was the 56th

emperor An emperor (from la, imperator, via fro, empereor) is a monarch, and usually the sovereignty, sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife (empress consort), ...

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

Imperial Household Agency The (IHA) is an agency of the government of Japan in charge of state matters concerning the Imperial Family, and also the keeping of the Privy Seal and State Seal of Japan. From around the 8th century AD, up until the Second World War, it ...

(''Kunaichō'')
清和天皇 (56)
/ref> according to the traditional

order of succession An order of succession or right of succession is the line of individuals necessitated to hold a high office when it becomes vacated such as head of state or an honour such as a title of nobility.Takeda ryu.

Traditional narrative

Seiwa was the fourth son of

Emperor Montoku (August 826 – 7 October 858) was the 55th emperor of Japan, Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 文徳天皇 (55)/ref> according to the traditional order of succession. Montoku's reign lasted from 850 to 858. Traditional narrative Before ...

. His mother was Empress Dowager Fujiwara no Akirakeiko (明子), also called the Somedono empress (染殿后). Seiwa's mother was the daughter of

Fujiwara no Yoshifusa , also known as ''Somedono no Daijin'' or ''Shirakawa-dono'', was a Japanese people, Japanese statesman, courtier and politician during the Heian period.Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Fujiwara no Nakahira" in ; Brinkley, Frank ''et al.'' (1 ...

(藤原良房), who was regent and great minister of the council of state. He was the younger half-brother of Imperial Prince Koretaka (惟喬親王; 844–897)

Imina

Before his ascension to the

Chrysanthemum Throne The is the throne of the Emperor of Japan. The term also can refer to very specific seating, such as the throne in the Shishin-den at Kyoto Imperial Palace. Various other thrones or seats that are used by the Emperor during official functions, ...

, his personal name (his ''

imina in modern times consist of a family name (surname) followed by a given name, in that order. Nevertheless, when a Japanese name is written in the Roman alphabet, ever since the Meiji era, the official policy has been to cater to Western expecta ...

'') was ,Titsingh, the first member of the

Imperial house A dynasty is a sequence of rulers from the same family,''Oxford English Dictionary'', "dynasty, ''n''." Oxford University Press (Oxford), 1897. usually in the context of a monarchical system, but sometimes also appearing in republics. A d ...

to be personally named "-hito" 仁. One meaning of the character 仁 is the

Confucian Confucianism, also known as Ruism or Ru classicism, is a system of thought and behavior originating in ancient China. Variously described as tradition, a philosophy, a Religious Confucianism, religion, a humanistic or rationalistic religion, ...

concept of '' ren''. Later it has been a tradition to name the personal name of all male members of the Imperial family this way. He was also known as emperor as ''Mizunoo-no-mikado''Varley, p. 166. or ''Minoo-tei''.

Events of Seiwa's life

Originally under the guardianship of his maternal grandfather

, he displaced Imperial Prince Koretaka (惟喬親王) as

Crown Prince A crown prince or hereditary prince is the heir apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The female form of the title is crown princess, which may refer either to an heiress apparent or, especially in earlier times, to the wif ...

. Upon the death of his father in 858, Emperor Montoku, he became Emperor at the age of 9, but the real power was held by his grandfather, Yoshifusa. * 7 October 858 (''

Ten'an was a after '' Saikō'' and before ''Jōgan.'' This period spanned the years from February 857 through April 859. The reigning emperors were and . Change of Era * January 30, 857 : The new era name was created to mark an event or series of e ...

2, 27th day of the 8th month''): In the 8th year of Montoku''-tennō''s reign (文徳天皇8年), the emperor died; and the succession (''senso'') was received by his son. Shortly thereafter, Emperor Seiwa is said to have acceded to the throne (''sokui''). * 15 December 858 (''Ten'an 2, 7th day of the 11th month''): The emperor's official announcement of his enthronement at age 9 was accompanied by the appointment of his grandfather as regent (''sesshō''). This is the first time that this high honor has been accorded to a member of the

Fujiwara family was a powerful family of imperial regents in Japan, descending from the Nakatomi clan and, as legend held, through them their ancestral god Ame-no-Koyane. The Fujiwara prospered since the ancient times and dominated the imperial court until ...

, and it is also the first example in Japan of the accession of an heir who is too young to be emperor. The proclamation of the beginning of Seiwa's reign was made at the

Kotaijingu The , located in Ise, Mie Prefecture of Japan, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the sun goddess Amaterasu. Officially known simply as , Ise Jingū is a shrine complex composed of many Shinto shrines centered on two main shrines, and . The Inner ...

Ise Province was a province of Japan in the area of Japan that is today includes most of modern Mie Prefecture. Ise bordered on Iga, Kii, Mino, Ōmi, Owari, Shima, and Yamato Provinces. Its abbreviated form name was . History The name of Ise appears ...

and at all the tombs of the imperial family. * 859 (''

Jōgan was a after ''Ten'an'' and before '' Gangyō.'' This period spanned the years from April 859 through April 878. The two reigning emperors were and . Change of era * February 7, 859 : The new era name was created to mark an event or series of ...

1, 1st month''): All New Year's festivities were suspended because of the period of national mourning for the death of Emperor Montoku. * 859 (''Jōgan 1''): Construction began on the Iwashimizu Shrine near Heian-kyō. This shrine honors Hachiman, the Shinto war god.Brown, p. 288. * 869 (''Jōgan 10''): Yōzei was born, and he was named Seiwa's heir in the following year. * 876 (''Jōgan 17, 11th month''): In the 18th year of Seiwa''-tennō"s reign (清和天皇18年), the emperor ceded his throne to his five-year-old son, which meant that the young child received the succession (''senso''). Shortly thereafter, Emperor Yōzei formally acceded to the throne (''sokui''). * 878 (''

Gangyō , also known as Genkei, was a after ''Jōgan'' and before '' Ninna.'' This period spanned the years from April 877 through February 885. The reigning emperor was . Change of era * January 18, 877 : The new era name was created to mark an event ...

2''): Seiwa became a Buddhist priest. His new priestly name was Soshin (素真). * 7 January 881 (''Gangyō 4, 4th day of the 12th month''): Former-Emperor Seiwa died at age 30.

Mausoleum

The actual site of Seiwa's

grave A grave is a location where a dead body (typically that of a human, although sometimes that of an animal) is buried or interred after a funeral. Graves are usually located in special areas set aside for the purpose of burial, such as grave ...

is known. The emperor is traditionally venerated at the ''misasagi''

memorial A memorial is an object or place which serves as a focus for the memory or the commemoration of something, usually an influential, deceased person or a historical, tragic event. Popular forms of memorials include landmark objects or works of a ...

shrine A shrine ( la, scrinium "case or chest for books or papers"; Old French: ''escrin'' "box or case") is a sacred or holy sacred space, space dedicated to a specific deity, ancestor worship, ancestor, hero, martyr, saint, Daemon (mythology), daem ...

in the Ukyō-ku ward of

Kyoto Kyoto (; Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in Japan. Located in the Kansai region on the island of Honshu, Kyoto forms a part of the Keihanshin metropolitan area along with Osaka and Kobe. , the ci ...

. The

designates this location as Seiwa's

mausoleum A mausoleum is an external free-standing building constructed as a monument enclosing the interment space or burial chamber of a deceased person or people. A mausoleum without the person's remains is called a cenotaph. A mausoleum may be consid ...

. It is formally named the or Seiwa Tennō Ryō. From the site of his tomb the Emperor Seiwa is sometimes referred to as the . The ''

kami are the deities, divinities, spirits, phenomena or "holy powers", that are venerated in the Shinto religion. They can be elements of the landscape, forces of nature, or beings and the qualities that these beings express; they can also be the sp ...

'' of Emperor Seiwa is venerated at the Seiwatennō-sha in close proximity to the mausoleum.

Kugyō

is a collective term for the very few most powerful men attached to the court of the

Emperor of Japan The Emperor of Japan is the monarch and the head of the Imperial House of Japan, Imperial Family of Japan. Under the Constitution of Japan, he is defined as the symbol of the Japanese state and the unity of the Japanese people, and his positio ...

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 Seiwa's reign, this apex of the ''

Daijō-kan The , also known as the Great Council of State, was (i) (''Daijō-kan'') the highest organ of Japan's premodern Imperial government under the Ritsuryō legal system during and after the Nara period or (ii) (''Dajō-kan'') the highest organ of Jap ...

'' included: * '' Sesshō'',

, 804–872. * ''

Daijō-daijin The was the head of the ''Daijō-kan'' (Great Council of State) during and after the Nara period and briefly under the Meiji Constitution. Equivalent to the Chinese (Grand Preceptor). History Emperor Tenji's favorite son, Prince Ōtomo, wa ...

'', Fujiwara no Yoshifusa. * ''

Sadaijin The ''Kenkyusha's New Japanese-English Dictionary'', Kenkyusha Limited, 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 ini ...

'', Minamoto no Makoto (源信). * ''Sadaijin'', Minamoto no Tooru (源融).Titsingh, * ''

Udaijin 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 administr ...

'', Fujiwara no Yoshimi (藤原良相), 817–867.Brown, p. 287. * ''Udaijin'', Fujiwara no Ujimune (藤原氏宗). * ''Udaijin'',

Fujiwara no Mototsune , also known as , was a Japanese statesman, courtier and aristocrat of the early Heian period.Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Fujiwara no Mototsune" in ; Brinkley, Frank ''et al.'' (1915). He was the first '' kampaku'', a regent of an adult ...

, 836–891.Brown, p. 287; Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Fujiwara no Mototsune" in . * ''

Naidaijin The , literally meaning "Inner Minister", was an ancient office in the Japanese imperial court, Japanese Imperial Court. Its role, rank and authority varied throughout the pre-Meiji period, Meiji period of Japanese history, but in general remain ...

'' * ''

Dainagon was 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.Nussbaum, "Dainag ...

'', Fujiwara no Mototsune.

Eras of Seiwa's reign

The years of Seiwa's reign are more specifically identified by more than one

era name A regnal year is a year of the reign of a sovereign, from the Latin ''regnum'' meaning kingdom, rule. Regnal years considered the date as an ordinal, not a cardinal number. For example, a monarch could have a first year of rule, a second year o ...

or ''

nengō The , also known as , is the first of the two elements that identify years in the Japanese era calendar scheme. The second element is a number which indicates the year number within the era (with the first year being ""), followed by the literal ...

''. * ''

'' (857–859) * ''

'' (859–877)

Consorts and children

*Consort ( Nyōgo) later ''Kōtaigō'': Fujiwara no Takako (藤原高子; 842–910) later Nijo-kisaki (二条后), Fujiwara no Nagara's daughter **First Son: Imperial Prince Sadaakira (貞明親王) later

Emperor Yōzei was the 57th emperor of Japan, Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 陽成天皇 (57)/ref> according to the traditional order of succession. Yōzei's reign spanned the years from 876 through 884. Traditional narrative Before his ascension ...

**Fourth Son: Imperial Prince Sadayasu (貞保親王; 870–924) **Third/Fifth daughter: Imperial Princess Atsuko (敦子内親王; d. 930), 7th Saiin in Kamo Shrine 877–880 *Consort ( Nyōgo): Fujiwara no Tamiko (藤原多美子; d. 886), Fujiwara no Yoshimi's daughter *Consort ( Nyōgo): Taira no ''Kanshi'' (平寛子) *Consort ( Nyōgo): Princess ''Kashi'' (嘉子女王) *Consort ( Nyōgo): Minamoto no Sadako (源貞子; d. 873) *Consort ( Nyōgo): Princess ''Ryūshi'' (隆子女王) *Consort ( Nyōgo): Princess ''Kenshi'' (兼子女王) *Consort ( Nyōgo): Princess ''Chūshi''/Tadako (忠子女王; 854–904),

Emperor Kōkō was the 58th emperor of Japan, Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 光孝天皇 (58)/ref> according to the traditional order of succession. Kōkō reigned from 884 to 887. Traditional narrative Before the emperor's ascension to the Chr ...

's daughter *Consort ( Nyōgo): Fujiwara no Yoriko (藤原頼子; d. 936),

's daughter *Consort ( Nyōgo): Fujiwara no Kazuko (藤原佳珠子; b. 856),

's daughter **Seventh Son: Imperial Prince Sadatoki (貞辰親王; 874–929) *Consort ( Nyōgo): Minamoto no Takeko/Izuko (源厳子; d. 879),

Minamoto no Yoshiari was a Japanese court official during the Heian period, and founder of the Takeda school of archery. Yoshiari was a son of Emperor Montoku, although he was granted the surname Minamoto which removed him from the Imperial lineage. He was a successfu ...

's daughter *Consort ( Nyōgo): Minamoto no ''Seishi'' (源済子),

's daughter *Consort ( Nyōgo): Minamoto no ''Kenshi''/Atsuko (源喧子) *Consort ( Nyōgo): Minamoto no ''Gishi''/Yoshiko (源宜子), Minamoto no Okimoto's daughter *Court Attendant ( Koui): Ariwara no Fumiko (在原文子),

Ariwara no Yukihira was a Japanese Heian period courtier and bureaucrat, who held a number of positions over the course of his life. At one time or another, he was governor of the provinces of Harima, Bizen, Shinano, and Bitchū. He also served as , , and inspe ...

's daughter **Eighth Son: Imperial Prince Sadakazu (貞数親王; 875–916) **Imperial Princess Kaneko (包子内親王; d. 889) *Court Attendant ( Koui): Fujiwara no Yoshichika's daughter **Imperial Prince Sadahira (貞平親王; d. 914) **Imperial Princess Shikiko (識子内親王; 874–906), 21st

Saiō A , was an unmarried female member of the Imperial House of Japan, Japanese Imperial Family, sent to Ise, Mie, Ise to serve at Ise Grand Shrine from the late 7th century until the 14th century. The Saiō's residence, , was about 10 km north ...

(Imperial Princess serving at

Ise Grand Shrine The , located in Ise, Mie Prefecture of Japan, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the sun goddess Amaterasu. Officially known simply as , Ise Jingū is a shrine complex composed of many Shinto shrines centered on two main shrines, and . The Inn ...

) 877–880 *Court Attendant ( Koui): Tachibana no Yasukage's daughter (d. 924) **Imperial Prince Sadakata (貞固親王; 868–930) *Court Attendant ( Koui): Fujiwara no Nakamune's daughter **third Son: Imperial Prince Sadamoto (貞元親王; 870-910) *Court Attendant ( Koui): Prince Munesada's daughter **Sixth Son: Imperial Prince Sadasumi (貞純親王; 873–916) – father of

Minamoto no Tsunemoto was a samurai and Imperial Prince during Japan's Heian period, one of the progenitors of the Seiwa Genji branch of the Minamoto clan. He was a son of Sadazumi-shinnō and grandson of Emperor Seiwa. Legend has it that Tsunemoto, in his childhood ...

, founder of the

Seiwa Genji The is a line of the Japanese Minamoto clan that is descended from Emperor Seiwa, which is the most successful and powerful line of the clan. Many of the most famous Minamoto warriors, including Minamoto no Yoshiie, Minamoto no Yoritomo, the foun ...

, from whom the

Kamakura shogunate The was the feudal military government of Japan during the Kamakura period from 1185 to 1333. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005)"''Kamakura-jidai''"in ''Japan Encyclopedia'', p. 459. The Kamakura shogunate was established by Minamoto no Y ...

Ashikaga shogunate The , also known as the , was the feudal military government of Japan during the Muromachi period from 1336 to 1573.Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005)"''Muromachi-jidai''"in ''Japan Encyclopedia'', p. 669. The Ashikaga shogunate was establ ...

and the

Tokugawa shogunate The Tokugawa shogunate (, Japanese 徳川幕府 ''Tokugawa bakufu''), also known as the , was the military government of Japan during the Edo period from 1603 to 1868. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005)"''Tokugawa-jidai''"in ''Japan Encyclopedia ...

descend. *Court Attendant ( Koui): Fujiwara no Sadamune's daughter **Imperial Prince Sadayori (貞頼親王; 876–922) *Court Attendant ( Koui): Fujiwara no Morofuji's daughter **Imperial Prince Sadazane (貞真親王; 876–932) *Court Attendant ( Koui): Fujiwara no Morokazu's daughter **Imperial Princess ''Mōshi'' (孟子内親王; d. 901) *Court Attendant ( Koui): Saeki no Sanefusa's daughter **Minamoto no Nagami (源長鑒) **Minamoto no Nagayori (源長頼; b. 875) *Court Attendant ( Koui): Ben-no-miyasundokoro (弁の御息所), Ōe no Otondo's daughter *Court lady: Kamo no Mineo's daughter **Minamoto no Naganori (源長猷; d. 918) **Minamoto no ''Saishi''/Noriko (源載子) *Court lady: Ōno no Takatori's daughter **Minamoto no Nagafuchi (源長淵)

Ancestry

Notes

References

* Brown, Delmer M. and Ichirō Ishida, eds. (1979)
''Gukanshō: The Future and the Past''.
Berkeley: University of California Press. ; * Ponsonby-Fane, Richard Arthur Brabazon. (1959)
''The Imperial House of Japan''.
Kyoto: Ponsonby Memorial Society. * Titsingh, Isaac. (1834). ''

Nihon Ōdai Ichiran , ', is a 17th-century chronicle of the serial reigns of Japanese emperors with brief notes about some of the noteworthy events or other happenings. According to the 1871 edition of the ''American Cyclopaedia'', the 1834 French translation of ...

''; ou
''Annales des empereurs du Japon''.
Paris: Royal Asiatic Society, Oriental Translation Fund of Great Britain and Ireland. * Varley, H. Paul. (1980)
''Jinnō Shōtōki: A Chronicle of Gods and Sovereigns''.
New York: Columbia University Press. ;