Genealogy
Before his ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name (his imina) was Ōi-shinnō (Ōi-no-ō).He was the seventh son of Prince Toneri, a son of Emperor Temmu. His father died when he was at the age of three, and he was given no rank nor office of the court.
In the older Japanese documents, he was usually referred as Haitei (廃帝), the unthroned emperor. The posthumous name of Emperor Junnin was given by Emperor Meiji.
Events of Junnin's life
His fate was changed in 757 when Empress Kōken, his first cousin twice removed, appointed him to her crown prince instead of Prince Funado who had been appointed to this position by the will of the Emperor Shōmu.
- Tenpyō-shōhō 2, on the 1st day of the 8th month (758): In the 10th year of Kōken-tennō's reign (称徳天皇10年), the empress abdicated; and succession (‘‘senso’’) was received by her adopted son. Shortly thereafter, Emperor Jimmu is said to have acceded to the throne (‘‘sokui’’).
- Tenpyō-hōji 4 (760): Additional coins were put into circulation -- each copper coin bearing the words Mannen Ten-hō, each silver coin bearing the words Teihei Genhō, and each gold coin bearing the words Kaiki Shōhō.
Six years later she forced him to abdicate and reclaimed the throne. Though he technically reigned, he did not feature on the official List of Japanese Emperors until the late nineteenth century; he had very little power and was a mere figurehead. He died (or was assassinated) in Awaji Province while in exile.
In some older Japanese documents, he was usually referred as Haitei (廃帝), the unthroned emperor.
In 1870, Emperor Meiji gave him the posthumous name and title by which he is now known. His place in the traditional order of succession was confirmed at the same time for Emperor Kōbun and Emperor Chukyo.
Kugyō
Kugyō (公卿) 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 would have brought them to the pinnacle of a life's career. During Junnin's reign, this apex of the Daijō-kan included:
- Taishi, Fujiwara Oshikatsu, also known as Emi no Oshikatsu (恵美押勝) (formerly Fujiwara no Nakamaro) (藤原仲麻呂).
- Taihō, Fujiwara Oshikatsu.
- Daijō-daijin, Fujiwara Oshikatsu.
- Sadaijin, Fujiwara no Toyonari (藤原豊成).
- Udaijin, Fujiwara no Toyonari (藤原豊成).
- Naidaijin (not appointed)
- Dainagon
Era of Junnin's reign
The years of Junnin's reign are more specifically encompassed within a single era name or nengō.- Tenpyō-hōji (758-765)
Consorts and Children
Awata no Morone (粟田諸姉), widow of Fujiwara no Mayori (the first son of Fujiwara no Nakamaro)Unknoun woman
- Princess Yamao (山於女王), Saiō in Ise Shrine 758-765
References
- Appert, Georges and Hiroji Kinoshita. (1888). Ancien japon. Tokyo: Kokubunsha.
- Brown, Delmer M. and Ichirō Ishida, eds. (1979). [Jien, c. 1220], Gukanshō (The Future and the Past, a translation and study of the Gukanshō, an interpretative history of Japan written in 1219). Berkeley: University of California Press. ISBN 0-520-03460-0
- Titsingh, Isaac, ed. (1834). [Siyun-sai Rin-siyo/Hayashi Gahō, 1652], Nipon o daï itsi ran; ou, Annales des empereurs du Japon, tr. par M. Isaac Titsingh avec l'aide de plusieurs interprètes attachés au comptoir hollandais de Nangasaki; ouvrage re., complété et cor. sur l'original japonais-chinois, accompagné de notes et précédé d'un Aperçu d'histoire mythologique du Japon, par M. J. Klaproth. Paris: Oriental Translation Fund of Great Britain and Ireland. ...Click here for digitized, full-text copy of this book (in French)
- Varley, H. Paul , ed. (1980). [Kitabatake Chikafusa, 1359], Jinnō Shōtōki ("A Chronicle of Gods and Sovereigns: Jinnō Shōtōki of Kitabatake Chikafusa" translated by H. Paul Varley). New York: Columbia University Press. ISBN 0-231-04940-4
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Last updated on Wednesday April 23, 2008 at 19:10:45 PDT (GMT -0700)
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