Emperor Junnin

Infobox_Monarch
name = Emperor Junnin
title =47th Emperor of Japan


caption =
reign =758 - 764
coronation =
predecessor =Empress Kōken
successor =Empress Shōtoku
suc-type =
heir =
consort =Awata no Morone
issue =
royal house =
royal anthem =
father =Prince Toneri
mother =Tagima no Yamashiro
date of birth ="Tenpyō 5" (733)
place of birth =
date of death =the 23th Day of the 10th Month of "Tenpyō-jingo 1" (765)
place of death =Awaji Island (Hyōgo)
place of burial=Awaji no "Misasagi" (Hyōgo)|

Emperor Junnin (淳仁天皇 "Junnin-tennō") (733-765) was the 47th imperial ruler of Japan according to the traditional order of succession. His reign spanned the years from 758 to 764. [Titsingh, Isaac. (1834). "Annales des empereurs du Japon," pp. 75-78; ; Brown, Delmer "et al." (1979). "Gukanshō," p. 275; Varley, H. Paul. (1980). "Jinnō Shōtōki." p. 143-144.]

Genealogy

Before his ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name (his "imina") [Brown, pp. 264. [Up until the time of Emperor Jomei, the personal names of the emperors (their "iminia") were very long and people did not generally use them. The number of characters in each name diminished after Jomei's reign.] ] was Ōi"-shinnō" (Ōi-no-ō). [Brown, p. 275, Varley, p. 143.]

He was the seventh son of Prince Toneri, a son of Emperor Temmu.Brown, p. 275.] 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’’). [Titsingh, p. 75; Brown, p. 275; Varley, p. 44, 144. [A distinct act of "senso" is unrecognized prior to Emperor Tenji; and all sovereigns except Jitō, Yōzei, Go-Toba, and Fushimi have "senso" and "sokui" in the same year until the reign of Go-Murakami.] ]

* "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". [Appert, Georges "et al." (1888). "Ancien japon," pp. 29-30.]

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). [see above] ]
* "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". [Titsingh, p. 75.]
* "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. [http://books.google.com/books?id=18oNAAAAIAAJ&dq=nipon+o+dai+itsi+ran ...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