Emperor Reizei of Japan
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Emperor Reizei (冷泉天皇; 12 June, 950 - 21 November, 1011) was the 63rd emperor of Japan (967 - 969). His name in birth was Prince Norihira (憲平親王).
Reizei was the second son of Emperor Murakami. His mother was a daughter of Fujiwara no Morosuke. Soon after his birth he was appointed as crown prince. This decision was supposedly made under the influence of Morosuke and his brother Fujiwara no Sanetomo who had seized power in the court.
Due to a mental illness his succession was considered somewhat problematic. In 967 his father Murakami died and Reizei ascended to the throne at the age of eighteen and Sanetomo was appointed Kanpaku regent to support the emperor in his illness. A struggle occured between two princes of Murakami over who would be appointed to the crown prince. In 969 Reizei retired and received the honorific title of Reizei-in Joko (Retired emperor in Reizei-in).
| Preceded by: Murakami | Emperor of Japan 967-969 | Succeeded by: En'yū |