was the 53rd

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 ...

, Emperor Junna, Ōharano no Nishi no Minenoe Imperial Mausoleum, Imperial Household Agency 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. Brown and Ishida, p. 282. 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 . Junna is traditionally venerated at his tomb; the Imperial Household Agency designates , in

Nishikyō-ku, Kyoto is one of the eleven wards in the city of Kyoto, in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. Its name means "west capital ward" and it is situated on the western edge of the city, to the south of center. The ward was established on October 1, 1976, after it w ...

, as the location of Junna's mausoleum.

Events of Junna's life

* 810: After the rebellion of

Emperor Heizei , also known as ''Heijō-tennō'', was the 51st emperor of Japan, Emperor Heizei, Yamamomo Imperial Mausoleum, Imperial Household Agency according to the traditional order of succession. Heizei's reign lasted from 806 to 809. Traditional narr ...

, he became the crown prince of

Emperor Saga was the 52nd emperor of Japan, Emperor Saga, Saganoyamanoe Imperial Mausoleum, Imperial Household Agency according to the traditional order of succession. Saga's reign spanned the years from 809 through 823. Traditional narrative Saga was the ...

at 25 years of age. * 30 May 823 (): In the 14th year of Emperor Saga's reign, he abdicated; the succession (''senso'') was received by Junna, Saga's younger brother and

Emperor Kanmu , or Kammu, was the 50th emperor of Japan, Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 桓武天皇 (50) retrieved 2013-8-22. according to the traditional order of succession. Kanmu reigned from 781 to 806, and it was during his reign that the sco ...

's third son. Brown and Ishida, pp. 282–283. * 22 March 833 (): In the 10th year of Emperor Junna's reign, the emperor abdicated; and the succession (''senso'') was received by his adopted son. Shortly thereafter, Emperor Ninmyo is said to have acceded to the throne. After Junna stepped down from the throne, two former Emperors were alive. In this period, Saga was called the Senior Retired Emperor and Junna was known as the Junior Retired Emperor. * 11 June 840 (: Former-Emperor Junna died at the age of 55. Following his death,

Fujiwara no Yoshifusa , also known as ''Somedono no Daijin'' or ''Shirakawa-dono'', was a Japanese statesman, courtier and politician during the Heian period.Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Fujiwara no Nakahira" in ; Brinkley, Frank ''et al.'' (1915). When Yosh ...

maneuvered to have

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 Befor ...

, rather than the crown

prince Tsunesada was a Japanese prince of the early Heian period. He was the second son of Emperor Junna. He was also known as , and by his Buddhist name of . He was from 833 to 842, during the reign of his cousin Emperor Ninmyō. Life After the death of his ...

, put on the throne; Junna's death set the stage for the

Fujiwara clan 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 ...

's ascendancy.

Eras of Junna's reign

The years of Junna'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 of ...

(''nengō''). * '' Kōnin'' (810–824) * ''

Tenchō was a after '' Kōnin'' and before '' Jōwa.'' This period spanned the years from January 824 through January 834. The reigning emperors were and . Change of era * February 6, 824 : The new era name was created to mark an event or series o ...

'' (824–834)

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.Furugosho
''Kugyō'' of Junna-tennō
/ref> 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 Junna'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: * '' Sadaijin'',

Fujiwara no Fuyutsugu was a Japanese noble, statesman, general, and poet of the early Heian period. A member of the Hokke, he was the second son of the ''udaijin'' Fujiwara no Uchimaro. He attained the court rank of and the position of '' sadaijin'', and posthum ...

(藤原冬嗣), 825–826. * ''Sadaijin'',

Fujiwara no Otsugu was a Japanese statesman, courtier, politician and editor during the Heian period.Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Fujiwara no Otsugu" in . He is credited as one of the collaborative compilers of the ''Nihon Kōki''.Nussbaum, "Nihon Kōki" ...

(藤原緒嗣), 832–843. * ''

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 Otsugu (藤原緒嗣), 825–832. * ''Udaijin'', Kiyohara no Natsuno (清原夏野), 832–837. * ''

Naidaijin The , literally meaning "Inner Minister", was an ancient office in the Japanese Imperial Court. Its role, rank and authority varied throughout the pre- Meiji period of Japanese history, but in general remained as a significant post under the Tai ...

'' (not appointed) * ''

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 Otsugu (藤原緒嗣), 821–825. * ''Dainagon'', Yoshimine no Yasuyo (良峯安世) (half brother of Emperor Junna), 828–830. * ''Dainagon'', Kiyohara no Natsuno (清原夏野), 828–832 * ''Dainagon'', Fujiwara no Mimori (藤原三守), 829–838

Consorts and children

Empress: '' Imperial Princess Shōshi''/Masako (正子内親王; 810–879),

's daughter *Second Son: Imperial

Prince Tsunesada was a Japanese prince of the early Heian period. He was the second son of Emperor Junna. He was also known as , and by his Buddhist name of . He was from 833 to 842, during the reign of his cousin Emperor Ninmyō. Life After the death of his ...

(恒貞親王), the Crown Prince (deposed in 842) *Third Son: Imperial Prince Motosada (基貞親王; 827–869) *Fourth Son: Imperial Prince Tsunefusa (恒統親王; 829-842) ''Hi'' (Empress as posthumous honors): Imperial Princess Koshi (高志内親王; 789–809),

's daughter *First Son: Imperial Prince Tsuneyo (恒世親王; 806–826) *First Daughter: Imperial Princess Ujiko (氏子内親王; d.885), 16th Saiō in

Ise 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 Inner ...

(823–827) *Imperial Princess ''Yushi'' (有子内親王; d. 862) *Imperial Princess Sadako (貞子内親王: d. 834) Court lady: Princess Otsugu (緒継女王; 787–847) ''Nyogō'': Nagahara no Motohime (永原原姫) ''Nyogō'': Tachibana no Ujiko (橘氏子), Tachibana no Nagana's daughter * Prince ''Koui'': Fujiwara no Kiyoko (藤原潔子), Fujiwara no Nagaoka's daughter Court lady: Kiyohara no Haruko (清原春子), Kiyohara no Natsuno's daughter *Imperial Princess ''Meishi'' (明子内親王; d. 854) Court lady: Ōnakatomi no Yasuko (大中臣安子), Ōnakatomi Fuchiio's daughter *Fifth Son: Imperial Prince Yoshisada (良貞親王; d. 848) Court lady: Ōno no Takako (大野鷹子), Ōno no Masao's daughter *Imperial Princess Hiroko (寛子内親王; d. 869) Court lady: Tachibana no Funeko (橘船子), Tachibana no Kiyono's daughter *Imperial Princess Takaiko (崇子内親王; d. 848) Court lady: Tajihi no Ikeko (丹犀池子), Tajihi no Kadonari's daughter *Imperial Princess Tomoko (同子内親王; d. 860) Unknown lady *Mune no ''Chushi'' (統忠子; d. 863), removed from the Imperial Family by receiving the family name from Emperor (Shisei Kōka, 賜姓降下) in 862.

Ancestry

Notes

References

* * * * Kasai, Masaki. (1991). Tokyo: Yamakawa Shuppan-sha. ; ; * Ponsonby-Fane, Richard Arthur Brabazon. (1959)
''The Imperial House of Japan''.
Kyoto: Ponsonby Memorial Society. * Titsingh, Isaac. (1834). '' Nihon Ōdai Ichiran''; 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. ;