Emperor Gonara (後奈良天皇)
Emperor Gonara (January 26, 1497 - September 27, 1557) was the hundred fifth Emperor during the Muromachi and the Warring States period; the period of civil wars between rival daimyo. (his reign was from June 9, 1526 to September 27, 1557)
His posthumous name was Tomohito.
Genealogy
He was the second Prince of Emperor Gokashiwabara. His mother was Norihide KANJUJI's daughter, Burakumon in FUJIWARA no Toshi.
Brief Personal History
He was born in Gon Chunagon, Masaaki KAJUJI's house on January 26, 1497. He succeeded to the throne after Emperor Gokashiwabara died on April 29, 1526. However, the Imperial Palace was in a state of poverty. After ten years on the throne, his enthronement ceremony was finally held in the Hall for State Ceremonies took place on March 29, 1535, after collecting donations from all over Japan. Money was donated from warlords, such as the Gohojo, Ouchi, and Imagawa clans.
Because the Imperial Palace's was in such a poor state, the Emperor sold his own calligraphy to help finance it. The Emperor was said to be a righteous person, and when Fusafuyu ICHIJO was appointed as General of the Imperial Guards of the Left in 1535, the Emperor returned the donation money after learning Fusafuyu secretly made arrangements to donate ten thousand Hiki to secure his position. Furthermore, when Yoshitaka OUCHI, who previously made a donation to make the enthronement ceremony happen, applied to become the second highest rank in Dazaifu in the same year, the Emperor rejected his application. In the following year, the Emperor finally approved Yoshitaka OUCHI's appointment after being persuaded by others.
In his benevolence, the Emperor prayed in June 1540 that he might recover from his illness, and wrote an inscription that usually proceeds the colophon; ''The Wisdom Sutras,' it said, 'This year many people died from the disease all over the country. The Emperor could not help our people and their parents in any way and feeling helpless,' the Emperor blamed himself and felt intensely remorseful. Also he had a deep sense of responsibility, and prayed for the restoration of the Imperial family and for the common people when he made his imperial edict to the Ise-jingu Shrine in August 1545.
He had a great knowledge of the subjects he studied, he learned the Japanese classics from Sanetaka SANJONISHI and Kanemigi YOSHIDA, and the Chinese classics from Nobukata KIYOHARA.
He had many of his own poems in the anthology of waka poems like 'Gonara in Gyoshu' and 'Gonara in on Hyaku shu.'
He maintained his own diary, 'Tencho shu.'
Also, there is a collection of quizzes which are considered rare literary material called 'The Emperor Gonara Gyosen Nazo.'
His posthumous name, 'Gonara' came from the name of Emperor Heizei's different name of Emperor Nara.
Eras during his reign
Daiei (Taiei) (April 29, 1526) - August 20, 1528
Kyoroku August 20, 1528 - July 29, 1532
Tenbun July 29, 1532 - October 23, 1555
Koji October 23, 1555 - (September 27, 1557)
The Imperial Mausoleum
The Emperor was entombed in Fukakusa no Kita no Misasagi at Fukakusa Bo-cho, Fushimi Ward, Kyoto City.