Emperor Junna (淳和天皇, Junna-tennō, c. 786 – 11 June 840) was the 53rd emperor of Japan,[1] according to the traditional order of succession.[2] Junna reigned from 823 to 833.[3]
Traditional narrative
Junna had six empresses and imperial consorts and 13 imperial sons and daughters.[4] His personal name (imina) was Ōtomo (大伴).[5]
Junna is traditionally venerated at his tomb; the Imperial Household Agency designates Ōharano no Nishi no Minenoe no Misasagi (大原野西嶺上陵, Ōharano no Nishi no Minenoe Imperial Mausoleum), in Nishikyō-ku, Kyoto, as the location of Junna's mausoleum.[1]
30 May 823[6] (Kōnin 14, 17th day of the 4th month[7]): In the 14th year of Emperor Saga's reign, he abdicated; the succession (senso) was received by Junna, Saga's younger brother and Emperor Kanmu's third son.[8]
22 March 833 (Tenchō 10, 28th day of the 2nd month[9]): In the 10th year of Emperor Junna's reign, the emperor abdicated; and the succession (senso) was received by his adopted son. Shortly thereafter, Emperor Ninmyo is said to have acceded to the throne. After Junna stepped down from the throne, two former Emperors were alive. In this period, Saga was called the Senior Retired Emperor and Junna was known as the Junior Retired Emperor.[8]
11 June 840 (Jōwa 7, 8th day of the 5th month[10]: Former-Emperor Junna died at the age of 55.[11] Following his death, Fujiwara no Yoshifusa maneuvered to have Montoku, rather than the crown prince Tsunesada, put on the throne; Junna's death set the stage for the Fujiwara clan's ascendancy.[12]
Eras of Junna's reign
The years of Junna's reign are more specifically identified by more than one era name (nengō).[13]
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.[14]
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 Junna's reign, this apex of the Daijō-kan included:
