#zembo

Note that the names of the consorts appear to repeat across generations because, again, characters don’t actually have names. Consorts are usually identified by where they resided (Kiritsubo, Kokiden, Shokyoden, Reikeiden etc.) I sometimes put numbers if I can just to make it clear it’s not the most well-known character associated with that name.

Crown Prince Zembo

The would-have-been Emperor

Kiritsubo’s favourite brother. Dies before story begins.

Empress would have been Rokujo no Miyasudokoro

Other consorts mentioned: No clue.

Children mentioned: Akikonomu

My comments: Based on the characters closest to him and what the narrator says, he was probably a very refined, elegant, patient, and super handsome man.

Kiritsubo

The starting Emperor (this makes him sound like a Pokemon…)

Abdicates Chapter 8 Hana no En, dies Chapter 10 Sakaki. Appears as a ghost in dreams after his death.

True love was the lady Kiritsubo (Kiritsubo no Koi, mother of Genji). Empress is Fujitsubo.

Other consorts mentioned: Kokiden (mother of Suzaku), Shokyoden (mother of the Fourth Prince), Reikeiden (sister of Hanachirusato)

Children mentioned: SO MANY. Suzaku, Genji, the Fourth Prince (only appears in Chapter 7), Prince Hotaru, Prince Hachi/the Eighth Prince. In my notes, I wrote “the novel also mentions two other daughters - via the Kokiden Consort?”. I don’t remember where this came up. Have to fix this whenever I get around to a reread.

My comments: Everyone seems to remember his reign and especially his parties very fondly, so I sometimes call him “Good Guy Kiritsubo” in my head. The novel says he has a weakness for pretty and clever women lol... but he’s never really depicted as anything other than dignified (aside from what’s perceived as his social lapse with Lady Kiritsubo) and there are also parts where he lectures Genji to be more respectful to women. His most memorable scene is probably when he appears in Suzaku's nightmare shooting lasers out of his eyes (OK not really, but basically that’s what happened).

Suzaku

The long-suffering Emperor

Genji’s older half-brother, son of Kiritsubo and Kokiden. Reign begins Chapter 8 Hana no En, abdicates Chapter 14 Miotsukushi, becomes a monk Chapter 34 Wakana I, dies sometime before the beginning of the Uji chapters.

True love was Oborozukiyo. He has no Empress.

Other consorts mentioned: Shokyoden (mother of Kinjo), Ichijo no Miyasudokoro (mother of Second Princess), Fujitsubo (another Fujitsubo, mother of the Third Princess)

Children mentioned: Kinjo, Ochiba no Miya/Second Princess (Fallen Leaf Princess), Onna San no Miya/Third Princess

My comments: One of my favourite characters, a sweet-tempered man and his story makes me sad. He is a bit of an indecisive pushover though. People rag on him a lot for basically not being Genji.  

Reizei

The beautiful Emperor (is constantly described as the moon in comparison to Genji as the sun)

Supposedly the tenth son of Kiritsubo and Fujitsubo, but actually the son of Genji and Fujitsubo. When he was a child, his faction, led by Genji and Fujitsubo, was successful against the faction pushing for Prince Hachi to succeed Suzaku.

Reign begins Chapter 14 Miotsukushi, abdicates Chapter 35 Wakana II.

Empress is Akikonomu. They seem to get along really well, but later on in the novel you can see Reizei obliquely chasing other women all over the background of the story. So basically he’s like Genji but a lot more restrained because of his role and responsibilities.

Other consorts mentioned: Kokiden II (To no Chujo’s daughter), Tamakazura’s daughter. I didn’t take notes of any others but I’m sure I’ve missed a bunch since all the ladies wanted to work for him because he's so gorgeous lol.

Children mentioned: Surprisingly very few. He has a First Princess with Kokiden, and Tamakazura’s eldest daughter gives him a son but this is after he retired.

My comments: I love that he likes painting and that he takes his job as surrogate father to Kaoru Very Seriously. And that he seems to think his job as a surrogate father is to enable the hell out of everything. Which is like the exact opposite of Genji in this respect, since the latter put Yugiri through a character-building wringer. You were damn lucky, Reizei!

Kinjo

The chill cat-loving Emperor

Son of Suzaku and his Shokyoden Consort (Shokyoden II I guess).

Empress is Akashi no Himegimi/Akashi Princess or Empress (daughter of Genji and the Akashi lady)

Reign begins Chapter 35 Wakana II through to the end of the story.

Other consorts mentioned: There’s a Fujitsubo II (mother of Second Princess), and a mention that he seems to appreciate one of Tamakazura’s daughters who becomes Mistress of Staff in his service, but the reference doesn’t seem very specific.

Children mentioned: OK, I got really confused with the numbering for his kids and there aren’t even that many of them. I was pretty confident Kinjo has three kids, but my list shows: A Second Princess (with Fujitsubo II), a Second Prince (first child of Akashi Empress) and a Third Prince (Niou, second child of Akashi Empress).  So where’s the first baby????? No appearance in the novel I guess? And how come there are two second children?? I was always under the (possibly mistaken) impression it’s [number] no Miya, doesn’t matter the gender, and women are simply clarified as Onna [Number] no Miya. This assumption worked neatly with Suzaku’s kids, because that makes Kinjo the First Prince/imperial child, then his sisters are the Second and Third Princesses. BUT THIS MESSED ME UP. How readers and translators over the centuries were able to map all the characters without losing their minds, I have no clue. Anyways lol