Heizei is traditionally venerated at his tomb; theImperial Household Agency designatesYamamomo no Misasagi (楊梅陵, Yamamomo Imperial Mausoleum), inNara, as the location of Heizei'smausoleum.[1] The site is publicly accessible.[6] Although one of the largestkofun monuments in Japan, archaeological investigations in 1962–1963 indicate that it was constructed in the early 5th century, and that portions of it were destroyed during the construction ofHeijō-kyō, calling into question the designation by the Imperial Household Agency.
Before he ascended to the throne, his liaison withFujiwara no Kusuko, the mother of his one consort, caused a scandal. Because of this scandal his father considered depriving him of the rank ofcrown prince.
785: (Enryaku 4, 11th month[7]): Heizei was appointed Crown Prince at the age of 12.[8]
April 9, 806[9] (Daidō 1, 17th day of the 3rd month[10]): In the 25th year of Emperor Kanmu's reign, he died; and despite an ensuing dispute over who should follow him as sovereign, contemporary scholars then construed that the succession (senso) was received by his son. Shortly thereafter, Emperor Heizei is said to have acceded to the throne (sokui).[11]
His title Heizei was derived from the official name of the capital in Nara, Heizei Kyō.
During Heizei's reign, the bodyguards were reorganized; the existing Imperial Bodyguards became the Left Imperial Bodyguards, while the Middle Bodyguards became the Right Imperial Bodyguards.[12] Both sides were given a new Senior Commander; at this time Heizei appointedSakanoue no Tamuramaro (758–811) as Senior Commander of the Imperial Bodyguards of the Right.[12] Under Emperor Kanmu, Tamuramaro had been appointed asshōgun of a military expedition against theEmishi.[13]
809 (Daidō 4, 1st month[14]): After a reign of four years, Heizei fell ill; and fearing that he would not survive, Heizei abdicated in favor of his younger brother, who would later come to be known asEmperor Saga.[12] After abdicating, Heizei moved toNara and was henceforth known asNara no Mikado, the "Emperor of Nara".[12]
May 18, 809 (Daidō 4, 1st day of the 4th month[15]): Emperor Saga was enthroned at age 24.[12]
810 (Kōnin 1): In Heizei's name, the former emperor's ambitious third wife, Fujiwara no Kusuko (藤原薬子), and her brother Nakanari organized an attempted rebellion, but their forces were defeated. Kusuko died in poison and her brother was executed. Heizei took the tonsure and became aBuddhist monk.[16]
August 5, 824 (Tenchō 1, 7th day of the 7th month[17]): Heizei died at age 51, 14 years after he had abdicated due to illness.[18]
Kugyō (公卿) is a collective term for the very few most powerful men attached to the court of theEmperor of Japan in pre-Meiji eras.[20]
In general, this elite group included only three to four men at a time. These were hereditary courtiers whose experience and background would have brought them to the pinnacle of a life's career. During Heizei's reign, this apex of theDaijō-kan included:
When the daughter of achūnagon became the favored consort of the Crown Prince Ate (later known as Heizei-tennō), her father's power and position in court was affected. Kanmu disapproved of Fujiwara no Kusuko (藤原薬子,d. 810), former wife of Fujiwara no Tadanushi; and Kanmu had her removed from his son's household. After Kanmu died, Heizei restored this one-time favorite as part of his household; and this distinction had consequences.[16]
Shōshi Court lady (Naishi-no-kami): Fujiwara no Kusuko (藤原薬子; d. 810), former wife ofChūnagon Fujiwara no Tadanushi[16] and Fujiwara no Tanetsugu's daughter
^Ponsonby-Fane, Richard. (1959).The Imperial House of Japan, pp. 62–63.
^Titsingh, Isaac. (1834).Annales des empereurs du Japon, pp. 96–97; Brown, Delmeret al. (1979).Gukanshō, pp. 279–280; Varley, H. Paul.Jinnō Shōtōki, p. 151.
