Fujiwara no Kenshi (Sanjō)


Fujiwara no Kenshi, also known as Empress Dowager Biwadono, was an empress consort of the Japanese Emperor Sanjō.
She was the second daughter of regent Fujiwara no Michinaga and Minamoto no Rinshi/Michiko. She was arranged to marry the future Emperor one year prior to his succession, and was given the title of Empress, or Chugu, when he became Emperor. The following year, the Emperor married Fujiwara no Seishi, daughter of her father's cousin Fujiwara no Naritoki, as well. During the prior Emperor,
Kenshi's father had introduced the custom of Emperor having two Empresses, one with the title Chugu, and the other with the title Kogo. Fujiwara no Michinaga agreed for Fujiwara no Seishi to be given the title of Empress but he demonstrated that Seishi was to have lower rank than his daughter in practice, by making sure that no one attended the ceremony in which Seishi was made Empress. When the courtiers where summoned to the elevation ceremony of the second Empress, they laughed at the messengers and gathered at the appartemens of the Empress Kenshi instead.
While Empress Seishi was well liked by the Emperor, she was overshadowed in the role of Empress at court by Empress Keishi. Kenshi was reportedly the beautiful, spoiled favorite of her father, and has been described as "willfully extravagant".
She ordained as a Buddhist nun on the same day that she died.
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