was the 61st

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

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 n ...

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'')
朱雀天皇 (61)
/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.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 (''

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 Hiroakira''-shinnō''.Titsingh
p. 134
Varley, p. 181. He was also known as .Brown, p. 294. Hiroakira''-shinnō'' was the 11th son of

Emperor Daigo was the 60th emperor of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 醍醐天皇 (60)/ref> according to the traditional order of succession. Daigo's reign spanned the years from 897 through 930. He is named after his place of burial. G ...

and Empress Consort Onshi, a daughter of the regent and great minister of the council of state,

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 ...

. Suzaku had two Empresses or consorts and one Imperial daughter.Brown, p. 295

Events of Suzaku's life

Suzaku's older brother died unexpectedly young, as did his brother's son. These untimely deaths opened the way for Suzaku to accede to the throne. * October 16, 930 (''

Enchō was a after ''Engi'' and before '' Jōhei.'' This period spanned the years from April 923 through April 931. The reigning emperors were and . Change of era * January 20, 923 : The new era name was created to mark an event or series of events ...

8, 22nd day of the 9th month''): In the 33rd year of the reign of Daigo-tennō (醍醐天皇三十三年), the emperor abdicated; and the succession (the ''senso'') was received by his eleventh son, Hiroakira''-shinnō'' (also known as Yutaakira''-shinnō''). * December 14, 930 (''Enchō 8, 22nd day of the 11th month''): Emperor Suzaku, who was only 8 years old, acceded to the throne (the ''sokui''). * May 16, 931 (''Enchō 9, 26th day of the 4th month''): The era name was changed to mark the beginning of the new emperor's reign. * August 5, 931 (''

Jōhei , also romanized as Shōhei, was a after '' Enchō'' and before ''Tengyō.'' This period spanned the years from April 931 through May 938. The reigning emperor was . Change of era * January 22, 931 : The new era name was created to mark an even ...

1, 19th day of the 7th month''): The former-

Emperor Uda was the 59th emperor of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 宇多天皇 (59)/ref> according to the traditional order of succession. Uda's reign spanned the years from 887 through 897. Traditional narrative Name and legacy Befor ...

(867–931) died at the age of 65. * 932 (''Jōhei 2, 8th month''): The ''

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 administ ...

'' (Minister of the Right) Fujiwara no Sadakata (873–932) died at the age of 65.Titsingh
p. 135.
/ref> * 933 (''Jōhei 3, 8th month''): The ''

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 ...

'' (Counselor) Fujiwara no Nakahira is named ''udaijin.'' Nakahira is the brother of '' sesshō'' (regent) Fujiwara Tadahira.Titsingh
p. 135
Brown, p. 294. * 933 (''Jōhei 3, 12th month''): Ten of the chief dignitaries of the empire went falcon-hunting together in

Owari Province was a province of Japan in the area that today forms the western half of Aichi Prefecture, including the modern city of Nagoya. The province was created in 646. Owari bordered on Mikawa, Mino, and Ise Provinces. Owari and Mino provinces were ...

. Each of them was magnificent in his formal hunting attire. * 935 (''Jōhei 5''): The Great Fundamental Central Hall (''kompon chūdō'') on Mt. Hiei burned down. * September 7, 936 (''Jōhei 6, 19th day of the 8th month''): Fujiwara no Tadahira was named ''daijō-daijin'' (Prime Minister); and in this same period, Fujiwara no Nakahira was named ''sadaijin'' (Minister of the Left), and Fujiwara no Tsunesuke was named ''udaijin''. * 937 (''Jōhei 7, 12th month''): The former-

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 ...

celebrated his 70th birthday. * 938 (''Jōhei 8, 4th month''): Serial intermittent ground-tremors were felt in

Heian-kyō Heian-kyō was one of several former names for the city now known as Kyoto. It was the official capital of Japan for over one thousand years, from 794 to 1868 with an interruption in 1180. Emperor Kanmu established it as the capital in 794, mov ...

from the 10th through the 29th days of this month. * 940 (''

Tengyō was a after '' Jōhei'' and before ''Tenryaku.'' This period spanned the years from May 938 through April 947. The reigning emperors were and . Change of era * February 2, 938 : The new era name was created to mark an event or series of events ...

3''): During his reign

Taira no Masakado was a Heian period provincial magnate ('' gōzoku'') and samurai based in eastern Japan, notable for leading the first recorded uprising against the central government in Kyōto. Early life Masakado was one of the sons of Taira no Yoshimas ...

raised a great insurrection in the

Kantō region The is a geographical area of Honshu, the largest island of Japan. In a common definition, the region includes the Greater Tokyo Area and encompasses seven prefectures: Gunma, Tochigi, Ibaraki, Saitama, Tokyo, Chiba and Kanagawa. Sl ...

and declared himself the "New Emperor" (新皇), but his forces were defeated by

Fujiwara no Hidesato , was a ''kuge'' (court noble) of tenth century Heian period Japan. He is famous for his military exploits and courage and is regarded as the common ancestor of numerous clans, including the Ōshū branch of the Fujiwara clan. Hidesato served u ...

and

Taira no Sadamori Taira no Sadamori (平貞盛)(10th century) was a samurai of the Taira clan who was involved in suppressing the revolt of Taira no Masakado in the 930s-940. He was the son of Taira no Kunika and grandson of Taira no Takamochi, the founder of th ...

, and he was decapitated. * 941 (''Tengyō 4''):

Fujiwara no Sumitomo was a Japanese Heian era court noble and warrior. From 939 to 941 he aided the Taira clan in a series of revolts. Sumitomo built his power base in Northern Kyushu. After making a secret agreement with Taira no Masakado, who was leading a revo ...

staged a rebellion, having made a secret agreement with Taira no Masakado, but his army was defeated by Tachibana Tōyasu. * May 23, 946 (''Tengyō 9, 20th day of the 4th month''): Suzaku abdicates, having ruled for 16 years.Brown, p. 295; Varley, p. 130. The emperor was succeeded by his younger brother, who would become

Emperor Murakami was the 62nd emperor of Japan, Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 村上天皇 (62)/ref> according to the traditional order of succession. Murakami's reign spanned the years from 946 to his death in 967. Biography Before he ascended to ...

. * 952 (''

Tenryaku was a after ''Tengyō'' and before '' Tentoku.'' This period spanned the years from April 947 through October 957. The reigning emperor was . Change of era * January 25, 947 : The new era name was created to mark an event or series of events. T ...

6''): Suzaku took ordination as a Buddhist monk at

Ninna-ji is the head temple of the Omuro school of the Shingon Sect of Buddhism. Located in western Kyoto, Japan, it was first founded in AD 888 by Emperor Uda, and was later reconstructed in the 17th century. It is part of the Historic Monuments of A ...

. * September 6, 952 (''

6, 15th day of the 8th month''): Suzaku died at the age of 30. The actual site of Suzaku'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 grav ...

is known. This emperor is traditionally venerated at a

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 ...

Shinto Shinto () is a religion from Japan. Classified as an East Asian religion by scholars of religion, its practitioners often regard it as Japan's indigenous religion and as a nature religion. Scholars sometimes call its practitioners ''Shint ...

shrine A shrine ( la, scrinium "case or chest for books or papers"; Old French: ''escrin'' "box or case") is a sacred or holy space dedicated to a specific deity, ancestor, hero, martyr, saint, daemon, or similar figure of respect, wherein they ...

(''misasagi'') at Kyoto. The

designates this location as Suzaku'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 cons ...

. It is formally named ''Daigo no misasagi'' in

Fushimi-ku, Kyoto is one of the eleven wards in the city of Kyoto, in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. Famous places in Fushimi include the Fushimi Inari Shrine, with thousands of torii lining the paths up and down a mountain; Fushimi Castle, originally built by Toyoto ...

near the Buddhist temple,

Daigo-ji is a Shingon Buddhist temple in Fushimi-ku, Kyoto, Japan. Its main devotion ('' honzon'') is Yakushi. ''Daigo'', literally "ghee", is used figuratively to mean " crème de la crème" and is a metaphor of the most profound part of Buddhist thoug ...

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 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 position is derived from "the ...

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 have brought them to the pinnacle of a life's career. During Suzaku'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 J ...

'' included: * '' Sesshō'', Fujiwara no Tadahira, 880–949. * '' Kampaku'', Fujiwara no Tadahira. * '' Daijō-daijin'', Fujiwara no Tadahira. * ''

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 in ...

'', Fujiwara no Tadahira . * ''Sadaijin'', Fujiwara no Nakahira. * ''

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 administ ...

'', Fujiwara no Sadakata　 (藤原定方). * ''Udaijin'', Fujiwara no Nakahira. * ''Udaijin'', Fujiwara no Tsunesuke 　(藤原恒佐). * ''Udaijin'',

Fujiwara no Saneyori , also known as ''Onomiya-dono'', was a Japanese statesman, courtier and politician during the Heian period.Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Fujiwara no Saneyori" in ; Brinkley, Frank ''et al.'' (1915). Career He was a minister during the ...

, 900–970. * ''

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 Nakahira.

Eras of Suzaku's reign

The years of Suzaku'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 ...

''.Titsingh
p. 134.
/ref> * ''

'' (923–931) * ''

'' (931–938) * ''

'' (938–947)

Consorts and children

Consort ( Nyōgo): Princess Hiroko/''Kishi'' (熙子女王; d. 950), Imperial crown Prince Yasuakira's daughter (

’s son) *First Daughter: Imperial Princess Masako () later Kanon'in taigō (観音院太后), married

Emperor Reizei was the 63rd emperor of Japan, Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 冷泉天皇 (63)/ref> according to the traditional order of succession. Reizei's reign spanned the years from 967 through 969, ending with his abdication and retirement. ...

Consort ( Nyōgo): Fujiwara no Yoshiko (藤原慶子; d. 951), Fujiwara no Saneyori's daughter

Ancestry

Notes

References

* Brown, Delmer M. and Ichirō Ishida, eds. (1979)
''Gukanshō: The Future and the Past''.
Berkeley: University of California Press.
OCLC 251325323
* Ponsonby-Fane, Richard Arthur Brabazon. (1959)
''The Imperial House of Japan''.
Kyoto: Ponsonby Memorial Society
OCLC 194887
* 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
OCLC 5850691
* Varley, H. Paul. (1980)
''Jinnō Shōtōki: A Chronicle of Gods and Sovereigns.''
New York: Columbia University Press.
OCLC 59145842