Emperor Nijo
Encyclopedia
Emperor Nijō (July 31, 1143 – September 5, 1165) was the 78th emperor
of Japan
, according to the traditional order of succession. His reign spaned the years from 1158 through 1165.
, his personal name (his imina) was Morihito-shinnō (守仁親王).
He was the eldest son of Emperor Go-Shirakawa
. He was the father of Emperor Rokujō
.
After Nijō was formally enthroned, the management of all affairs continued to rest entirely in the hands of the retired emperor, Go-Shirakawa.
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 Nijō's reign, this apex of the Daijō-kan included:
Emperor of Japan
The Emperor of Japan is, according to the 1947 Constitution of Japan, "the symbol of the state and of the unity of the people." He is a ceremonial figurehead under a form of constitutional monarchy and is head of the Japanese Imperial Family with functions as head of state. He is also the highest...
of Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, according to the traditional order of succession. His reign spaned the years from 1158 through 1165.
Genealogy
Before his ascension to the Chrysanthemum ThroneChrysanthemum Throne
The is the English term used to identify the throne of the Emperor of Japan. The term can refer to very specific seating, such as the takamikura throne in the Shishin-den at Kyoto Imperial Palace....
, his personal name (his imina) was Morihito-shinnō (守仁親王).
He was the eldest son of Emperor Go-Shirakawa
Emperor Go-Shirakawa
Emperor Go-Shirakawa was the 77th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession...
. He was the father of Emperor Rokujō
Emperor Rokujo
Emperor Rokujō was the 79th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. His reign spanned the years from 1165 through 1168.-Genealogy:...
.
- Fujiwara Masuko (1140–1201): wife of Emperor Nijo (and earlier, she had also been the wife of Emperor KonoeEmperor Konoewas the 76th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Konoe's reign spanned the years from 1142 through 1155.-Genealogy:...
). Later, she was called Grand Empress Dowager Omiya.
Events of Nijō's life
Nijō was proclaimed as heir to Emperor Go-Shirakawa.- HōgenHogen (era)was a after Kyūju and before Heiji. This period spanned the years from April 1156 through April 1159. The reigning emperors were and .-Change of era:* January 24, 1156 : The new era name was created to mark an event or series of events...
1, 2nd day of the 7th month (1156): Cloistered Emperor TobaEmperor Tobawas the 74th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Toba's reign spanned the years from 1107 through 1123.- Genealogy :...
-in died at age 54. - Hōgen 1, 10th-29th days of the 7th month (1156): The Hōgen RebellionHogen RebellionThe was a short civil war fought in order to resolve a dispute about Japanese Imperial succession. The dispute was also about the degree of control exercised by the Fujiwara clan who had become hereditary Imperial regents during the Heian period....
, also known as the Hōgen Insurrection or the Hōgen War. - Hōgen 4, on the 11th day of the 8th month (1158): In the 3rd year of Go-Sirakawa-tennōs reign (後白河天皇25年), the emperor abdicated; and the succession (‘‘senso’’) was received by his eldest son. Shortly thereafter, Emperor Nijō is said to have acceded to the throne (‘‘sokui’’).
After Nijō was formally enthroned, the management of all affairs continued to rest entirely in the hands of the retired emperor, Go-Shirakawa.
- HeijiHeijiwas a after Hōgen and before Eiryaku. This period spanned the years from April 1159 through January 1160. The reigning emperor was .-Change of era:* January 21, 1159 : The new era name was created to mark an event or series of events...
1, 9th-26th day of the 12th month (1159): The Heiji RebellionHeiji RebellionThe was a short civil war fought in order to resolve a dispute about political power. The Heiji no ran encompassed clashes between rival subjects of the cloistered Emperor Go-Shirakawa of Japan in 1159. It was preceded by the Hōgen Rebellion in 1156...
, also known as the Heiji Insurrection or the Heiji War.
- ChōkanChokanwas a after Ōhō and before Eiman. This period spanned the years from March 1163 through June 1165. The reigning emperors were and .-Change of era:* February 5, 1163 : The new era name was created to mark an event or series of events...
2, on the 26th day of the 8th month (1164):The former-Emperor Sutoku died at the age of 46.
- EimanEimanwas a after Chōkan and before Nin'an. This period spanned the years from June 1165 through August 1166. The reigning emperor was .-Change of era:* February 13, 1165 : The new era name was created to mark an event or series of events...
1 (1165): The infant son of Emperor Nijō was named heir apparent (and this Crown Prince will soon become Emperor RokujōEmperor RokujoEmperor Rokujō was the 79th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. His reign spanned the years from 1165 through 1168.-Genealogy:...
. - Eiman 1, on the 25th day of the 6th month (1165): In the 7th year of Nijō-tennōs reign (桓武天皇7年), the emperor fell so very ill that he abdicated; and the succession (‘‘senso’’) was received by his son. Shortly thereafter, Emperor Rokujō is said to have acceded to the throne (‘‘sokui’’).
- Eiman 1, 27th-28th day of the 7th month (1165): The former- Emperor Nijō died at age 22.
Kugyō
Kugyō (公卿) is a collective term for the very few most powerful men attached to the court of the Emperor of JapanEmperor of Japan
The Emperor of Japan is, according to the 1947 Constitution of Japan, "the symbol of the state and of the unity of the people." He is a ceremonial figurehead under a form of constitutional monarchy and is head of the Japanese Imperial Family with functions as head of state. He is also the highest...
in pre-Meiji
Meiji period
The , also known as the Meiji era, is a Japanese era which extended from September 1868 through July 1912. This period represents the first half of the Empire of Japan.- Meiji Restoration and the emperor :...
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 Nijō's reign, this apex of the Daijō-kan included:
- Kampaku, Konoe Motozane, 1143–1166.
- SadaijinSadaijin, most commonly translated as "Minister of the Left", was a government position in Japan in the late Nara and Heian periods. The position was consolidated in the Taihō Code of 702. The Asuka Kiyomihara Code of 689 marks the initial appearance of the Sadaijin in the context of a central...
, Konoe Motozane. - UdaijinUdaijinUdaijin , most commonly translated as the "Minister of the Right", was a government position in Japan in the late Nara and Heian periods. The position was consolidated in the Taihō Code of 702. The Asuka Kiyomihara Code of 689 marks the initial appearance of the Udaijin in the context of a central...
- Nadaijin
- DainagonDainagonwas a counselor of the first rank in the Imperial court of Japan. The role dates from the 7th century.This advisory position remained a part of the Imperial court from the 8th century until the Meiji period in the 19th century....
Eras of Nijō's reign
The years of Nijō's reign are more specifically identified by more than one era name or nengō.- HōgenHogen (era)was a after Kyūju and before Heiji. This period spanned the years from April 1156 through April 1159. The reigning emperors were and .-Change of era:* January 24, 1156 : The new era name was created to mark an event or series of events...
(1156–1159) - HeijiHeijiwas a after Hōgen and before Eiryaku. This period spanned the years from April 1159 through January 1160. The reigning emperor was .-Change of era:* January 21, 1159 : The new era name was created to mark an event or series of events...
(1159–1160) - EiryakuEiryakuwas a after Heiji and before Ōhō. This period spanned the years from January 1160 through September 1161. The reigning emperor was .-Change of era:* February 9, 1160 : The new era name was created to mark an event or a number of events...
(1160–1161) - ŌhōOhowas a after Eiryaku and before Chōkan. This period spanned the years from September 1161 through March 1163. The reigning emperor was .-Change of era:* January 28, 1161 : The new era name was created to mark an event or a number of events...
(1161–1163) - ChōkanChokanwas a after Ōhō and before Eiman. This period spanned the years from March 1163 through June 1165. The reigning emperors were and .-Change of era:* February 5, 1163 : The new era name was created to mark an event or series of events...
(1163–1165) - EimanEimanwas a after Chōkan and before Nin'an. This period spanned the years from June 1165 through August 1166. The reigning emperor was .-Change of era:* February 13, 1165 : The new era name was created to mark an event or series of events...
(1165–1166)
See also
- Emperor of JapanEmperor of JapanThe Emperor of Japan is, according to the 1947 Constitution of Japan, "the symbol of the state and of the unity of the people." He is a ceremonial figurehead under a form of constitutional monarchy and is head of the Japanese Imperial Family with functions as head of state. He is also the highest...
- List of Emperors of Japan
- Imperial cultImperial cultAn imperial cult is a form of state religion in which an emperor, or a dynasty of emperors , are worshipped as messiahs, demigods or deities. "Cult" here is used to mean "worship", not in the modern pejorative sense...
- Emperor Go-NijōEmperor Go-NijoEmperor Go-Nijō was the 94th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. He reigned from March 3, 1301 until September 10, 1308...