Emperor En'yū facts for kids

Emperor En'yū (円融天皇, En'yū-tennō, 12 April 958 – 1 March 991) was the 64th emperor of Japan. He ruled from 969 to 984. His time as emperor was an important period in Japanese history.

Becoming Emperor

Before he became emperor, his personal name was Morihira-shinnō. He was the fifth son of Emperor Murakami. His mother was Anshi, whose father was Fujiwara no Morosuke. This made him the brother of Emperor Reizei.

In 967, Morihira-shinnō was chosen to be the next emperor. He was picked over his older brother because the powerful Fujiwara clan supported him. The Fujiwara clan had a lot of influence in the government at that time.

Emperor En'yū had five empresses or consorts. He had one son, who later became Emperor Ichijō.

Key Events During En'yū's Reign

• September 27, 969: Emperor Reizei stepped down from the throne. His younger brother, Morihira-shinnō, became the new emperor. This is called senso.
• November 5, 969: Emperor En'yū officially took the throne in a ceremony called sokui.
• June 8, 976: The Imperial Palace, where the emperor lived, burned down. The Sacred Mirror, a very important treasure, was damaged. It became so dark that it could not reflect light anymore.
• December 31, 980: The Imperial Palace burned down again. This time, the Sacred Mirror was half destroyed.
• December 5, 982: The Imperial Palace caught fire for a third time. The Sacred Mirror melted into a lump of metal. This melted metal was collected and given to the emperor.

During En'yū's reign, there was a big power struggle within the Fujiwara clan. They argued about who would be the kampaku, a very high-ranking official. Emperor En'yū listened to his mother's advice. He supported his maternal uncle, Fujiwara no Kanemichi.

Emperor En'yū had only one son, Prince Yasuhito. Prince Yasuhito's mother was Senshi, a daughter of Fujiwara no Kaneie. Kaneie was another brother of En'yū's mother. En'yū made Kanemichi's daughter his empress, even though she did not have any children. Senshi and her father Kaneie were upset by this. They stayed away from the court for a long time, taking Prince Yasuhito with them.

During his rule, Emperor En'yū started the tradition of imperial processions. These were special visits to the Hachiman and Hirano Shrines.

• September 24, 984: The emperor stepped down from the throne when he was 26 years old.
• September 16, 985: The former Emperor En'yū became a Buddhist priest. He took the name Kongō Hō.
• March 1, 991: En'yū, also known as Kongō Hō, passed away at the age of 32.

His burial place is known as Nochi no Mukarami no misasagi in Kyoto. This is where he is traditionally honored.

Important Officials (Kugyō)

The Kugyō were a small group of the most powerful men in the emperor's court. These officials were usually from important families. They had a lot of experience and helped the emperor rule Japan.

Eras During En'yū's Reign

The years of Emperor En'yū's rule are known by different era names (gengō or nengō):

• Anna (968–970)
• Tenroku (970–973)
• Ten'en (973–976)
• Jōgen (976–978)
• Tengen (978–983)
• Eikan (983–985)

Family of Emperor En'yū

• Empress (Chūgū): Fujiwara no Koshi (藤原媓子), daughter of Fujiwara no Kanemichi.
• Empress (Chūgū): Fujiwara no Junshi/Nobuko (藤原遵子), daughter of Fujiwara no Yoritada.
• Consort (Nyōgo): Imperial Princess Sonshi (尊子内親王; 966–985), daughter of Emperor Reizei.
• Consort (Nyōgo): Fujiwara no Senshi (藤原詮子; 962–1002), daughter of Fujiwara no Kaneie. She later became known as Nyoin 'Higashi-sanjō In'.
  • First Son: Imperial Prince Yasuhito (懐仁親王), who later became Emperor Ichijō.
• Court Attendant (Koui): Chujo-Miyasudokoro (中将御息所), daughter of Fujiwara no Kanetada.
• Court Attendant (Koui): Shōshō kōui (少将更衣).

See also

In Spanish: En'yū Tennō para niños

• Imperial cult
• Emperor Go-En'yū