Emperor Horikawa (堀河天皇)
Emperor Horikawa (August 8, 1079 - August 9, 1107) was the seventy-third Emperor during the late Heian period (his reign was from 1086 - 1107). His posthumous name was Taruhito.
Genealogy
He was the second prince of Emperor Shirakawa, and his mother was FUJIWARA no Kenshi, the second consort of the Emperor and an adopted daughter of FUJIWARA no Morozane.
His Junbo, who was given the same rank as the Emperor's birth mother, was his older half-sister, Princess Teishi.(Iku ho monin)
Brief Personal History
On November 26, 1086, he became the crown prince; on the same day, at the age of eight years, he succeeded to the throne from his father. The chancellor (chief advisor to the emperor), FUJIWARA no Morozane, became regent and the retired Emperor Shirakawa started to rule the cloister government in order to take full control of the politics. Emperor Horikawa did not get involved in politics but instead put his passion into studies, poems and wind and string instruments. The crown prince was Prince Munehito (the Emperor Toba), who was a child of FUJIWARA no Ishi, a high-ranking lady in the court (a wife of an Emperor) (the Empress Dowager, posthumously conferred); however, after Ishi died Prince Munehito was taken to Shirakawa in and nurtured in the palace. The Emperor was under the tutelage of Princess Tokushi, who was an aunt and a high-ranking lady in the court (a wife of an Emperor); he was a good Emperor, being loved by courtiers, although he was weak; he died at 29 years of age while still in power. There are detailed descriptions of his mortal moment in "The Sanuki no Suke Diary" written by his educator, Naishi no suke, FUJIWARA no Nagako. There was a theory that he had contracted malaria about 1901.
Eras during his reign
Otoku (November 26, 1086) - April 7, 1087
Kanji April 7, 1087 - December 25, 1094
Kaho November 25, 1094 - December 27, 1096
Eicho December 27, 1096 - November 21, 1097
Shotoku November 21, 1097 - August 28, 1099
Kowa August 28, 1099 - February 10, 1104
Choji February 10, 1104 - April 9, 1106
Kasho April 9, 1106 - (August 9, 1107)
The Imperial Mausoleum
The Emperor was entombed in Nochi no Enkyo-ji no Misasagi, Ryoan-ji, in the Ukyo Ward of Kyoto City.