Antoku

The emperor Antoku (安徳天皇, Antoku Tennō ) (December 22nd 1178 - April 25th 1185) emperor Japan was the 81e, according to the traditional order of the succession, and reigned of the March 21st 1180 with the August 20th 1183. Its personal name was Kotohito (言仁).

Biography

Named imperial heir at age the one month, he becomes emperor at the one year age when his/her father is forced to abdicate by his grandfather Taira No Kiyomori, who wants to thus direct the Japan as a nonofficial regent.

However, this accession with the capacity is disputed by Mochihito, wire of the emperor withdrawn Go-Shirakawa, and the empire plunges in a civil war called Guerre of Gempei as of June 1180.

The year of its crowning, the capital is moved in Fukuhara (today Kōbe), on pressure of Kiyomori, but is very quickly redéplacée with Kyōto.

In 1183, when Minamoto No Yoshinaka takes the capital, the clan Taira flees with the young emperor, which abdicates in favor of Go-Toba, and the Three treasures crowned with Yashima (today Takamatsu). Overcome by Minamoto No Yoshitsune with the Battle of Yashima in March 1185, they flee again towards the west, but are definitively overcome the April 25th at the time of the decisive naval battle of DaN-No-ura, and of many overcome, commit suicide while throwing itself to the sea, including the Antoku young person in the arms of his/her grandmother Taira No Tokiko, the widow of Kiyomori. According to Mitsuo Kure, “Some see in the death of these noble cultivated and quite high symbol of the one time end and the beginning of another: that of the lords samurais. ”

According to the tradition, the jewels crowned Yasakani No Magatama and the crowned sword Kusanagi, two of the three crowned treasures of Japan, runs at the sea-bed with the emperor, and although the jewels were found, the sword was lost.

Tokuko, the mother of Antoku, is also thrown it with water, but, is fished out (according to the Heike Monogatari , it is drawn by the hair using a Râteau) and is made captive. It is made then religious Buddhist with Kyōto.

Funerary site

After its drowning, in order to cry the Bodhi, Amidaji Goeidō was built. Later, Antoku was buried in Kurume-Suitengu with Kurume, in current the Préfecture of Fukuoka, and he was then adored everywhere as Mizu-No-kami (水の神, literally “watery god” or “god of water”), the god of the easy delivery with Suitengū (水天宮, literally “water-paradise/sanctuary of the emperor”).

With the establishment of the Shintoïsme as a religion of State in Japan, Amida was given up and the Akama sanctuary was established with Shimonoseki to celebrate Antoku.

Posterity

The history of the Antoku emperor and the family of his mother became the subject of the known novel epic under the name of Heike Monogatari (the Known as one of Heike).

Genealogy

Antoku is the son and successor of the emperor Takakura and of Kenreimon' in Tokuko, second girl of Taira No Kiyomori, later known as an empress dowager Kenrei (建礼門院).

Eras of its reign

Jijō
Yōwa
Juei

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