Emperor Takakura

Genealogy

Before his ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name (his imina) was Norihito-shinnō (憲仁親王). He was also known as Nobuhito-shinnō.

Takakura was the fourth son of Emperor Go-Shirakawa, and thus uncle to his predecessor, Emperor Rokujō. His mother was Empress Dowager Taira no Shigeko, the younger sister of Taira no Tokiko, the wife of Taira no Kiyomori. His empress consort was Taira no Tokuko (later Empress Dowager Kenrei), the daughter of Taira no Kiyomori, and thus his first cousin (as his mother and Tokuko's mothers were sisters).

Empress consort: Taira no Tokuko (平徳子) – later Kenreimon-in

Imperial Prince Tokihito (言仁親王) – later Emperor Antoku

Shichijō-in (七条院), Bōmon Shokushi [or Fujiwara no Shokushi] (坊門殖子, 藤原殖子)

Second son: Imperial Prince Morisada (守貞親王) – later Go-Takakura In (後高倉院)

Third son of Prince Morisada: Imperial Prince Toyohito (茂仁親王) – later Emperor Go-Horikawa

Fourth son: Imperial Prince Takahira (尊成親王) – later Emperor Go-Toba

Lady of Rokujō (六条局), Konoe Michiko/Tsūshi (近衛通子)

Court Lady Azechi? (按察典侍), Horikawa Toyoko? (堀河豊子)

Third daughter: Imperial Princess Kiyoko (潔子内親王) – Saigū of Ise

Court Lady Shōshō (少将内侍), Taira no Noriko (平範子)

Third son: Imperial Prince Koreaki (惟明親王) (1172–1121), later Imperial Prince and Monk Shōen (聖円入道親王)

Lady of Sochi (帥局), daughter of Fujiwara no Kimishige (藤原公重) – former nanny of Takakura

First daughter: Imperial Princess Isako (功子内親王) – Saigū of Ise

Lady of Kogō (小督局), daughter of Fujiwara no Shigenori (藤原成範)

Second daughter: Imperial Princess Hanshi/Noriko (範子内親王), Empress Dowager Bō (坊門院)

Events of Takakura's life

Although Takakura was formally enthroned, the reality was that government affairs were controlled by his father and his father-in-law.

1168 (Nin'an 3, 19th day of the 2nd month): In the 3rd year of Rokujō-tennō 's reign (六条天皇3年), the emperor was deposed by his grandfather, and the succession (‘‘senso’’) was received by his cousin, the third son of the retired-Emperor Go-Shirakawa.

1168 (Nin'an 3, 19th day of the 2nd month): Emperor Takakura is said to have acceded to the throne (‘‘sokui’’), and he is proclaimed emperor.

Takakura had his own views on the role of Emperor. He is said to have written:

"The Emperor is a ship. His subjects are water. The water enables a ship to float well, but sometimes the vessel is capsized by it. His subjects can sustain an Emperor well, but sometimes they overthrow him."

Ex-Emperor Go-Shirakawa exercised the powers attendant the well-settled patterns of cloistered rule. Taira no Kiyomori, who was the father of the Empress, did whatever he pleased as de facto Regent.

1172 (Jōan 2, 10th day of the 2nd month): Taira Kiyomori’s daughter, Tokuko, becomes Takakura’s consort.

May 27, 1177 (Jishō 1, 28th day of the 4th month): A great fire in the capital was spread by high winds; and the palace was reduced to cinders.

1178 (Jishō 2, 12th day of the 11th month): Takakura's consort, Taira-no Tokuko, gave birth to a son. Kiyomori rejoiced; and all the officers of the court congratulated the parents. In the next month, this infant was declared heir to Emperor Takakura.

1180 (Jisho 4, 21st day of the 2nd month): Emperor Takakura abdicated.

1180 (Jisho 4, 22nd day of the 4th month): Emperor Antoku’s coronation ceremony.

1180 (Jisho 4, 2nd day of the 6th month): Former-emperor Go-Shirakawa-in, former-emperor Takakura-in and Emperor Antoku leave Kyoto for Fukuhara-kyō.

1180 (Jisho 4, 26th day of the 11th month): The capital is moved back to Kyoto from Fukuhara.

1180 (Jisho 4): A devastating whirlwind causes havoc in Heian-kyō, the capital.

1181 (Jisho 5, 14th day of the 1st month): Emperor Takakura died.

Soon after the birth of Emperor Takakura's son, Prince Tokihito, he was pressured to abdicate. The one-year-old infant would become Emperor Antoku.

Kugyō

Kugyō (公卿) 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 Takakura's reign, this apex of the Daijō-kan included:

Sesshō, Matsu Motofusa, 1144–1230.

Kampaku, Konoe Motomichi, 1160–1233.

Daijō-daijin, Fujiwara Tadamasa.

Daijō-daijin, Fujiwara Moronaga, 1137–1192.

Sadaijin, Ōimikado Tsunemune, 1119–1189.

Udaijin, Kujō Kanezane, 1149–1207.

Nadaijin, Konoe Motomichi.

Nadaijin, Minamoto Masamichi, died 1175.

Nadaijin, Taira Shigemori, 1138–1179.

Dainagon

Eras of Takakura's reign

The years of Takakura's reign are more specifically identified by more than one era name or nengō.

Nin'an (1166–1169)

Kaō (1169–1171)

Jōan (1171–1175)

Angen (1175–1177)

Jishō (1177–1181)