Heian Court System

Timeline

1. 794–850Heian-kyō imperial palace · JapanAfter the capital moved to Heian, Ritsuryō institutions such as the Grand Council of State, the Eight Ministries, and various bureaus continued to operate; direct imperial rule coexisted with the regency system, laying the foundation for later regency politics.
2. 1015–1020Heian-kyō imperial palace · JapanFujiwara no Michinaga served as kanpaku; his daughter was empress and his grandson crown prince, and the regency house effectively controlled court affairs through marriage ties, an era known as the "Age of the Full Moon."
3. 1100–1185Heian-kyō · JapanCloistered rule by retired emperors and the expansion of warrior estates caused court authority to decline; the Ritsuryō bureaucratic system survived in name only and was ultimately replaced by a warrior government.