Emperor Daigo
Emperor Daigo was the 60th emperor of Japan, 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.
Genealogy
Daigo was the eldest son of his predecessor, Emperor Uda. His mother was Fujiwara no Taneko, daughter of the minister of the center, Fujiwara no Takafuji. He succeeded the throne at the young age after his father, the Emperor Uda, abdicated in 897. His mother died before his ascension, so he was raised by another Uda consort, Fujiwara no Onshi, daughter of the former kampaku Fujiwara no Mototsune.Daigo's grandfather, Emperor Kōkō, demoted his sons from the rank of imperial royals to that of subjects in order to reduce the state expenses, as well as their political influence; in addition, they were given a family name Minamoto. As such, Daigo was not born as a royalty and was named Minamoto no Korezane until 887, when Daigo's father, Minamoto no Sadami, was once again promoted to the Imperial Prince and the heir to the throne. Afterwards, his personal name was changed to Atsuhito or Ono-tei before his ascension of the Chrysanthemum Throne.
Daigo had 21 empresses, imperial consorts, and concubines; he had 36 imperial sons and daughters.
Events of Daigo's life
The era name was changed in 898 to mark the beginning of Emperor Daigo's reign. The highlight of Daigo's 34-year reign was that he ruled by himself without the regency of the Fujiwara clan, though he himself was part Fujiwara.- August 4, 897 : In the 10th year of Uda-tennō 's reign, Emperor Uda abdicated; and his eldest son received the succession.
- August 14, 897 : Emperor Daigo formally acceded to the throne.
- December 7, 899 : The sun entered into the winter solstice, and all the great officials of the empire presented themselves in Daigo's court.
- February 2, 900 : Daigo went to visit his father in the place Uda had chosen to live after the abdication.
- 900 : The former Emperor Uda traveled to Mount Kōya in what is now Wakayama prefecture to the south of Osaka. He visited the temples on the slopes of the mountain.
- January 23, 901 : There was an eclipse of the sun.
- 901 : The Sugawara Michizane "incident" developed, but more details cannot be known because Daigo ordered that diaries and records from this period be burned.
- 906 : Ki-no Tsurayuki presented the emperor with the compilation of the Kokin Wakashū, a collection of waka poetry.
- 909 : The sadaijin Fujiwara no Tokihira died at the age of 39. He was honored with the posthumous title of regent.
- 929 : Floods devastated the country and many perished.
- July 21, 930 : A huge black storm cloud traveled from the slopes of Mt. Atago to Heian-kyō accompanied by frightful thunder. Lightning struck the Imperial Palace. Both Senior Counselor Fuijwara-no Kiyotsura and Middle Controller of the Right Taira-no Mareyo and many other subaltern officers were killed and their bodies were consumed in the subsequent fires. The deaths were construed as an act of revenge by the unsettled spirit of the late Sugawara Michizane.
- October 16, 930 : In the 34th year of Daigo-tennō 's reign, the emperor fell ill and, fearing that he might not survive, Daigo abdicated. At this point, the succession was said to have been received by his son. Shortly thereafter, Emperor Suzaku is said to have acceded to the throne.
- October 23, 930 : Emperor Daigo entered the Buddhist priesthood in the very early morning hours. As a monk, he took the Buddhist name Hō-kongō and, shortly thereafter, he died at the age of 46. This monk was buried in the precincts of Daigo-ji, which is why the former-emperor's posthumous name became Daigo-tennō.
The actual site of Daigo's grave is known. This emperor is traditionally venerated at a memorial Shinto shrine at Kyoto.
The Imperial Household Agency designates this location as Daigo's mausoleum. It is formally named Nochi no Yamashina no misasagi in Fushimi-ku, Kyoto.
Kugyō
Kugyō is a collective term for the very few most powerful men attached to the court of the Emperor of Japan 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 Daigo's reign, this apex of the Daijō-kan included:
- Sesshō, Fujiwara no Tokihira, 909.
- Sadaijin, Fujiwara no Tokihira 871–909.
- Sadaijin, Fujiwara no Tadahira, 880–949.
- Udaijin, Sugawara no Michizane, 845–901.
- Udaijin, Minamoto no Hikaru, 845–913.
- Udaijin, Fujiwara no Tadahira.
- Udaijin, Fujiwara no Sadakata, 873–932.
- Naidaijin, Fujiwara no Takafuji, 838–900.
- Dainagon
Eras of Daigo's reign
- Kanpyō
- Shōtai
- Engi
- Enchō
Consorts and children
- Second son: Imperial Prince Yasuakira, Emperor Daigo's crown prince, called Bunkengentaishi
- Fourteenth daughter: Imperial Princess Koushi, married to Udaijin Fujiwara no Morosuke
- Fourteenth son: Imperial Prince Hirokira later Emperor Suzaku
- Sixteenth son: Imperial Prince Nariakira later Emperor Murakami
- First Daughter: Imperial Princess Kanshi
- Fourth daughter: Imperial Princess Keishi, married Imperial Prince Atsukata
- Fifth Son: Imperial Prince Tsuneakira
- Sixth son: Imperial Prince Noriakira
- Seventh son: Imperial Prince Ariakira
- Thirteenth daughter: Imperial Princess Shōshi, 13th Saiin in Kamo Shrine 921–930; later, married Minamoto no Kiyokage
- Seventeenth daughter: Imperial Princess Seishi/Tadako, 27th Saiō in Ise Shrine 936, but she didn't go to Ise because of her death.
Consort : Court Lady Fujiwara no Wakako, Dainagon Fujiwara no Sadakuni's daughter
Court Attendant : Minamoto no Fūshi/Kaneko, Ukyōdaibu Minamoto no Motomi's daughter
- Second Daughter: Imperial Princess Nobuko/Senshi, 12th Saiin in Kamo Shrine 915–920
- First Son: Imperial Prince Yoshiakira, father of the musician Minamoto no Hiromasa
- Twelfth Daughter: Imperial Princess Seishi, removed from the Imperial Family by receiving the family name from Emperor in 921; later, Imperial Princess in 930. married to Fujiwara no Morouji
- Third Daughter: Imperial Princess Takako/Kyōshi, 11th Saiin in Kamo Shrine 903–915
- Third son: Imperial Prince Yoakira
- Sixth Daughter: Imperial Princess Yoshiko/Enshi, 14th Saiin in Kamo Shrine 932–967
- Ninth Daughter: Imperial Princess Toshiko
- Fourth Son: Imperial Prince Shigeakira, author of the Ribuōki
- Fifth Daughter: Imperial Princess Kinshi, married to Udaijin Fujiwara no Morosuke
- Seventh Daughter: Imperial Princess Miyako
- Tenth Daughter: Imperial Princess Masako/Gashi, 26th Saiō in Ise Shrine 932–936; later, married to Udaijin Fujiwara no Morosuke
- Eighth Son: Imperial Prince Tokiakira
- Twelfth Son: Minamoto no Takaakira, also called Nishinomiya Sadaijin
- Daughter: Minamoto no Kenshi, removed from the Imperial Family by receiving the family name from Emperor in 921
- Eighteenth son: : Imperial Prince Moriakira, given the family name 'Minamoto' from Emperor ; later, Imperial Prince in 967.
- Eighth daughter: Imperial Princess Shūshi, married to Imperial Prince Motoyoshi
- Eleventh daughter: Imperial Princess Fushi, married to Minamoto no Kiyohira, later to Fujiwara no Toshitsura
- Eleventh Son: Imperial Prince Kaneakira, also called saki no chūshoō. Chūshoō means Nakatsukasa-kyō.
- Son: Minamoto no Yoriakira
- Ninth Son: Imperial Prince Nagaakira
- Sixteenth Daughter: Imperial Princess Hideko/Eishi, 29th Saiō in Ise Shrine 946, but she didn't go to Ise because of her death.
- Thirteenth Son: Imperial Prince Akiakira
- Minamoto no Tameakira
- Minamoto no Nobuakira
Court Attendant : Fujiwara Doshi
Court Attendant : Minamoto Haruko
Unknown
- Minamoto no Genshi
Ancestry