Emperor Go-Momozono
Encyclopedia
was the 118th emperor
of Japan
, according to the traditional order of succession.
Go-Momozono's reign spanned the years from 1771 through his death in 1779.
This 18th century sovereign was named after his father Emperor Momozono
and go- (後), translates literally as "later;" and thus, he could be called the "Later Emperor Momozono". The Japanese word "go" has also been translated to mean the "second one;" and in some older sources, this emperor might be identified as "Momozono, the second," or as "Momozono II".
, his personal name (imina) was or Hanahito
He was the firstborn son of Emperor Momozono
.
Go-Momozono's Imperial family lived with him in the Dairi
of the Heian Palace
. This family included at least 2 sons who died in infancy and one 10-month-old daughter at the time of the emperor's early death. An adopted son would became Go-Momozono's heir:
Go-Momozono's kami
is enshrined in the Imperial mausoleum, Tsukinowa no misasagi, at Sennyū-ji
in Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto
. Also enshrined in this location are this emperor's immediate Imperial predecessors since Emperor Go-Mizunoo
-- Meishō
, Go-Kōmyō
, Go-Sai
, Reigen
, Higashiyama
, Nakamikado
, Sakuramachi
, Momozono
and Go-Sakuramachi
. The shrine complex also encompasses the misasagi of three of Go-Momozono's immediate successors -- Kōkaku
, Ninkō
, and Kōmei
.
in pre-Meiji
eras. Even during those years in which the court's actual influence outside the palace walls was minimal, the hierarchic organization persisted.
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-Momozono's reign, this apex of the Daijō-kan included:
Emperor
An emperor is a monarch, usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife or a woman who rules in her own right...
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.
Go-Momozono's reign spanned the years from 1771 through his death in 1779.
This 18th century sovereign was named after his father Emperor Momozono
Emperor Momozono
was the 116th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Momazono's reign spanned the years from 1747 until his death in 1762.-Genealogy:...
and go- (後), translates literally as "later;" and thus, he could be called the "Later Emperor Momozono". The Japanese word "go" has also been translated to mean the "second one;" and in some older sources, this emperor might be identified as "Momozono, the second," or as "Momozono II".
Genealogy
Before Go-Momozono's accession 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 (imina) was or Hanahito
He was the firstborn son of Emperor Momozono
Emperor Momozono
was the 116th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Momazono's reign spanned the years from 1747 until his death in 1762.-Genealogy:...
.
Go-Momozono's Imperial family lived with him in the Dairi
Dairi
Dairi may refer to:* The building in which the Japanese Imperial family resided , the women of the Imperial family , the Imperial court of Japan, or an indirect way of referring to the Emperor himself....
of the Heian Palace
Heian Palace
The Heian Palace was the original imperial palace of Heian-kyō , the capital of Japan, from 794 to 1227. In Japan, this palace is called Daidairi...
. This family included at least 2 sons who died in infancy and one 10-month-old daughter at the time of the emperor's early death. An adopted son would became Go-Momozono's heir:
- Court Lady: Konoe Koreko (近衛維子)
- First daughter: Imperial Princess Yoshiko (欣子内親王) - later Emperor Kōkaku's chief wife (chūgū), Yoshiko (后妃, 欣子内親王), then also known as Shin-Seiwa-In (?, 新清和院)
- Adopted son
- Imperial Prince Tomohito (兼仁親王) (Emperor KōkakuEmperor Kokakuwas the 119th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Kōkaku's reign spanned the years from 1780 through 1817.-Genealogy:...
, sixth son of Imperial Prince Kan'in-no-miyaKan'in-no-miyaThe ' is the youngest of the four shinnōke, branches of the Imperial Family of Japan which were eligible to succeed to the Chrysanthemum Throne in the event that the main line should die out. It was founded by Prince Naohito, the son of Emperor Higashiyama....
Sukehito)
- Imperial Prince Tomohito (兼仁親王) (Emperor Kōkaku
Events of Go-Momozono's life
Hidehito was passed over when his father died. He was too young to be emperor at that time.- August 5, 1758: Prince Hidehito is born, the first son of Emperor MomozonoEmperor Momozonowas the 116th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Momazono's reign spanned the years from 1747 until his death in 1762.-Genealogy:...
.
- 1768: Hidehito-shinno was named Crown Prince and heir.
- January 9, 1771: Empress Go-SakuramachiEmpress Go-Sakuramachiwas the 117th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Go-Sakuramachi's reign spanned the years from 1762 through 1771....
abdicated in favor of her nephew, Prince Hidehito; and his reign started immediately.
- February 29, 1772 (Meiwa 9, 26th day or the 1st month): "The Great Meiwa Fire" -- one of the three greatest Edo fire disasters. Unofficial reports describe a swath of ashes and cinders nearly five miles wide and 15 miles (24.1 km) long—destroying 178 temples and shrines, 127 daimyo residences, 878 non-official residences, 8705 houses of bannermen, and 628 blocks of merchant dwellings, with estimates of over 6,000 casualties. All this devastation subsequently engendered the costs of reconstruction.
- August 2, 1772 (Meiwa 9, 4th day of the 6th month): A tempest struck the Kantō region, causing floods and ruining crops.
- August 17, 1772 (Meiwa 9, 19th day of the 6th month): Another storm brought flooding and high winds to the Kantō region, destroying an estimated 4000 houses in Edo alone.
- 1772 (Meiwa 9): This was called the "year of trouble" because it was marked by an extraordinary succession of natural calamities. a contemporary pun was made linking the words "Meiwa" + "ku" (meaning "Meiwa 9") and the sound-alike word "meiwaku" (meaning "misfortune" or "annoyance").
- 1772 (Meiwa 9, 11th month): The nengō was changed to Anei (meaning "eternal tranquillity"); but this symbolic act proved to be futile.
- 1775 (An'ei 4): Epidemic diseases spread across the country – in Edo alone, an estimated 190,000 died.
- 1775 (An'ei 4): Swedish pyhsician and botanist Carl Peter ThunbergCarl Peter ThunbergCarl Peter Thunberg aka Carl Pehr Thunberg aka Carl Per Thunberg was a Swedish naturalist and an apostle of Carl Linnaeus. He has been called "the father of South African botany" and the "Japanese Linnaeus"....
arrives at VOCDutch East India CompanyThe Dutch East India Company was a chartered company established in 1602, when the States-General of the Netherlands granted it a 21-year monopoly to carry out colonial activities in Asia...
outpost or "factory" in Nagasaki bay; and his scientific activities will result in the first detailed, descriptive survey of the flora and fauna of the Japanese archipelago.
- 1778 (An'ei 7): Kyoto suffers a massive flood.
- 1778 (An'ei 7): Volcanic island of SakurajimaSakurajima, also romanized as Sakurashima or Sakura-jima, is an active composite volcano and a former island of the same name in Kagoshima Prefecture in Kyūshū, Japan...
erupts one mile away from KagoshimaKagoshima, Kagoshimais the capital city of Kagoshima Prefecture at the southwestern tip of the Kyūshū island of Japan, and the largest city in the prefecture by some margin...
– 16,000 died.
- 1779: The emperor adopted a son from the Kan'inKan'in-no-miyaThe ' is the youngest of the four shinnōke, branches of the Imperial Family of Japan which were eligible to succeed to the Chrysanthemum Throne in the event that the main line should die out. It was founded by Prince Naohito, the son of Emperor Higashiyama....
branch of the Imperial family; and this son would become known as Emperor KōkakuEmperor Kokakuwas the 119th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Kōkaku's reign spanned the years from 1780 through 1817.-Genealogy:...
.
- June 12, 1779: The emperor died at the age of 22.
Go-Momozono's kami
Kami
is the Japanese word for the spirits, natural forces, or essence in the Shinto faith. Although the word is sometimes translated as "god" or "deity", some Shinto scholars argue that such a translation can cause a misunderstanding of the term...
is enshrined in the Imperial mausoleum, Tsukinowa no misasagi, at Sennyū-ji
Sennyu-ji
, formerly written as , is a Buddhist temple in Higashiyama-ku in Kyoto, Japan. For centuries, Sennyū-ji was a mortuary temple for aristocrats and the imperial house. Located here are the official tombs of Emperor Shijō and many of the emperors who came after him....
in Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto
Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto
' is one of the eleven wards in the city of Kyoto, in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. It was created in 1929 when it was split off from Shimogyō-ku. During the years 1931 to 1976 it also covered the area of present-day Yamashina-ku, which was an independent town until its merger into the city in 1931...
. Also enshrined in this location are this emperor's immediate Imperial predecessors since Emperor Go-Mizunoo
Emperor Go-Mizunoo
was the 108th Emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Go-Mizunoo's reign spanned the years from 1611 through 1629.This 17th century sovereign was named after the 9th century Emperor Seiwa and , translates literally as "later;" and thus, he could be called the "Later...
-- Meishō
Empress Meisho
was the 109th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Meishō's reign spanned the years from 1629 to 1643.In the history of Japan, Meishō was the seventh of eight women to become empress regnant. The six female monarchs who reigned before Meishō-tennō were Suiko, ...
, Go-Kōmyō
Emperor Go-Komyo
was the 110th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Go-Kōmyō's reign spanned the years from 1643 through 1654.This 17th century sovereign was named after the 14th century Nanboku-chō Emperor Kōmyō and go- , translates literally as "later;" and thus, he could be called...
, Go-Sai
Emperor Go-Sai
, also known as was the 111th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Go-Sai's reign spanned the years from 1654 through 1663....
, Reigen
Emperor Reigen
was the 112th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Reigen's reign spanned the years from 1663 through 1687.-Genealogy:...
, Higashiyama
Emperor Higashiyama
was the 113th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Higashiyama's reign spanned the years from 1687 through 1709.-Genealogy:...
, Nakamikado
Emperor Nakamikado
was the 114th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Nakamikado's reign spanned the years from 1709 through 1735.-Genealogy:...
, Sakuramachi
Emperor Sakuramachi
was the 115th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Sakuramachi's reign spanned the years from 1735 through 1747.-Genealogy:...
, Momozono
Emperor Momozono
was the 116th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Momazono's reign spanned the years from 1747 until his death in 1762.-Genealogy:...
and Go-Sakuramachi
Empress Go-Sakuramachi
was the 117th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Go-Sakuramachi's reign spanned the years from 1762 through 1771....
. The shrine complex also encompasses the misasagi of three of Go-Momozono's immediate successors -- Kōkaku
Emperor Kokaku
was the 119th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Kōkaku's reign spanned the years from 1780 through 1817.-Genealogy:...
, Ninkō
Emperor Ninko
was the 120th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. Ninkō's reign spanned the years from 1817 through 1846.-Genealogy:Before Ninkō's ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name was ....
, and Kōmei
Emperor Komei
was the 121st emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. Kōmei's reign spanned the years from 1846 through 1867.-Genealogy:Before Kōmei's accession to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name was ;, his title was ....
.
Kugyō
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. Even during those years in which the court's actual influence outside the palace walls was minimal, the hierarchic organization persisted.
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-Momozono's reign, this apex of the Daijō-kan included:
- 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...
- 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 Go-Momozono's reign
The years of Go-Momozono's reign are more specifically identified by more than one era name or nengō:- MeiwaMeiwawas a after Hōreki and before An'ei. This period spanned the years from June 1764 through November 1772. The reigning empress and emperor were and .-Change of era:...
(1764–1772) - An'eiAneiwas a after Meiwa and before Tenmei. This period spanned the years November 1772 through March 1781. The reigning emperors were and .-Change of era:...
(1772–1781)
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...
- Modern system of ranked Shinto ShrinesModern system of ranked Shinto ShrinesThe The The (sometimes called simply , was an organizational aspect of the establishment of Japanese State Shinto. This system classified Shinto shrines as either official government shrines or "other" shrines...