Background
Antoku Tenno was born on December 22, 1178 in Kyoto, Japan. His father was Emperor Takakura and his mother the daughter of Taira no Kiyomori, Kenreimon-in Tokuko.
Antoku Tenno was born on December 22, 1178 in Kyoto, Japan. His father was Emperor Takakura and his mother the daughter of Taira no Kiyomori, Kenreimon-in Tokuko.
By the time of his birth, the Hcike, or Taira family, had reached the zenith of its power, and the high minister Taira no Kiyomori was thus able to place his grandson on the throne and handle all affairs of government in his name. Emperor Antoku was only an infant of three when he was made ruler, but soon after the Heike, suffering a series of defeats at the hands of their rivals, the Genji, or Minamoto, family, were forced to desert the capital and flee west, taking the child emperor with them. The final defeat of the Taira family took place at the naval battle of Dan- no-ura in the province of Nagato, present-day Yamaguchi Prefecture, when Emperor Antoku, then eight years old, was drowned along with the remain¬ing members of his mother’s family. The toys that the emperor played with have been preserved at the Itsukushima Shrine, the family shrine of the Heike.
His father was Emperor Takakura and his mother the daughter of Taira no Kiyomori, Kenreimon-in Tokuko.