was the 66th

emperor The word ''emperor'' (from , via ) can mean the male ruler of an empire. ''Empress'', the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife (empress consort), mother/grandmother (empress dowager/grand empress dowager), or a woman who rules ...

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

Imperial Household Agency The (IHA) is an agency of the government of Japan in charge of state matters concerning the Imperial House of Japan, Imperial Family, and the keeping of the Privy Seal of Japan, Privy Seal and State Seal of Japan. From around the 8th century ...

(''Kunaichō'')
一条天皇 (66)
/ref> according to the traditional

order of succession An order, line 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.986 to 1011.

Biography

Before he ascended 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 (''

imina in modern times consist of a family name (surname) followed by a given name. Japanese names are usually written in kanji, where the pronunciation follows a special set of rules. Because parents when naming children, and foreigners when adoptin ...

'') was Yasuhito''-shinnō'' (懐仁). Kanehito''-shinnō'' was the first son of Emperor En'yū and Fujiwara no Senshi, a daughter of Fujiwara no Kaneie. Since there are no documented siblings, it is supposed that he was an only child. Ichijō had five Empresses or Imperial consorts and five Imperial sons and daughters.

Events of Ichijō's life

His reign coincided with the culmination of

Heian period The is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. It followed the Nara period, beginning when the 50th emperor, Emperor Kammu, moved the capital of Japan to Heian-kyō (modern Kyoto). means in Japanese. It is a ...

culture and the apex of the power of the

Fujiwara clan The 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 ancient times and dominated the imperial court until th ...

. He ascended to the throne after a period of political instability that began within the

after they successfully eliminated the

Minamoto clan was a Aristocracy (class), noble surname bestowed by the Emperors of Japan upon members of the Imperial House of Japan, imperial family who were excluded from the List of emperors of Japan, line of succession and demoted into the ranks of Nobili ...

as a political rival. The internal power struggle that ensued within the Fujiwara saw the untimely ends of three emperors. Ichijō had been appointed

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, crown princess, is held by a woman who is heir apparent or is married to the heir apparent. ''Crown prince ...

under Emperor Kazan in 984. Two years later, after Emperor Kazan abdicated in 986, Ichijō ascended to the throne at the age of six. The young Emperor Ichijō was under the influence of his uncle Fujiwara no Michinaga from the start of his reign, though Michinaga's true ascent to political dominance did not begin until 995 after the deaths of his older brothers and the exile of his political rival and nephew, Korechika. These events took place during the Kanna era (see

Japanese era name The or , 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 "", meaning "origin, basis"), followed b ...

''nengō'' 年号), after Emperor Kazan abdicated. The succession (''senso'') was received by a cousin, the son of his father's younger brother. * August 1, 986 (''Kanna 2, 23rd day of the 6th month''): Emperor Ichijō is said to have acceded to the throne (''sokui''). A son of Emperor Reizei, who was older than Ichijō, was appointed crown prince. Kaneie became the regent ('' Sesshō'') and effectively ruled the state. After Kaneie died in 990, his first son and Ichijō's uncle Fujiwara no Michitaka was appointed regent. * March 1, 991 ('' Shōryaku 2, 12th day of the 2nd month''): The former-Emperor En'yū died at the age of 33.Brown, p. 305. * 1008 ('' Kankō 5, 8th day of the 2nd month''): Kazan died at the age of 41.Brown, p. 306. * July 16, 1011 (''Kankō 8, 13th day of the 6th month''): In the 25th year of Emperor Ichijō's reign (一条天皇二十五年), the emperor abdicated; and the succession (''senso'') was received by his cousin. Shortly thereafter, Emperor Sanjō is said to have acceded to the throne (''sokui''). * July 19, 1011 (''Kankō 8, 16th day of the 6th month''): Emperor Ichijō takes tonsure as a Buddhist monk. * July 25, 1011 (''Kankō 8, 22nd day of the 6th month''): Emperor Ichijō died. The mother of the emperor had a large influence over the appointment of officials, "the emperor's officials controls matters of the state, as the imperial mother makes affairs of the court solely her own." Ichijō had two empress consorts. First was Teishi (or Fujiwara no Sadako), a daughter of Fujiwara no Michitaka. Second was Shōshi (or Akiko), a daughter of Fujiwara no Michinaga, a younger brother of Michitaka. Most people thought it impossible to have two empress consorts, but Michinaga claimed that the empress held two separate titles, ''Chūgū'' and ''Kōgō'', which were different in principle and could therefore given to two different women. The courts of both empresses were known as centers of culture.

Sei Shōnagon , or , was a Japanese author, poet, and court lady who served the Empress Teishi (Sadako) around the year 1000, during the middle Heian period. She is the author of . Name Sei Shōnagon's actual given name is not known. It was the custom amon ...

, author of ''

The Pillow Book is a book of observations and musings recorded by Sei Shōnagon during her time as court lady to Fujiwara no Teishi, Empress Consort Teishi during the 990s and early 1000s in Heian-period Japan. The book was completed in the year 1002. The wor ...

'', was a lady in waiting to Teishi.

Murasaki Shikibu was a Japanese novelist, Japanese poetry#Age of Nyobo or court ladies, poet and lady-in-waiting at the Imperial Court in Kyoto, Imperial court in the Heian period. She was best known as the author of ''The Tale of Genji'', widely considered t ...

was a lady in waiting to Shoshi. There were other famous poets in the courts of the empresses. Ichijō loved literature and music. For this reason, high ranked courtiers felt the necessity for their daughter to hold cultural

salon Salon may refer to: Common meanings * Beauty salon A beauty salon or beauty parlor is an establishment that provides Cosmetics, cosmetic treatments for people. Other variations of this type of business include hair salons, spas, day spas, ...

s with many skillful lady poets. Particularly he was fond of the flute. Ichijō was known for his temperate character and was beloved by his subjects. During Ichijō's reign, Imperial visits were first made to the following four shrines: Kasuga, Ōharano, Matsunoo, and Kitano; and in the years which followed, Emperors traditionally made yearly Imperial visits to these shrines and to three others: Kamo, Iwashimizu and Hirano. The actual site of Ichijō's

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

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 such as home ...

Shinto , also called Shintoism, is a religion originating in Japan. Classified as an East Asian religions, East Asian religion by Religious studies, scholars of religion, it is often regarded by its practitioners as Japan's indigenous religion and as ...

shrine A shrine ( "case or chest for books or papers"; Old French: ''escrin'' "box or case") is a sacred space">-4; we might wonder whether there's a point at which it's appropriate to talk of the beginnings of French, that is, when it wa ...: ''escri ...

(''misasagi'') at Kyoto. The

designates this location as Ichijō's

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

. It is formally named ''En'yū-ji no kita no misasagi''. Ichijō is buried amongst the "Seven Imperial Tombs" at Ryōan-ji Temple in Kyoto. The mound which commemorates the Emperor Ichijō is today named ''Kinugasa-yama.'' The emperor's burial place would have been quite humble in the period after Ichijo died. These tombs reached their present state as a result of the 19th century restoration of imperial sepulchers (''misasagi'') which were ordered by Emperor Meiji.

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 hereditary monarch and head of state of Japan. The emperor is defined by the Constitution of Japan as the symbol of the Japanese state and the unity of the Japanese people, his position deriving from "the will of ...

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 Kazan'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, Fujiwara no Kaneie (藤原兼家), 929–990.Brown, p. 302-303. * Sesshō, Fujiwara no Michitaka (藤原道隆), 953–995.Brown, p. 303. * Kampaku, Fujiwara no Kaneie. * Kampaku, Fujiwara no Michikane, 961–995. * Daijō-daijin, Fujiwara no Kaneie. * Daijō-daijin, Fujiwara no Yoritada (藤原頼忠), 924–989.Brown, p. 304. * Daijō-daijin, Fujiwara no Tamemitsu(藤原為光), 942–992. *

Sadaijin The ''Kenkyusha's New Japanese-English Dictionary'', Kenkyusha Limited, was a government position in Japan during the Asuka to Meiji era. The Asuka Kiyomihara Code of 689 marks the initial appearance of the ''Sadaijin'' in the context of a cent ...

, Fujiwara no Michinaga (藤原道長), 966–1027. *

Udaijin was a government position in Japan during the Asuka to Meiji era. The position was consolidated in the Taihō Code of 701. The Asuka Kiyomihara Code of 689 marks the initial appearance of the ''Udaijin'' in the context of a central administrat ...

, Fujiwara no Michikane (藤原道兼). * Naidaijin, Fujiwara no Michitaka. * Naidaijin, Fujiwara no Korechika (藤原伊周), 973–1010. * Naidaijin, Kan'in Kinsue (藤原公季), 956–1029. * ''

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 ...

Eras of Ichijō's reign

The years of Ichijō'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 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 rule, a t ...

or ''

nengō The or , 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 "", meaning "origin, basis"), followed b ...

''.Titsingh, p. 150. * '' Eien'' (987–988) * '' Eiso'' (988–990) * '' Shōryaku'' (990–995) * '' Chōtoku'' (995–999) * '' Chōhō'' (999–1004) * '' Kankō'' (1004–1012)

Consorts and children

Empress The word ''emperor'' (from , via ) can mean the male ruler of an empire. ''Empress'', the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife (empress consort), mother/grandmother (empress dowager/grand empress dowager), or a woman who rules ...

('' Kōgō''):

Fujiwara no Teishi , also known as Sadako, was an empress consort of the Japanese Emperor Ichijō. She appears in the literary classic ''The Pillow Book'' written by her court lady Sei Shōnagon. Biography She was the first daughter of Fujiwara no Michitaka. ...

/Sadako (藤原定子), Fujiwara no Michitaka‘s 1st daughter ** First Daughter: Imperial Princess ''Shushi''/Nagako (脩子内親王; 997–1049) ** First son: Imperial Prince Atsuyasu (敦康親王; 999–1019) **Second Daughter: Imperial Princess ''Bishi'' (媄子内親王; 1001–1008) *

('' Chūgū''): Fujiwara no ''Shōshi''/Akiko (藤原彰子) later Jōtō-mon-In (上東門院), Fujiwara no Michinaga‘s daughter ** Second son: Imperial Prince Atsuhira (敦成親王) later Emperor Go-Ichijō ** Third son: Imperial Prince Atsunaga (敦良親王) later Emperor Go-Suzaku *Consort ( Nyōgo): Fujiwara no ''Gishi'' (藤原義子; 974–1053), Fujiwara no Kinsue‘s daughter *Consort ( Nyōgo): Fujiwara no ''Genshi'' (藤原元子; b.979), Fujiwara no Akimitsu‘s daughter; later married Minamoto no Yorisada *Consort ( Nyōgo): Fujiwara no ''Sonshi'' (藤原尊子; 984–1022), Fujiwara no Michikane‘s daughter; later married Fujiwara no Michitō in 1015 *Consort ( ''Mikushige-dono-no-Bettō''): Fujiwara no Michitaka‘s 4th daughter (985–1002)

Ancestry

Notes

References

* Brown, Delmer M. and Ichirō Ishida, eds. (1979)
''Gukanshō: The Future and the Past.''
Berkeley: University of California Press.
OCLC 251325323
* Moscher, Gouverneur. (1978). ''Kyoto: A Contemplative Guide.''
OCLC 4589403
* Ponsonby-Fane, Richard Arthur Brabazon. (1959)
''The Imperial House of Japan.''
Kyoto: Ponsonby Memorial Society
OCLC 194887
* Titsingh, Isaac. (1834). ''

Nihon Odai Ichiran Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea in t ...

''; 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