Eiko Takashina - Eiko Takashina

Japanese: 高階栄子 - たかしなのえいし

Year of death: Kenpo 4 (1216)
Year of birth: Year of birth unknown. Favourite concubine of Emperor Goshirakawa. Mother of Senyomon'in (Imperial Princess Kishi). Daughter of the priest Suimun. Known as Tango no Tsubone and Jodo-ji Nii. Initially married to Taira no Narifusa, who served under Emperor Goshirakawa's Shimokita, and gave birth to Narikane, Noriaki and three daughters. From the beginning of the Jisho era (1177-81), she gained the favour of the Emperor and supported his success in the ranks, and by order of the Emperor, she adopted his son Noriaki to Yamashina Sanenori, but Narifusa was captured and killed in a coup d'état led by Taira no Kiyomori in 1116. At this time, Eishi served the Emperor, who was imprisoned in Toba Palace, and deepened his favour and trust. She then appeared on the political stage and set out on the path to power. According to Kujo Kanezane's Gyokuyo, although she was "a person of low status," she was "the Emperor's unparalleled favorite," and her love for him was said to be comparable to that of Yang Guifei, and her influence in politics was said to be "all about kissing his lips in recent court affairs." In 1187, she was awarded the rank of Junior Third Rank, and in 1191, Junior Second Rank. After the death of the Emperor in 1193, she became a nun, but she was involved in the disposal of the Emperor's estate, and as a result, many of them were passed on to her daughter Senyomon'in, and her influence did not wane as she was "the mother of Senyomon'in and the wife of the former regent" (Azuma Kagami). In 1186, Minamoto no Yoritomo gained the favor of Eiko, hoping to have his daughter, Ohime, enter the court of Emperor Gotoba. However, Eiko used this to plot against the then regent Kujo Kanezane in collaboration with Minamoto no Michichika, and finally brought about Kanezane's downfall in November 1197. At that time, a grand memorial service was held at Jodo-ji Temple, which had been built by his husband, Noriyoshi.

(Megumi Tsuchitani)

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

Japanese:

没年：建保4(1216)
生年：生年不詳
後白河法皇の寵妃。宣陽門院(覲子内親王)の母。法印澄雲の娘。丹後局,浄土寺二位と称される。初め後白河院の下北面に仕えた平業房の妻となり,業兼,教成および女子3人を生む。治承(1177～81)の初めごろから法皇の寵愛を得て夫業房の出世を後押しし,法皇の命によって子息教成を山科実教の養子とするが,業房は治承3年平清盛のクーデタで捕らえられ殺される。栄子はこのとき鳥羽殿に幽閉された法皇に近侍して寵愛と信頼を深め,以後政治の表舞台に登場して権勢への道を歩む。九条兼実の『玉葉』によれば,「卑賤の者」なれども「法皇の無双の寵女」にしてその寵愛ぶりは楊貴妃に異ならずと称され,政治への口入は「近日の朝務,偏に彼の脣吻にあり」といわれるほどだった。文治3(1187)年従三位,建久2(1191)年従二位に叙せられる。3年法皇の死によって出家するが,法皇の遺領処分に関与,結果として娘の宣陽門院にその多くを伝領させて,「宣陽門院の母,旧院の執権の女房」(『吾妻鏡』)としてその権勢は衰えなかった。6年,源頼朝は娘の大姫の後鳥羽天皇への入内を望んで栄子に取り入る。しかし栄子はそれを利用して,源通親と組んで時の関白九条兼実の追い落としを謀り,7年11月,ついに兼実を失脚させた。時に夫業房が建てた浄土寺で,その供養を盛大に営んだ。

(土谷恵)

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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