Emperor of Japan
Emperor Montoku (文徳天皇, Montoku-tennō) (August 826 – 7 October 858) was the 55th emperor of Japan,[1] according to the traditional order of succession.[2]
Montoku's reign lasted from 850 to 858.[3]
Traditional narrative
Before Montoku's ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name (imina)[4] was Michiyasu (道康).[5] He was also known as Tamura-no-mikado[6] or Tamura-tei.[7]
He was the eldest son of Emperor Ninmyō. His mother was Empress Dowager Fujiwara no Junshi (also called the Gojō empress 五条后), daughter of the minister of the left, Fujiwara no Fuyutsugu.[6]
Montoku had six Imperial consorts and 29 Imperial children.[8]
Events of Montoku's life
- 6 May 850 (Kashō 3, 21st day of the 3rd month): In the 17th year of Ninmyō-tennō's reign (仁明天皇十七年), the emperor died; and his eldest son received the succession (senso).[9]
- 850 (Kashō 3, 4th month): Emperor Montoku formally acceded to the throne (sokui).[10]
- 850 (Kashō 3, 5th month): The widow of Emperor Saga, who was also the mother of Emperor Ninmyō and the grandmother of Emperor Montoku, died. This very devout Buddhist had founded a temple called Danrin-ji (檀林寺) on the site of present-day Tenryū-ji (天龍寺) – more formally known as Tenryū Shiseizen-ji (天龍資聖禅寺), located in what is now Susukinobaba-chō, Ukyō Ward in Kyoto, Before her death, the former empress had been known by the honorific title, Danrin-kōgō (檀林皇后); and she had been honored as if she were a saint.[11]
- 850 (Kashō 3, 11th month): The emperor named Korehito-shinnō, the 4th son of Emperor Montoku as his heir.[12] This 9-month-old baby was also the grandson of udaijin Fujiwara no Yoshifusa.[13]
- 853 (Ninju 3, 2nd month): The emperor visited the home of udaijin Yoshifusa, the grandfather of his designated heir.[13]
- 11 July 854 (Saikō 1, 13th day of the 6th month): The sadaijin Minamoto no Tokiwa, also known as Minamoto no Tsune, died at age 43.[14]
- 855 (Saikō 2, in the 1st month): The Emishi organized a rebellion; and in response, a force of 1,000 men and provisions were sent to the north.[15]
- 855 (Saikō 2, 5th month): The head of the great statute of Buddha in the Tōdai-ji fell off; and in consequence, the emperor ordered the then dainagon Fujiwara no Yoshisuke, the brother of sadaijin Yoshifusa, to be in charge of gathering the gifts of the pious from throughout the empire to make another head for the Daibutsu.[15]
Events during his reign included the repression of insurrections among the Ebisu people in Mutsu Province in 855, and among the people of the island of Tsushima two years later.
- 7 October 858 (Ten'an 2, 27th day of the 8th month): Montoku died at the age of 32.[16]
The actual site of Montoku's grave is known.[1] This emperor is traditionally venerated at a memorial Shinto shrine (misasagi) at Kyoto.
The Imperial Household Agency designates this location as Montoku's mausoleum. It is formally named Tamura no misasagi.[17]
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.– kugyō of Montoku-tennō (in French)
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 Montoku's reign, this apex of the Daijō-kan included:
- Daijō-daijin, Fujiwara no Yoshifusa (藤原良房), 804–872.[8]
- Sadaijin, Minamoto no Tokiwa (源常), 812–854.[8]
- Sadaijin, Minamoto no Makoto (源信), 810–868.[8]
- Udaijin, Fujiwara no Yoshifusa (藤原良房), 804–872.[8]
- Udaijin, Fujiwara no Yoshimi (藤原良相), 813–867.[8]
- Naidaijin (not appointed)
- Dainagon
Eras of Montoku's reign
The years of Montoku's reign are more specifically identified by more than one era name or nengō.[11]
