Emperor Go-Shirakawa
| Go-Shirakawa | |
|---|---|
| Emperor of Japan | |
Emperor Go-Shirakawa
|
|
| Reign | 1155–1158 |
| Predecessor | Konoe |
| Successor | Nijō |
| Born | October 18, 1127 |
| Died | April 26, 1192 (aged 66) |
| Burial | Hōjū-ji no Misasagi (Kyoto) |
| Spouse | Fujiwara no Kinshi |
Emperor Go-Shirakawa (後白河天皇 Go-Shirakawa-tennō) (October 18, 1127 – April 26, 1192) was the 77th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. His reign spanned the years from 1155 through 1158.
The posthumous name of this 12th-century sovereign was named after the 11th century Emperor Shirakawa, and go- (後), translates literally as "later"; and thus, he is sometimes called the "Later Emperor Shirakawa", or, in some older sources, may be identified as "Shirakawa, the second" or as "Shirakawa II."
Before his ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name (his imina) was Masahito-shinnō (雅仁親王).
He was the fourth son of Emperor Toba. His mother was Shōko (璋子), the daughter of Fujiwara Kinzane (藤原公実)
Major consorts and children
He accumulated power steadily after the Hōgen Rebellion; his reign commenced in 1155. In 1158, he abdicated, but continued to hold power as a cloistered emperor. He attempted to decrease the influence of the Fujiwara clan and increased the power of the samurai. His policy allowed Taira no Kiyomori to seize power, and at the end of his life he allowed Minamoto no Yoritomo to establish the Kamakura shogunate in Kamakura, in the province of Sagami, modern-day Kanagawa. The establishment of the Shogunate was the beginning of samurai control of Japan for 700 years until the Meiji Restoration in the middle of the 19th century.
Retired Emperor Toba expected him to be on the throne. When his brother, Emperor Konoe, died in 1155, Go-Shirakawa became emperor with support of Toba and a powerful lord Fujiwara no Tadamichi, since they were against Retired Emperor Sutoku and did not want his son to be the next emperor. They expected Go-Shirakawa to keep the throne until his son, Prince Morihito would be old enough succeed him. The coronation of Go-Shirakawa escalated political tensions between Toba and Sutoku. At the beginning of Go-Shirakawa's reign Toba continued to reign as a cloistered emperor until his death.
...
Wikipedia