Emperor Gosai

Japanese: 後西天皇 - ごさいてんのう

Year of death: 22nd February, 1685 (26th March, 1685)
Year of birth: November 16, 1638 (January 1, 1638)
Emperor of the early Edo period. Reigned from 1654 to 1663. Prince Hidemiya was the eighth son of Emperor Gomizunoo. His mother was Takako (Oshunmon'in), the daughter of Kushige Takatoshi. His given name was Yoshihito. In 1647, he succeeded Prince Takamatsu Yoshihito, and was called Momozononomiya and Hanamachinomiya. In 1648, he was proclaimed prince, and later became Minister of Ceremonies. In September 1648, Emperor Gomyo passed away, and Prince Shikihito (Emperor Reigen), the adopted son of the emperor, ascended to the throne on November 28 of the same year as an interim successor, as he was only just born. He ascended to the throne on January 23, 1656. His foster mother was Tofukumon'in. Empress Akiko's mother was Princess Kamehime, the adopted daughter of Shogun Hidetada. He was of a gentle nature and excelled in the arts, including waka and linked verse, and wrote the Imperial anthology "Suijichishu" and the Imperial selection "Shugaikasen." He was also skilled in calligraphy, tea ceremony, flower arrangement, and incense. During his reign, he made a great contribution by ordering his retainers to make copies of government records. In 1661, the Imperial Palace burned down and most of the government books were lost, but fortunately the copies escaped and became the basis for the books currently held in the Higashiyama Library at the Kyoto Imperial Palace. There were many natural disasters during his reign, and he was forced by the shogunate to abdicate, which he did on January 26, 1663. He was buried in Tsukinowa Mausoleum at Sennyuji Temple in Kyoto. <References> "Kinsei Dojo Waka Ronshu," edited by the Kinsei Dojo Waka Ronshu Publishing Association; "Shinkan Eika," 2 volumes, edited by the Imperial Academy

(Mother Miwa)

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

Japanese:

没年：貞享2.2.22(1685.3.26)
生年：寛永14.11.16(1638.1.1)
江戸前期の天皇。承応3(1654)～寛文3(1663)年在位。後水尾天皇の第8皇子,秀宮。母は櫛笥隆致の娘隆子(逢春門院)。諱は良仁。正保4(1647)年高松宮好仁親王の遺跡を継ぎ,桃園宮,花町宮を称す。慶安1(1648)年親王宣下,のち式部卿。承応3年9月, 後光明天皇崩御により,同天皇の養子識仁親王(霊元天皇)が生後間もないため中継ぎとして同年11月28日践祚,明暦2(1656)年1月23日即位。養母は東福門院。皇后明子女王の母は将軍秀忠の養女亀姫。性質穏和で和歌,連歌など文芸に優れ,御集『水日集』,御選『集外歌仙』がある。また書,茶,華,香道に練達。在位期から侍臣に命じて御府の記録類の副本を作成した功績は大きい。寛文1年皇居炎上に大半の御府蔵書が焼失したが,幸い副本は難を免れ現京都御所東山御文庫蔵書の基となった。在位期に天変地異が多く幕府から退位を迫られ,寛文3年1月26日譲位。京都泉涌寺内の月輪陵に葬られる。<参考文献>近世堂上和歌論集刊行会編『近世堂上和歌論集』,帝国学士院編『宸翰英華』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

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