Emperor Go-Sai of Japan
Emperor Go-Sai (後西天皇), also called Emperor Go-Saiin (後西院天皇) (January 1, 1638 - March 22, 1685) was the 111th imperial ruler of Japan. He reigned from January 5, 1655 to March 5, 1663. His personal name was Nagahito (良仁) and his title was ??-no-miya (秀宮)
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Genealogy
He was the eighth son of Emperor Go-Mizunoo. He had at least 27 children
- Court lady: Princess Akiko (?, 明子女王) - first daughter of Imperial Prince Takamatsu-no-miya Yoshihito (高松宮好仁親王)
- First daughter: Imperial Princess ?? (誠子内親王)
- First son: Imperial Prince Hachijō-no-miya Osahito (?, 八条宮長仁親王) - fourth Hachijō-no-miya
- Lady-in-waiting Seikanji Kyōko (?, 清閑寺共子)
- Second son: Imperial Prince Arisugawa-no-miya Yukihito (有栖川宮幸仁親王) - 3rd Arisugawa-no-miya
- Second daughter: Ni-no-miya (二宮)
- Third daughter: Princess Sōei (宗栄女王)
- Fourth daughter: Princess ?? (尊秀女王)
- Fourth son: Prince Yoshinobu (義延法親王) (Buddhist Priest)
- Sixth daughter: Enkōin-no-miya (円光院宮)
- Fifth son: Prince Tenshin (天真法親王) (Buddhist Priest)
- Seventh daughter: Kaya-no-miya (賀陽宮)
- Tenth daughter: Imperial Princess Mashiko (?) (益子内親王)
- Eleventh daughter: Princess ?? (理豊女王)
- Thirteenth daughter: Princess ?? (瑞光女王)
- Consort: Daughter of Iwakura ? (岩倉具起)
- Third son: Prince ?? (永悟法親王) (Buddhist Priest)
- Consort: Daughter of Tominokōji Yorinao (富小路頼直)
- Fifth daughter: Tsune-no-miya (常宮)
- Consort: Umenokōji Sadako (?) (梅小路定子)
- Eighth daughter: Kyōji-no-miya (?) (香久宮)
- Ninth daughter: Princess ?? (聖安女王)
- Sixth son: Prince ?? (公弁法親王) (Buddhist Priest)
- Seventh son: Imperial Prince ?? (道祐入道親王)
- Eighth son: Imperial Prince Hachijō-no-miya Naohito (八条宮尚仁親王) - fifth Hachijō-no-miya
- Eleventh daughter: Princess Ritoshi (?) (理豊女王)
- Fourteenth daughter: Princess ?? (尊杲女王)
- Fifteenth daughter: Princess Sonshō (?) (尊勝女王)
- Eleventh son: Prince ?? (良応法親王) (Buddhist Priest)
- Consort: Daughter of Takatsuji Toyonaga
- Ninth son: Michison (?) (道尊法親王) (Buddhist Priest)
- Consort: Daughter of Matsuki Manejō (?) (松木宗条)
- Tenth son
- Consort: Unknown
- Sixteenth daughter: Ryōgetsu-(no?)-in (涼月院)
Name
Emperor Go-Sai could not pass the throne onto his descendants. For this reason, he was known as the Go-Saiin Emperor, after an alternate name of the 53rd Emperor Junna (823-833), who followed the same path. This emperor was also called Saiin no mikado (西院の帝), or "Emperor of the Western Palace". During the Meiji Era, the name became just Go-Sai.
Life
Initially marrying the daughter of the first Takamatsu-no-miya Yoshihito (高松宮好仁親王), he succeeded as second Takamatsu-no-miya. When his elder brother, the Emperor Go-Kōmyō died on January 5, 1655, Prince Nagahito became the Go-Sai Emperor as a temporary measure, until his younger brother, Imperial Prince Satohito (識仁親王), who had been adopted by his elder brother, Go-Kōmyō, could grow old enough.
On March 5, 1663, he abdicated to Imperial Prince Satohito, who was now 10.
Putting his heart into scholarship, he left behind many books, including the "Water and Sun Collection" (Suinichishū, 水日集). Also talented in waka, he had a profound understanding of the classics.
During his reign, because of great fires at the Grand Shrine at Ise, Ōsaka Castle, and the Imperial Palace, among others, the Great Meireki Fire, earthquakes in the region, and because of repeated floods, many people blamed the Emperor, saying he lacked moral virtue.
In 1685, he passed away.
Eras of his reign
| Preceded by: Go-Kōmyō | Emperor of Japan 1655-1663 | Succeeded by: Reigen |