Emperor Kokaku

Japanese: 光格天皇 - こうかくてんのう

Year of death: Tempo 11.11.19 (1840.12.12)
Year of birth: August 15, 1771 (September 23, 1771)
An emperor of the late Edo period. Reigned from 1779 (An'ei 8) to 1817 (Bunka 14). Prince Suke was the sixth son of Prince Kan'innomiya Norihito. His mother was Iwamuro Iwayo. His given name was Morohito, later Kanehito. He became the dharma brother of Prince Shogoinnomiya Tadayoru, but when Emperor Momozono died in 1779 (An'ei 8), he was adopted by the emperor and ascended to the throne in November of the same year, and took the throne in December the following year. His empress was Princess Kinko, daughter of Emperor Go-Momozono. In 1788 (Tenmei 8), the imperial palace burned down and he moved to Shogoin. The emperor, eager to restore court ceremonies, lobbied the shogunate and had the ancient system rebuilt. Meanwhile, he was worried that his father, Prince Norihito, was ranked lower than the three ministers, and he requested the shogunate to grant his father the title of retired emperor, but when the shogunate opposed the request, he gave up, which led to the title incident. Amidst the struggle between the Imperial Court's desire for independence and the Shogunate's desire to strengthen its control over the Imperial Court, this resulted in the punishment of the Buke Denso and Gisou, but it influenced subsequent pro-imperial ideology, and the power of the restorationists within the Imperial Court steadily grew during his reign. He abdicated in 1811. He was posthumously given the posthumous title of Kokaku, which had been discontinued. His mausoleum is the Gotsukinowow Mausoleum at Sennyuji Temple in Kyoto. <References> Takano Toshihiko, "Late Shogunate and the Emperor" (Lecture on Premodern Emperors, Volume 2)

(Mother Miwa)

Source: Asahi Japanese Historical Biography: Asahi Shimbun Publications Inc. About Asahi Japanese Historical Biography

Japanese:

没年：天保11.11.19(1840.12.12)
生年：明和8.8.15(1771.9.23)
江戸後期の天皇。安永8(1779)～文化14(1817)年在位。閑院宮典仁親王の第6皇子,祐宮。母は岩室磐代。諱は師仁,のちに兼仁。聖護院宮忠誉法親王の法弟となるが,安永8年後桃園天皇崩御の際,同天皇の養子となり同年11月践祚,翌年12月即位。皇后は後桃園天皇皇女,欣子内親王。天明8(1788)年禁裏炎上により聖護院に遷幸。朝儀再興に意を払った天皇は幕府に働きかけ古制を取り入れ再建。一方,父典仁親王の地位が三公(大臣)より低いことを憂い,幕府に対し父親王への太上天皇の尊号宣下を願い出,幕府の反対に遭い断念するという尊号事件が起こった。朝廷の自立志向と対する幕府の朝廷統制強化のせめぎあいのなか,武家伝奏,議奏の処分という結末をみたが,その後の尊王思想に影響を与え,在位期に朝廷内の復古派勢力は着実に拡大した。文化14年譲位。中絶していた諡号再興により光格と追諡された。陵墓は京都泉涌寺内の後月輪陵。<参考文献>高埜利彦「後期幕藩制と天皇」(『講座前近代の天皇』2巻)

(母利美和)

出典　朝日日本歴史人物事典：（株）朝日新聞出版朝日日本歴史人物事典について　情報

<<: Erosion of the corners of the mouth - Kokakubiran

>>: Optical thickness