this position was soon filed by his son, Taira-no Kiyomori.[17]
  • Kyūju gannen or Kyūju 1, in the 5th month (1154): Udaijin Minamoto-no Masasada retired from public life to become a priest at age 61. He died several years later.[18]
  • Kyūju gannen or Kyūju 1, in the 8th month (1154): Fujiwara-no Saneyoshi, Grand General of the Right, was elevated to the role of Grand General of the Left; and the former Dainagon Fujiwara-no Kanenaga (aged 17) was elevated to take on the newly vacated role of Grand General of the Right.[19]
  • Kyūju 2, on the 23rd day of the 8th month (August 12, 1155): Emperor Konoe died at the age of 17 years without leaving any heirs.

Emperor Konoe's reign lasted for 14 years: 2 years in the nengō Kōji, 1 year in Ten'yō, 6 years in Kyūan, 3 years in Ninpei, and 2 years in Kyūju.[20]

Eras of Konoe-tennō's reign

References

Notes

  1. ^ Titsingh, I. (1834). Annales des empereurs du Japon, p. 186.
  2. ^ Kitagawa, H. (1975). The Tale of the Heike, p. 240.
  3. ^ Kitagawa, p. 298.
  4. ^ Titsingh, p. 186.
  5. ^ Titsingh, p. 186.
  6. ^ Titsingh, p. 186.
  7. ^ Titsingh, p. 186.
  8. ^ Titsingh, p. 186. [1834 transliteration, pre-Hepburn]
  9. ^ Titsingh, p. 186.
  10. ^ Titsingh, p. 186. [This event was important because, in each sexagenary cycle, the first and the fifty-eighth years were considered to be auspicious according to Chinese astrological principles.]
  11. ^ Titsingh, p. 187.
  12. ^ Titsingh, p. 187. [1834 transliteration, pre-Hepburn]
  13. ^ Titsingh, p. 187. [1834 transliteration, pre-Hepburn]
  14. ^ Titsingh, p. 187.
  15. ^ Titsingh, p. 187-188.
  16. ^ Titsingh, p. 188
  17. ^ Titsingh, p. 188.
  18. ^ Titsingh, p. 188.
  19. ^ Titsingh, p. 188.
  20. ^ Titsingh, p. 188.

Further reading

  • Kitagawa, Hiroshi and Bruce T. Tsuchida, eds. (1975). The Tale of the Heike. Tokyo.
  • Titsingh, Isaac, ed. (1834). [Siyun-sai Rin-siyo, 1652], Nipon o daï itsi ran; ou, Annales des empereurs du Japon, tr. par M. Isaac Titsingh avec l'aide de plusieurs interprètes attachés au comptoir hollandais de Nangasaki; ouvrage re., complété et cor. sur l'original japonais-chinois, accompagné de notes et précédé d'un Aperçu d'histoire mythologique du Japon, par M. J. Klaproth. Paris. [Two digitized examples of this rare book have now been made available online: (1) from the library of the University of Michigan, digitized January 30, 2007; and (2) from the library of Stanford University, digitized June 23, 2006.]


Preceded by Emperor Konoe
1142-1155 		Succeeded by
    

This Japanese history–related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Emperor_Konoe&oldid=132993774"