In the early stage of his reign, his father, the Cloistered Emperor Gomizunoo, had political control by running the cloister government, but Emperor Reigen took direct control of politics after his father's death in 1680.
治世の最初は父である後水尾天皇に院政を敷かれていたが、1680年、後水尾法皇崩御後は直接政務を執った。