Akiko Fujiwara - The author of Fujiwara

Japanese: 藤原明子 - ふじわらのめいし

Year of death: May 23, 900 (June 22, 900)
Year of birth: Tencho 5 (828)
She was the consort of Emperor Montoku in the early Heian period, and the mother of Emperor Seiwa. She was the daughter of Fujiwara no Yoshifusa and Emperor Saga's princess Minamoto no Kiyohime. Her name was also known as Akira Keiko. She was known as Somedono Empress. When she was the Crown Prince of Emperor Montoku, she entered the harem, and in 850, the year of his accession to the throne, she gave birth to his fourth son, Prince Korehito (Emperor Seiwa). In the same year, the prince was made crown prince. She also gave birth to Princess Yoshiko, who became Saiin of Kamo. In 853, she was promoted to Junior Third Rank, and in 858, when Emperor Seiwa ascended to the throne, she became Crown Princess and Junior First Rank. At this time, she moved to the Crown Prince's residence with Emperor Seiwa, and lived with the emperor for over ten years until she moved to Joneiden in 866. In the 6th year of the Jogan era, she became empress dowager when Emperor Seiwa came of age, and in the 6th year of the Gangyo era (882), she became grand empress dowager when her grandson Emperor Yozei came of age. She played an important role in the imperial harem for six generations, from Montoku, Seiwa, Yozei, Koko, Uda, and Daigo. In the Kokinshu, there is a poem written by her father Yoshifusa, in which he likens Akiko to a cherry blossom. In the Konjaku Monogatarishu and other books, there is a story about a saint who becomes seduced by Empress Somedono's beauty and turns into a demon to torment her.

(Miki Taniguchi)

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

Japanese:

没年：昌泰3.5.23(900.6.22)
生年：天長5(828)
平安前期の文徳天皇の女御,清和天皇の母。藤原良房と嵯峨天皇の皇女源潔姫の娘。名は「あきらけいこ」とも。染殿后と称される。文徳天皇の東宮時代に後宮に入り,即位の年の嘉祥3(850)年4男惟仁親王(清和天皇)を生んだ。同年親王は立太子した。このほか,賀茂の斎院となった儀子内親王を生んでいる。仁寿3(853)年従三位に叙せられ,天安2(858)年清和天皇即位とともに皇太夫人,従一位となる。このとき,清和天皇と共に東宮に遷御し,貞観8(866)年常寧殿に遷るまでの10年余り天皇と同居した。貞観6年には清和天皇元服に伴い皇太后となり,元慶6(882)年には孫陽成天皇の元服により太皇太后となった。文徳,清和,陽成,光孝,宇多,醍醐の6代にわたり,後宮に重きをなした。『古今集』には父良房が明子を桜花にたとえて詠んだ歌が残る。また染殿后の美しさに迷った聖人が鬼となって后を悩ませる話が『今昔物語集』などに伝わっている。

(谷口美樹)

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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