In 781 he was named heir-presumptive after his elder brother succeeded the abdicated Emperor Kōnin as the Emperor Kanmu. In 785, the administrator in charge of the new capital of Nagaoka-kyō, Fujiwara no Tanetsugu, was assassinated. Prince Sawara was implicated because of his opposition to the move of the capital, exiled to Awaji Province, but starved himself (although a mystery remains) and died on the way there.
He was made a Crown Prince by the Emperor Kanmu after his wife died and his son fell ill (the son allegedly possessed by the spirit of Sawara). Later that year, he was elevated posthumously to become Emperor Sudō (崇道天皇, Sudō-tennō). This is the then only recorded instance of posthumously raising someone to the rank and title of emperor.[1] He was reburied in Yamato.
Additional concerns led to the decision to move the capital again, to Heiankyō (Kyōto).
He was also made part of pantheon of onryō, "disgraced" figures enshrined at the Shinsenen in Kyōto, in 863, to appease (rather than banish) troubled, even vengeful, souls. The others were Mononobe no Moriya (killed 587), Prince Iyo (executed 807), Fujiwara no Nakanari (executed 810), Tachibana no Hayanari (died 842) and Bunya no Miyatamaro (died 843).
The kami of Prince Sawara is venerated at Sudō jinja in Shūgaku-in, Yamashiro province. The prince (Sawara-shinnō) was posthumously elevated as Emperor Sudō (Sudō-tennō).[1]
Notes
^ abPonsonby-Fane, Richard. (1959). The Imperial House of Japan, p. 128.
References
Plutschow, Herbert. "Tragic Victims in Japanese Religion, Politics, and the Arts," Anthropoetics Vol. 6, No. 2 (Fall 2000/Winter 2001)
Ponsonby-Fane, Richard Arthur Brabazon. (1959). The Imperial House of Japan. Kyoto: Ponsonby Memorial Society. OCLC 194887
This biography of a Japanese noble is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.
prince, sawara, 早良親王, sawara, shinnō, november, fifth, prince, shirakabe, later, emperor, kōnin, takano, niigasa, shinto, shrine, emperor, sudōbiography, editin, named, heir, presumptive, after, elder, brother, succeeded, abdicated, emperor, kōnin, emperor, ka. Prince Sawara 早良親王 Sawara shinnō 750 November 8 785 was the fifth son of Prince Shirakabe later Emperor Kōnin by Takano no Niigasa The Shinto shrine of Emperor SudōBiography EditIn 781 he was named heir presumptive after his elder brother succeeded the abdicated Emperor Kōnin as the Emperor Kanmu In 785 the administrator in charge of the new capital of Nagaoka kyō Fujiwara no Tanetsugu was assassinated Prince Sawara was implicated because of his opposition to the move of the capital exiled to Awaji Province but starved himself although a mystery remains and died on the way there He was made a Crown Prince by the Emperor Kanmu after his wife died and his son fell ill the son allegedly possessed by the spirit of Sawara Later that year he was elevated posthumously to become Emperor Sudō 崇道天皇 Sudō tennō This is the then only recorded instance of posthumously raising someone to the rank and title of emperor 1 He was reburied in Yamato Additional concerns led to the decision to move the capital again to Heiankyō Kyōto He was also made part of pantheon of onryō disgraced figures enshrined at the Shinsenen in Kyōto in 863 to appease rather than banish troubled even vengeful souls The others were Mononobe no Moriya killed 587 Prince Iyo executed 807 Fujiwara no Nakanari executed 810 Tachibana no Hayanari died 842 and Bunya no Miyatamaro died 843 The kami of Prince Sawara is venerated at Sudō jinja in Shugaku in Yamashiro province The prince Sawara shinnō was posthumously elevated as Emperor Sudō Sudō tennō 1 Notes Edit a b Ponsonby Fane Richard 1959 The Imperial House of Japan p 128 References EditPlutschow Herbert Tragic Victims in Japanese Religion Politics and the Arts Anthropoetics Vol 6 No 2 Fall 2000 Winter 2001 Ponsonby Fane Richard Arthur Brabazon 1959 The Imperial House of Japan Kyoto Ponsonby Memorial Society OCLC 194887 This biography of a Japanese noble is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Prince Sawara amp oldid 1146736954, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
