Shirakawa (Tennō)
Shirakawa ( Japanese 白河 天皇 , Shirakawa-tennō ; * July 7, 1053 in Kyōto ; † July 24, 1129 ibid) was the 72nd Tennō of Japan (January 18, 1073– January 5, 1087). His proper name was Sadahito ( 貞 仁 ).
He was the son of Go-Sanjō -tennō, who still held power after his abdication. After his reign he retired to a Buddhist monastery as a monk in 1087. From then on he was called Hōō (法王), which means "religious king" in Japanese . However, he continued to exert influence on his successor Horikawa and so effectively ruled until his death.
Such a time is known as the Insi system (monastery rule). His father, the Go-Sanjō-tennō, introduced this form to weaken the influence of the nobility at court. The monastic rule of Shirakawa began when he let his son ascend the throne, and continued the reigns of his son, the Horikawa-tennō, and his grandson, the Toba -tennō, both of whom came to the throne very young.
After his death, his grandson, Emperor Toba, who already held the throne, took power.
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| predecessor | Office | successor |
|---|---|---|
| Go-Sanjō |
Tennō 1073-1087 |
Horikawa |
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Shirakawa |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | 白河 天皇 (Japanese); Sadahito (proper name) |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | 72nd Tennō of Japan (1073-1087) |
| DATE OF BIRTH | July 7, 1053 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Kyoto |
| DATE OF DEATH | July 24, 1129 |
| Place of death | Kyoto |