與藤原藥子

平城天皇登基以前，納藤原繩主與藤原藥子所生的女兒為東宮妃，但卻傳出皇太子與身為岳母的藥子有曖昧的醜聞，憤怒的桓武天皇便將藥子趕出東宮。待平城天皇一即位，又將藥子召回宮裡，並命藤原藥子出任尚侍一職。此時的藥子因有天皇做其後盾，讓其兄藤原仲成一起入宮幹預政事。之後平城天皇因為病弱而讓位為太上天皇，藥子兄妹也隨之失勢。不料上皇的病竟在退位後好轉，受岳母藤原藥子的誘惑，他覺得自己還年輕，仍然關心國政，於是就以上皇的地位發佈政令，使得嵯峨天皇與上皇分別成為兩個朝廷一般。起初嵯峨天皇對上皇與藥子等人有所忍讓，但到後來上皇卻催促希望朝廷遷都平城京，以便自己掌權。嵯峨天皇在忍無可忍的情況下，在810年九月十日剝奪藥子的官位，藥子與平城上皇隨即想逃往東國，卻受到阪上田村麻呂的軍隊阻擋，只好失意的回到平城京。之後上皇剃髮出家，藥子服毒自殺，其兄藤原仲成也被殺，史稱「藥子之變」。

因為藥子之變的關係，原本被立為嵯峨天皇皇太子、即平城天皇第三皇子高岳親王被廢太子，改由桓武天皇第三皇子大伴皇子為太子。平城天皇的兩位皇妃朝原內親王與大宅內親王，也在812年時辭去皇妃的位子。平城天皇於824年過世，由於他住在平城京，故被稱為平城天皇。他的日式諡號為「日本根子天推國高彥尊」，葬於楊梅陵。

系圖

家族

• 父：桓武天皇

• 母：藤原乙牟漏

• 皇后：藤原帶子（原為東宮妃，後追贈皇后之位）

• 妃：

　• 朝原內親王

　• 大宅內親王

　• 甘南美內親王

• 東宮妃：

　• 藤原藥子之女

• 尚侍：

　• 藤原藥子

• 宮人

　• 伊勢繼子

　• 葛井藤子

　• 紀魚員

• 子女：

　• 高岳親王

　• 巨勢親王

　• 上毛野內親王

　• 石上內親王

　• 大原內親王

　• 阿保親王

　• 叡奴內親王

Traditional narrative

Heizei was the eldest son of the Emperor Kanmu and empress Fujiwara no Otomuro. Heizei had three Empresses and seven sons and daughters.

Heizei is traditionally venerated at his tomb; the Imperial Household Agency designates , in Nara, as the location of Heizei's mausoleum. The site is publicly accessible. Although one of the largest kofun monuments in Japan, archaeological investigations in 1962–1963 indicate that it was constructed in the early 5th century, and that portions of it were destroyed during the construction of Heijo-kyō, calling into question the designation by the Imperial Household Agency.

Events of Heizeis life

Before he ascended to the throne, his liaison with Fujiwara no Kusuko, the mother of his one consort, caused a scandal. Because of this scandal his father considered depriving him of the rank of crown prince.

• 785:: Heizei was appointed Crown Prince at the age of 12.

• April 9, 806: In the 25th year of Emperor Kanmu's reign, he died; and despite an ensuing dispute over who should follow him as sovereign, contemporary scholars then construed that the succession (senso) was received by his son. Shortly thereafter, Emperor Heizei is said to have acceded to the throne (sokui).

His title Heizei was derived from the official name of the capital in Nara, Heizei Kyō.

During Heizei's reign, the bodyguards were reorganized; the existing Imperial Bodyguards became the Left Imperial Bodyguards, while the Middle Bodyguards became the Right Imperial Bodyguards. Both sides were given a new Senior Commander; at this time Heizei appointed Sakanoue no Tamuramaro (758–811) as Senior Commander of the Imperial Bodyguards of the Right. Under Emperor Kanmu, Tamuramaro had been appointed as shōgun of a military expedition against the Emishi.

• 809: After a reign of four years, Heizei fell ill; and fearing that he would not survive, Heizei abdicated in favor of his younger brother, who would later come to be known as Emperor Saga. After abdicating, Heizei moved to Nara and was henceforth known as Nara no Mikado, the "Emperor of Nara".

• May 18, 809: Emperor Saga was enthroned at age 24.

• 810 (Kōnin 1): In Heizei's name, the former emperor's ambitious third wife, , and her brother Nakanari organized an attempted rebellion, but their forces were defeated. Kusuko died in poison and her brother was executed. Heizei took the tonsure and became a Buddhist monk.

• August 5, 824: Heizei died at age 51, 14 years after he had abdicated due to illness.

Era of Heizeis reign

The years of Heizei's reign are encompassed within one era name (nengō).

• Daidō (806–810)

Kugyō

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 Heizei's reign, this apex of the Daijō-kan included:

• Sadaijin (not appointed)

• Udaijin, Miwa-no-Oh or Miwa-no-Ohkimi (神王), 798–806.

• Udaijin, Fujiwara no Uchimaro (藤原内麿), 806–812.

• Naidaijin

• Dainagon, Fujiwara no Otomo (藤原雄友), 806–807

When the daughter of a chūnagon became the favored consort of the Crown Prince Ate (later known as Heizei-tennō), her father's power and position in court was affected. Kanmu disapproved of , former wife of Fujiwara no Tadanushi; and Kanmu had her removed from his son's household. After Kanmu died, Heizei restored this one-time favorite as part of his household; and this distinction had consequences.

• Chūnagon, Fujiwara no Tadanushi

Consorts and children

Empress (posthumously elevated Kōgō): Fujiwara no Tarashiko/Taishi (藤原帯子; d.794), Fujiwara no Momokawa』s daughter

Hi: Imperial Princess Asahara (朝原内親王; 779–817),

Emperor Kanmu』s daughter

Hi: Imperial Princess Ōyake (大宅内親王; d.849), Emperor Kanmu』s daughter

Hi: Imperial Princess Kan'nabi (甘南美内親王; 800-817), Emperor Kanmu』s daughter

Shōshi Court lady (Naishi-no-kami): , former wife of Chūnagon Fujiwara no Tadanushi and Fujiwara no Tanetsugu』s daughter

Hi: Fujiwara Tadanushi』s daughter

Court lady: Ise no Tsuguko (伊勢継子; 772–812), Ise no Ōna』s daughter

• Third Prince: Imperial Prince Takaoka (高丘親王; 799–881), the Crown Prince in 809 (deposed in 810)

• Fourth prince: Imperial Prince Kose (巨勢親王; d. 882)

• Imperial Princess Kamitsukeno (上毛野内親王; d. 842)

• Imperial Princess Isonokami (石上内親王; d. 846)

• Third princess: Imperial Princess Ōhara (大原内親王; d. 863), 14th Saiō in Ise Shrine (806–809)

Court lady: Fujii no Fujiko/Tōshi (葛井藤子), Fujii no Michiyori』s daughter

• First Prince: Imperial Prince Abo (阿保親王)

Court lady: Ki no Iokazu (紀魚員), Ki no Kotsuo』s daughter

• Imperial Princess Enu (叡努内親王; d. 835)

Ancestry