Emperor Go-Reizei was the 70th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. Go-Reizei's reign spanned the years 1045–1068. This 11th century sovereign was named after the 10th centuryEmperor Reizei and go-, translates literally as "later;" and thus, he is sometimes called the "Later Emperor Reizei". The Japanese word "go" has also been translated to mean the "second one;" and in some older sources, this emperor may be identified as "Reizei, the second," or as "Reizei II."
When Emperor Go-Suzaku abdicated on February 5, 1045, his eldest son received the succession on the same day. Emperor Go-Reizei formally acceded to the throne shortly after, and the era name was changed the following year to mark the beginning of his reign. His father Go-Suzaku died at the age of 37 on February 7, 1045 of unknown causes The one major event in Go-Reizei's life occurred in the year 1051, when Abe no Sadatō and Munetō instigated a rebellion that became known as the Nine Years War. In response, Minamoto no Yoriyoshi is appointed governor of Mutsu and he is named chinjufu shōgun. He is given these titles and powers so that he will be able to restore peace in the north. Yoriyoshi would have been the first to receive this specific shogunal title, although his grandfather had been seitō fuku-shōgun. Go-Reizei later died on May 22, 1068 at the age of 44 leaving no direct heirs to the throne. He was succeeded by his father's second son Takahito-shinnō akaEmperor Go-Sanjō. The actual site of Go-Reizei's grave is known. This emperor is traditionally venerated at a memorialShinto shrine though at Kyoto. The Imperial Household Agency designates this location as Go-Reizei's mausoleum. It is formally named Enkyo-ji no misasagi. Go-Reizei is buried amongst the "Seven Imperial Tombs" at Ryoan-ji Temple in Kyoto. The mound which commemorates the Hosokawa Emperor Go-Reizei is today named Shu-zan. The emperor's burial place would have been quite humble in the period after Go-Reizei died. These tombs reached their present state as a result of the 19th century restoration of imperial sepulchers which were ordered by Emperor Meiji.
Kugyō
Kugyō is a collective term for the very few most powerful men attached to the court of the Emperor of Japan in pre-Meiji eras. Even during those years in which the court's actual influence outside the palace walls was minimal, the hierarchic organization persisted. 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 Go-Reizei's reign, this apex of the Daijō-kan included:
The years of Go-Reizei's reign are more specifically identified by more than one era name or nengō.
Kantoku
Eishō
Tengi
Kōhei
Jiryaku
Empresses and consorts
Empress : Imperial Princess Shōshi later Nijō-in, Emperor Go-Ichijo’s daughter. Empress : Fujiwara no Hiroko later Shijō no Miya, Fujiwara no Yorimichi‘s daughter Empress : Fujiwara no Kanshi later Ono-no-Kōtaigō, Fujiwara no Norimichi‘s daughter
