Sessho and Kampaku

In Japan, the Sessh? (??) was a title given to a regent who was named to assist an emperor when the emperor was still a child, before the coming of age, or female. The Kampaku (??) was theoretically a sort of chief advisor for the emperor, but was the title of a regent who assists an adult emperor. During the Heian era, they were the effective rulers of Japan. There was little, if any, effective difference between the two titles, and several individuals merely alternated titles as child emperors grew to adulthood, or adult emperors retired or died and were replaced by child emperors. The two were collectively known as Sekkan (??).

Overview

The Sessh? and Kampaku had held the practical powers of the ruling emperor, conducting cloistered rule until shogunates took over the power from them. Most empresses had Sessh? with some exceptions in the ancient period.

Related Topics:
Cloistered rule - Shogunate

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In earlier times only members of the imperial family could be appointed to Sessho. Kojiki reported that Emperor ?jin was assisted by his mother the empress consort Jing?, but it is doubtful if it is a historical fact. The first historical Sessho was Prince Sh?toku who assisted Empress Suiko.

Related Topics:
Kojiki - Emperor ?jin - Jing? - Prince Sh?toku - Empress Suiko

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The Fujiwara clan was the primary holders of the Kampaku and Sessh? titles. More precisely those title was held by the Fujiwara Hokke (Fujiwara north family) and its descendants, to which Fujiwara no Yoshifusa belonged.

Related Topics:
Fujiwara clan - Fujiwara Hokke - Fujiwara no Yoshifusa

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In 844 Fujiwara no Yoshifusa became Sessh?. He was the first Sessh? who didn't belong to the imperial house. In 876 Fujiwara no Mototsune, the nephew and adopted son of Yoshifusa, was appointed to the newly created office Kampaku.

Related Topics:
844 - 876 - Fujiwara no Mototsune

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After Fujiwara no Michinaga and Fujiwara no Yorimichi, their descendants held those two office exclusively In 12th century there were five families among the descendants of Yorimichi called Sekke. Until 1868 those five families held those title exclusively with two exceptions of Toyotomi Hideyoshi and his nephew Toyotomi Hidetsugu.

Related Topics:
Fujiwara no Michinaga - Fujiwara no Yorimichi - 1868 - Toyotomi Hideyoshi - Toyotomi Hidetsugu

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Sekke consisted in five families: Konoe family, Kuj? family, Ichij? family, Takatsukasa family and Nij? family. Both Konoe clan and Kuj? clan were derived from Fujiwara no Tadamichi, a descendant of Yorimichi. Other three families were derived from one of those two families.

Related Topics:
Konoe family - Kuj? family - Ichij? family - Takatsukasa family - Nij? family - Fujiwara no Tadamichi

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A retired kampaku is called Taik? (??), which commonly came to refer to Toyotomi Hideyoshi.

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The office and title of kampaku fell out of use by convention with the appointment of the first Prime Minister of Japan during the Meiji Restoration. Emperor Meiji abolished the office in 1872.

Related Topics:
Prime Minister of Japan - Meiji Restoration - Emperor Meiji

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