Emperor Ninmyō (仁明天皇) was the 54th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. Ninmyō's reign lasted from 833 to 850, during the Heian period.

Traditional narrative

Ninmyō was the second son of Emperor Saga and the Empress Tachibana no Kachiko. His personal name (imina) was Masara (正良). After his death, he was given the title Ninmyō (仁明). Ninmyō had nine Empresses, Imperial consorts, and concubines (kōi); and the emperor had 24 Imperial sons and daughters. Emperor Ninmyō is traditionally venerated at his tomb; the Imperial Household Agency designates Fukakusa Imperial Mausoleum (深草陵), in Fushimi-ku, Kyoto, as the location of Ninmyō's mausoleum.

Events of Ninmyō's life

Ninmyō ascended to the throne following the abdication of his uncle, Emperor Junna. Shortly after Ninmyo was enthroned, he designated an heir. He named Prince Tsunesada, a son of former Emperor Junna, as the crown prince. In his lifetime, Ninmyō could not have anticipated that his third son, Prince Tokiyasu, would eventually ascend the throne in 884 as Emperor Kōkō.

Eras of Ninmyō's reign

The years of Ninmyō's reign are more specifically identified by more than one era name (nengō).

Kugyō

Kugyō (公卿) is a collective term for the very few most powerful men attached to the court of the Emperor of Japan in pre-Meiji eras. 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 Ninmyō's reign, this apex of the Daijō-kan included:

Consorts and children

Consort (Nyōgo) later Empress Dowager (Tai-Kōtaigō): Fujiwara no Junshi (藤原順子; 809–871), Fujiwara no Fuyutsugu’s daughter Consort (Nyōgo): Fujiwara no Takushi/Sawako (藤原沢子; d.839), Fujiwara no Fusatsugu’s daughter Consort (Nyōgo): Fujiwara no Teishi/Sadako (藤原貞子; d.864), Fujiwara no Tadamori’s daughter Court lady: Shigeno no Tsunako (滋野縄子), Shigeno no Sadanushi’s daughter Consort (Nyōgo): Tachibana no Kageko (橘影子; d. 864), Tachibana no Ujikimi’s daughter Consort (Nyōgo): Fujiwara Musuko (藤原息子) Court Attendant (Koui): Ki no Taneko (紀種子; d. 869), Ki no Natora’s daughter Court Attendant (Koui) (deposed in 845): Mikuni-machi (三国町), daughter of Mikuni clan Court lady: Fujiwara no Katoko (藤原賀登子), Fujiwara no Fukutomaro's daughter Court lady: Fujiwara no Warawako (藤原小童子), Fujiwara no Michitō's daughter Court lady: Princess Takamune (高宗女王), Prince Okaya's daughter Court lady: daughter of Yamaguchi clan (山口氏の娘) Nyoju: Kudaraō Toyofuku's daughter Court lady (Nyoju): Kudara no Yōkyō (百済永慶), Kudara no Kyōfuku's daughter (from unknown women)

Ancestry