The oldest Royal family in the world (9) 2016/06/20
Gonara Emperor was born in 1497 and died in 1557. It was the time of turmoil. Civil war of Onin was opened in 1467 and that was the beginning of long lasted Age of Wars until 1590 when Toyotomi Hideyoshi unified the nation.
Gonara was at the position of the 105th Emperor from 1526 to 1557 at the middle of turmoil.
During his age, the Royal family who had lost fighting powers and ruling powers to Samurai long time ago, did neither have financial powers.
After they conceded ruling powers to Samurais, religious rituals were most important for the family to keep Authority. Emperors at above mentioned period, they could not hold enough rituals because of financial problems. Some of them including Gonara were forced to postpone the most important ritual of ascending the position for many years. Ise Grand Shrine who enshrine Ancestor of the Royal family makes it traditional rule to renew the main Shrine in every 20 years but they had to give up the tradition for 100 years, again by financial shortage.
Gonara was severely suffered from continuous civil wars and distressed finance, however he studied hard Japanese culture, history, poems, old books and so on.
Because, those were most important knowledge and understanding as an Emperor of Japan. He always worried about people who were suffered from turmoil and natural disasters and delivered many Buddhism teaching subscribed by himself to temples all over Japan. He never forgot people and always wished their safety. It must have been a sever burden to deliver many teachings under distressed financial situation, however he prioritized public peace and order to his own private wealthy life.
Gonara did not leave any historic monument, however he showed how Emperor of Japan should act in the hard time of people.
Gonara Emperor
