Emperor Sanjo

Emperor Sanj? (???? Sanj? Tenn?) (February 5, 976 - June 5, 1017) was the 67th imperial ruler of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. He ruled from 1011 to 1016. His birth name was Okisada (??).

Life

After his mother died when he was at seven, his maternal grandfather Fujiwara no Kaneie raised him at Kaneie's mansion. Kaneie loved him very much and Okisada grew to a young talented prince with dignity. When Emperor Ichij?, another grandson of Kaneie ascended to the throne, Okisada was appointed as heir and crown prince in his teenage. This followed the convention that two imperial lineages took the throne in turn, although Ichij? was in fact his junior. He thus gained the nickname Sakasa no moke no kimi (the imperial heir in reverse).

Related Topics:
Fujiwara no Kaneie - Emperor Ichij? - Heir - Crown prince - Nickname

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Kaneie died in the early of Ichij?'s reign and Okisada lost his political backbone. His three uncles, sons of Kaneie, made their daughters consorts of Ichijo and aimed to seize power as the grandfather of the future emperor. These courtiers therefore sought to exclude Okisada from the Imperial succession, though each of them married their daughter to him. Later Ichij? had children by Fujiwara no Kishi, the daughter of Fujiwara no Michinaga, and Michinaga expected his grandson to ascend to the throne as soon as possible. Michinaga became the Kampaku regent of Japan during the reign of Ichij? and expected to hold this position in Sanj?'s government too, but Sanj? as an matured man in his thirties desired strongly to govern without such influence. The relation between Sanjo and Michinaga was bad and it became worse when Sanj?'s that spouse who was a daughter of Michinaga died without a child. Most of courtiers feared Michinaga and avoided the imperial court. Sanj? became isolated in his own court.

Related Topics:
Fujiwara no Michinaga - Kampaku regent

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Sanj?, going blind, came under pressure from Michinaga to abdicate. Finally he relented and abdicated in 1016. His eldest son, Prince Atsuakira, became the crown prince but later he abandoned this position because of the pressure from Michinaga. Michinaga gifted Atsuakira a status equal to the retired emperor, with the title of Koichijo-in and Nariakira married a daughter of Michinaga.

Related Topics:
Blind - 1016 - Prince Atsuakira

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Although no son of Sanj? ascended to the throne, a future emperor (Emperor Go-Sanjo) was child of Princess Teishi, Sanjo's daughter, and thus his blood remained in the imperial bloodline.

Related Topics:
Emperor Go-Sanjo - Princess Teishi

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