Muneko was born on 30th day of the 12th month of Meireki 3rd year. Meireki 3 equates to 1657 but but once it is converted to the western calendar it becomes 2nd Feb 1658.
All dates below are converted to Western ones.
Muneko (born 2 Feb 1658; died 18 Oct 1732) was the daughter of Naidaijin (Minister of the Centre) Munenaga Matsunoki by Hideko Kawabata. She held the post of Naishi no Jo (Shoji) aat the court of Emperor Reigen and was known as Joro no Tsubone. She bore him 3 sons and 4 daughters. Following the accession of her son Emperor Higashiyama she was given Jusangu rank on 18 Feb 1689 i.e. rank equivalent to one of the three empresses (empresses consort, dowager and grand dowager) but did not actually have the title of Kotaigo (dowager empress). During the reign of her grandson Emperor Nakamikado she became a nun on 26 Dec 1711 and on 30 Dec 1713 she was given the title Keihomon'in.
Children by Emperor Reigen
1) Asahito Shinno, born 21 Oct 1675; died 16 Jan 1710. Emperor Higashiyama (reigned 1687-1709).
2) Tomiko Naishinno (originally named Fusa no Miya, later Aya no Miya), born 21 Oct 1676; died 31 July 1707, married 9 June 1698, Fushimi no Miya Kuninaga Shinno (born 10 May 1676; died 14 Nov 1726) and had issue, 1 son and 1 daughter.
3) Eishu Joo (originally named Shige no Miya and later Tomo no Miya), born 27 Jan 1678; dunm 12 Aug 1725, became a nun 21 Sept 1688, Head of the Keiaiji Temple, Kyoto.
4) Ayahito Shinno ( originally named Fukiya no Miya), born 8 Sept 1680; died 23 Apr 1711, adopted son of Arisugawa no Miya Yukihito Shinno and became 3rd Head of the House of Arisugawa 31 Aug 1688 but the adoption was cancelled 4 Nov 1695. He became 6th Head of the House of Hachijo no Miya 1 Aug 1696 but the name of the House changed to Kyogoku no Miya 3 Aug 1696 (and later became Katsura no Miya), received the title of Shinno 29 June 1697.
5) Ume no Miya (originally named Tazuru no Miya) (daughter), born 9 Sept 1681; died 5 Feb 1684.
6) Katsuko Naishinno (originally named Yaya no Miya, changed to Sada no Miya 9 May 1691), born at Kyoto 15 Mar 1686, dunm 25 Oct 1716, received the title of Naishinno 30 Apr 1707.
7) Sei no Miya (son), born 18 June 1688; died 25 Oct 1693, designated heir to the headship of the Sanzen'in Temple, Ohara in succession to his uncle Seiin Hôshinno but died before entering holy orders.
Regarding dowager empresses. In the traditional Japanese system (i.e. pre-1889) the wife of an abdicated emperor could also be called Kotaigo "dowager empress" even if her husband were still alive.
--Previous Message--
:
: Yep, it looks like the concubine Muneko was
: mother of Asahito 'Higashiyama' tenno, and
: Ayahito of Kogyoku (Kstsura), and Tomiko m
: Fushimi. Her being concubine appears to have
: been at its most effective between 1675 and
: 1686 when she gave several births.
:
: This may be correct or incorrect, but I once
: filed dates 1657-1732 for her.
:
: At some occasion, she was granted the name
: Keiho, and granted the titulary of official
: imperial mother. I do not know about the
: dowager part, since Asahito 'Higashiyama'
: died long before Satohito 'Reigen', and if
: there is some idea that Dowager actually
: needs to be a widow...
:
:
:
: --Previous Message--
: Wasn't Muneko Matsuki also the mother of
: Emperor Higashiyama? Would you have any
: dates for her? Wasn't she granted the title
: of Dowager Empress during Higashiyama's
: reign? Any answers for the above would be
: much appreciated.
:
:
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