1. Emperor Go-Shirakawa was the 77th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.
16 Facts About Emperor Go-Shirakawa
1. 2.
Unusually, the years of Emperor Go-Shirakawa's reign are more specifically identified by more than one era name or nengo; Kyuju and Hogen.
3.
Emperor Go-Shirakawa was de facto the last true emperor, before the shogun became the actual head of the country after Go-Shirakawa's death in 1192 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868.
4.
However, Emperor Go-Shirakawa gained the support of the two most powerful warrior clans, the Taira and the Minamoto, through their leaders, Minamoto no Yoshitomo and Taira no Kiyomori.
5.
In 1158 Go-Shirakawa abdicated to his son Nijo and became the cloistered emperor, maintaining this position through the reigns of five emperors until his death in 1192.
6.
The conspiracy was betrayed and all involved were punished; Emperor Go-Shirakawa was confined to Toba-in, the eponymous palace of Toba.
7.
Emperor Go-Shirakawa deposed his son Rokujo in 1168 and elevated Takakura to the imperial throne.
8.
Indeed, Kiyomori could have seized the power of Regent and Emperor Go-Shirakawa would have been powerless to stop him, due to this marital link.
9.
Emperor Go-Shirakawa planned to regain power through the Taira's old rivals, the Minamoto.
10.
In short, the Minamoto won after a hard-fought war and with the continual support of Emperor Go-Shirakawa, who had been in contact with Minamoto no Yoritomo since Kiyomori's death in 1181.
11.
Emperor Go-Shirakawa then issued a mandate for Yoshinaka to join with Minamoto no Yukiie in "destroying Munemori and his army", as well as the entire Taira clan.
12.
In 1192 Emperor Go-Shirakawa died at the age of 66.
13.
Emperor Go-Shirakawa is usually characterised as manipulative and deceptive, as well as being inconstant and following whatever was the fashion of the day, whether politically or otherwise.
14.
Emperor Go-Shirakawa spent lavishly on restoring and expanding temples and shrines, such as his restoration of the Todai-ji after the Taira burned it down in 1180.
15.
Emperor Go-Shirakawa was accused of encouraging the warrior monks of the great temples to attempt to wield even greater influence than they already possessed.
16.
Emperor Go-Shirakawa's mother was Fujiwara no Tamako, Fujiwara no Kinzane's daughter.