Princess - Hi

A rank that was higher than wives and concubines in the harem under the ryo system. It was chosen from among princesses of dignity, with a limit of two. The last of these to be extinguished was Princess Ishi, wife of Emperor Daigo. The emperor's birth mother who held the title of empress dowager, and his grandmother who held the title of empress dowager, were called empress dowager, but the only known example of this was Emperor Mommu's birth mother, Princess Abe (later Emperor Genmei), who became empress dowager. On the one hand, consort was also a general term for the spouse of an emperor, crown prince, prince, etc., but after the Meiji period it became the official title for the spouse of a prince, prince, or king, below the crown prince.

[Yoshihiko Hashimoto]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

令(りょう)制の後宮において夫人・嬪(ひん)の上位を占める身位。品位(ほんい)を有する内親王より選ばれ、定員2名。醍醐(だいご)天皇の妃為子(いし)内親王を最後として消滅した。また天皇の生母にして妃位にある者を皇太妃、祖母にして妃位にある者を太皇太妃と称したが、実例は文武(もんむ)天皇の生母阿閇(あべ)皇女（のち元明(げんめい)天皇）が皇太妃となった1例が知られるだけである。一面、妃は天皇以下皇太子・親王などの配偶をさす汎称(はんしょう)でもあったが、明治以後は皇太子以下親王・王の正配の公称となった。

［橋本義彦］

出典　小学館　日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について　情報 | 凡例