was the 75th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. Along with Sugawara no Michizane and Taira no Masakado, he is known as one of the "".
Sutoku's reign in the late Heian period spanned 1123-1142.
Before his ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name (his imina) was Akihito (é¡Âä»Â). Sutoku was the eldest son of Emperor Toba. Some old texts say he was instead the son of Toba's grandfather, Emperor Shirakawa.
In 1151, Sutoku ordered an imperial waka anthology, Shika Wakashà «.
In 1156, after being defeated by forces loyal to Emperor Go-Shirakawa in the HÃ Âgen rebellion, he was exiled to Sanuki Province (modern-day Kagawa prefecture on the island of Shikoku).
Emperor Sutoku's reign lasted for 19 years: 2 years in the nengà  Tenji, 5 years in Daiji, 1 year in Tenshà Â, 3 years in Chà Âshà Â, 6 years in Hà Âen, and 1 year in Eiji.
The site of Sutoku's grave is settled. This emperor is traditionally venerated at a in Sakaide, Kagawa. He was also enshrined in Shiramine Shrine in Kyoto and Kotohira-gà « in Kagawa Prefecture. The former is also associated with the god of kemari ('football') worshipped by the kuge-rank Asukai family in times of yore, while the latter enshrined à Âmononushi, a god known to have restored harmony in the Yamato Kingdom (or blackmailed Emperor Sujin) in exchange for worship and nepotism.
The Imperial Household Agency designates this location as Sutoku's mausoleum. It is formally named Shiramine no misasagi.
Kugyà  (å ¬å¿) is a collective term for the very few most powerful men attached to the imperial court. In general, this elite group included only three to four men at a time. These were hereditary courtiers whose experience and background would have brought them to the pinnacle of their careers. During Sutoku's reign, this apex of the Daijà Â-kan included:
The years of Sutoku's reign are more specifically identified by more than one era name or nengà Â.
After Sutoku's abdication and exile, he devoted himself to monastic life. He copied numerous scriptures and offered them to the court. Fearing that the scriptures were cursed, the court refused to accept them. Snubbed, Sutoku was said to have resented the court and, upon his death, became an . Everything from the subsequent fall in fortune of the Imperial court, the rise of the samurai powers, droughts and internal unrests were blamed on his haunting.
Along with Sugawara no Michizane and Taira no Masakado, he is often called one of the âÂÂâÂÂ.
Literary works from the Edo period such as and and ukiyo-e paintings by Utagawa Yoshitsuya depict Emperor Sutoku as an .
In 2023, the heavy metal band Onmyo-Za produced the song , about Emperor Sutoku as a .