. The mikado's empire. virtually, the ruler of Japan. In all his meas-ures he was assisted, if not often instigated to originate them by theex-emperor, Go - Shirakawa, who ascended the throne in 1156, andabdicated in 1159, but was the chief manager of affairs during the 120 THE MIKADOS EMPIRE. reigns of his son and two grandsons. This mikado was a very im-moral man, and the evident reason of his resigning was that he mightabandon himself to debauchery, and wield even more actual powerthan when on the throne. In 1169, he abdicated, shaved off his hair,and took the title of Ho-o, or cloistered e
. The mikado's empire. virtually, the ruler of Japan. In all his meas-ures he was assisted, if not often instigated to originate them by theex-emperor, Go - Shirakawa, who ascended the throne in 1156, andabdicated in 1159, but was the chief manager of affairs during the 120 THE MIKADOS EMPIRE. reigns of his son and two grandsons. This mikado was a very im-moral man, and the evident reason of his resigning was that he mightabandon himself to debauchery, and wield even more actual powerthan when on the throne. In 1169, he abdicated, shaved off his hair,and took the title of Ho-o, or cloistered emperor, and became aBuddhist monk, professing to retire from the world. In industriousseclusion, he granted the ranks and titles created by his predecessorin lavish profusion. He thus exercised, as a monk, even more influ-ence than when in actual office. The head of the Taira hesitated notto use all these rewards for his own and his familys private him several offices were held by one person. He argued that as. View near Hiogo, from near the Site of the Taira Palace. others who had done no great services for court or emperor hadheld high offices, he who had done so much should get all he , neither court nor emperor could control him, and he banishedkuge^ and even moved the capital and court at his pleasure. In1168, the power of the Taira family was paramount. Sixty men ofthe house held high offices at court, and the lands from which theyenjoyed revenue extended over thirty provinces. They had splendidpalaces in Kioto and at Fukuwara, where the modern treaty-port ofIliogo now stands overlooking the splendid scenery of the Inland at nothing that would add to his glory or power, Kiyo-mori, in 1171, imitating his predecessors, made his daughter the con- THE BE0INNING OF MILITARY DOMINATION. 121 cubine, and afterward the wife, of the Emperor Takakura, a boy elevenyears old. Of his children one was now empress, and his two sonswere generals of high
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Keywords: ., bookauthorgriffisw, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, bookyear1894
