Emperor Montoku Facts for Kids

Emperor Montoku (文徳天皇, Montoku-tennō) (born August 826 – died 7 October 858) was the 55th emperor of Japan. He ruled from 850 to 858. His reign was a time of peace and stability in Japan.

Who Was Emperor Montoku?
Important Events During Montoku's Reign
Important Officials (Kugyō)
Time Periods During Montoku's Rule
Emperor Montoku's Family
See also

Who Was Emperor Montoku?

Before becoming emperor, his personal name was Michiyasu (error: {{nihongo}}: Japanese or romaji text required (help)). He was also known as Tamura-no-mikado. Montoku was the oldest son of Emperor Ninmyō. His mother was Empress Dowager Fujiwara no Junshi, who was the daughter of a powerful minister named Fujiwara no Fuyutsugu. Emperor Montoku had many children.

Important Events During Montoku's Reign

Emperor Montoku's time as ruler saw several key moments and challenges.

Becoming Emperor: Montoku's Ascension

May 6, 850: After his father, Emperor Ninmyō, passed away, Prince Michiyasu became the new emperor. This is called senso, which means he received the right to rule.
Later in 850: Emperor Montoku formally took the throne in a ceremony called sokui.

Family and Key Figures

850: Emperor Montoku's grandmother, the widow of Emperor Saga, died. She was a very religious Buddhist who had founded a temple called Danrin-ji. This temple is now part of the famous Tenryū-ji in Kyoto.
850: The emperor chose his fourth son, Prince Korehito, as his heir. This baby prince was only nine months old and was also the grandson of a powerful minister named Fujiwara no Yoshifusa.
853: Emperor Montoku visited the home of Yoshifusa, showing the close ties between the Imperial family and this important minister.
July 11, 854: Minamoto no Tokiwa, a high-ranking official, passed away.

Challenges and Rebellions

855: A group of people called the Emishi started a rebellion in the northern part of Japan. In response, the emperor sent 1,000 soldiers and supplies to stop them.
855: The head of the giant Buddha statue at Tōdai-ji temple fell off. Emperor Montoku ordered Fujiwara no Yoshisuke to collect donations from people across the empire to fix the statue.
857: There was another rebellion, this time on Tsushima Island.

The End of Montoku's Reign

October 7, 858: Emperor Montoku died at the age of 32.

His burial place, called Tamura no misasagi, is in Kyoto. It is a special place where people honor him.

Important Officials (Kugyō)

The Kugyō were a small group of the most powerful men in the emperor's court before the Meiji era. They were usually hereditary courtiers, meaning their families had held these important positions for a long time. During Emperor Montoku's reign, some of the top officials included:

Daijō-daijin (Chancellor of the Realm): Fujiwara no Yoshifusa
Sadaijin (Minister of the Left): Minamoto no Tokiwa and Minamoto no Makoto
Udaijin (Minister of the Right): Fujiwara no Yoshifusa and Fujiwara no Yoshimi

Time Periods During Montoku's Rule

In Japan, emperors' reigns are divided into different time periods called nengō. Here are the eras during Emperor Montoku's reign:

Kashō (848–851)
Ninju (851–854)
Saikō (854–857)
Ten'an (857–859)

Emperor Montoku's Family

Emperor Montoku had several consorts and many children. His most important consort was Fujiwara no Akirakeiko, who was the daughter of Fujiwara no Yoshifusa. Their son, Imperial Prince Korehito, later became Emperor Seiwa.

Some of his other children included:

Imperial Prince Koretaka (844–897)
Imperial Prince Koreeda (848–868)
Imperial Prince Korehiko (850–883)
Imperial Princess Anshi (died 900), who served as a priestess at Ise Shrine.
Imperial Princess Akirakeiko (died 881), who served as a priestess at Kamo Shrine.

Emperor Montoku facts for kids

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