2.3 Early Heian: Kanmu’s Succession
Kanmu had plan of succession that worked well for many years. The ruler was to be an adult of ability. When a ruler died who did not have an adult heir, he was to be followed by a brother. The status of succession was determined by the degree of relationship to the emperor. If brothers succeeded each other, all their sons would be of the highest rank thus ensuring a good number of choices.
Emperor Kanmu had three sons who later became emperor, Ate (Emperor Heizei), Kamino (Emperor Saga), and Ōtomo (Emperor Junna). After Kanmu came Heizei. Emperor Heizei abdicated in favor of his brother, Emperor Saga. Saga abdicated in favor of his brother, Emperor Junna. Emperor Junna abdicated in favor of his nephew, Emperor Ninmyō (who was the son of Saga).
The governance of the country was based on Confucian principles. The Taiho Code divided the central government into two parts: Jingi-kan (the Department of Worship) and Daijo-kan (the Department of State). Complaints were handled by the Daijō-kan that would appoint an official to determine how the law was to applied to each situation, write his conclusions, and file a copy, which became known as shiki. Shōen rights, shiki, became more complicated as personal rights attached to the land.
The first instance of Kanmu’s governing system going wrong was The Kusuko Incident or The Retired Emperor Heizei Incident. In 809 when Heizei abdicated in favor of his brother, Emperor Saga, the crown prince was Heizei’s third son. This was greatly opposed by Heizei’s favorite consort Fujiwara no Kusuko and her brother, Fujiwara no Nakanari. Heizei ended up in Nara, followed by Kusuko and Nakanari. Kusuko and Nakanari schemed to get rid of Saga and have Heizei return to the throne. When Saga became seriously ill, Kusuko manipulated her office to give Heizei control of the daijō-kan. Not to be outdone, Saga established the kurōdo-dokoro to regain control of the issuance of imperial decrees. When Heizei issued an edict restoring Nara as the capital, Saga overruled it and sent troops to Nara. Heizei gave up and became a Buddhist monk. Perhaps in a show of forgiveness, Saga had Kūkai, who had prayed for his recovery during his illness, perform Heizei’s initiation ceremonies in Nara. Kusuko committed suicide. Nakanari was executed by arrows. His execution was the last carried out by the court until the Hōgen Rebellion of 1156.
Emperor Saga, who had 49 children by at least 30 different women, gave the surname of Minamoto to those born of low status mothers not eligible for royal succession (it is also known as Gengi due to different pronunciations of Chinese). These became known as the Saga Genji. Earlier Kanmu had given some of his many children the name, Taira. These two groups would vie for supremacy in the years to come.
Kanmu’s succession plan was turned on its head in the Jōwa Incident. In 842 when Emperor Saga died, fearing for his safety, the supporters of Crown Prince Tsunesada planned to take him out of Kyoto. Fujiwara no Yoshifusa reported this to Emperor Ninmyō. Tsunesada’s supporters were rounded up, stripped of office and exiled. Though Tsunesada was innocent, he was disinherited to establish responsibility. Yoshifusa was promoted to dainagon, counselor of first rank, and his nephew, Michiyasu was made crown prince. Yoshifusa advised Ninmyō, then Michiyasu as Emperor Montoku. Emperor Montoku married Yoshifusa’s daughter and their son, Korehito, was named crown prince. Yoshifusa took guardianship of Korehito, bringing him to his home. Montoku died suddenly, leaving nine year old Korehito as the heir apparent. Unlike the mature adult envisioned by Kanmu, the Emperor would be a young boy, guided by a Fujiwara regent.