Southern Court
Encyclopedia
The were a set of four emperors whose legitimate claims were usurped during the Nanboku-chō period spanning from 1336 through 1392. In spite of the legitimacy of its claims to the throne, the Southern Court was permanently replaced in 1392 by the illegitimate Northern Court.
The genesis of the Northern Court go back to Emperor Go-Saga
, who reigned from 1242 through 1246. Go-Saga was succeeded by two of his sons, Emperor Go-Fukakusa
and Emperor Kameyama
, who took turns on the throne. This because on his death bed in 1272, Go-Saga had insisted that his sons adopt a plan in which future emperors from the two fraternal lines would ascend the throne in alternating succession. This plan proved to be unworkable, resulting in rival factions and rival claimants to the throne.
Go-Fukakusa's descendants were referred to as the while Kameyama's descendants were known as the .
(from the Daikakuji-tō) staged the Kemmu Restoration
and revolted against the Kamakura shogunate
, the Shōgun
responded by declaring Emperor Kōgon
, Go-Daigo's second cousin once removed and the son of an earlier emperor, Emperor Go-Fushimi
of the Jimyōin-tō, as the new emperor. After the destruction of the Kamakura shogunate in 1333, Kōgon lost his claim, but his brother, Emperor Kōmyō
, and two of his sons were supported by the new Ashikaga shoguns
as the rightful claimants to the throne. Kōgon's family thus formed an alternate Imperial Court in Kyoto, which came to be called the Northern Court because its seat was in a location north of its rival.
During the Meiji period
, an Imperial decree dated March 3, 1911 established that the legitimate reigning monarchs of this period were the direct descendants of Emperor Go-Daigo
through Emperor Go-Murakami
, whose had been established in exile in Yoshino, near Nara.
The established in Kyoto
by Ashikaga Takauji
is therefore considered illegitimate.
.
In 1392, Emperor Go-Kameyama
of the Southern Court was defeated and abdicated in favor of Kōgon's great-grandson, Emperor Go-Komatsu
, thus ending the divide. The Southern Court of the Japanese Imperial Line is nonetheless seen as legitimate. In fact, Northern Court members are officially called pretender
s. One Southern Court descendant, Kumazawa Hiromichi
, declared himself to be Japan's rightful Emperor in the days after the end of the Pacific War. He claimed that Emperor Hirohito
was a fraud, arguing that Hirohito's entire line is descended from the Northern Court. Despite this, he was not arrested for lèse majesté
, even when donning the Imperial Crest. He could and did produce a koseki
detailing his bloodline back to Go-Daigo in Yoshino
, but his claims and rhetoric failed to inspire anything other than sympathy.
Nanboku-chō overview
The genesis of the Northern Court go back to Emperor Go-Saga
Emperor Go-Saga
Emperor Go-Saga was the 88th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession...
, who reigned from 1242 through 1246. Go-Saga was succeeded by two of his sons, Emperor Go-Fukakusa
Emperor Go-Fukakusa
was the 89th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. This reign spanned the years 1246 through 1260....
and Emperor Kameyama
Emperor Kameyama
was the 90th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. His reign spanned the years from 1259 through 1274.-Genealogy:...
, who took turns on the throne. This because on his death bed in 1272, Go-Saga had insisted that his sons adopt a plan in which future emperors from the two fraternal lines would ascend the throne in alternating succession. This plan proved to be unworkable, resulting in rival factions and rival claimants to the throne.
Go-Fukakusa's descendants were referred to as the while Kameyama's descendants were known as the .
Northern Court
In 1333, when Emperor Go-DaigoEmperor Go-Daigo
Emperor Go-Daigo was the 96th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession....
(from the Daikakuji-tō) staged the Kemmu Restoration
Kemmu restoration
The is the name given to both the three year period of Japanese history between the Kamakura period and the Muromachi period, and the political events that took place in it...
and revolted against the Kamakura shogunate
Kamakura shogunate
The Kamakura shogunate was a military dictatorship in Japan headed by the shoguns from 1185 to 1333. It was based in Kamakura. The Kamakura period draws its name from the capital of the shogunate...
, the Shōgun
Shogun
A was one of the hereditary military dictators of Japan from 1192 to 1867. In this period, the shoguns, or their shikken regents , were the de facto rulers of Japan though they were nominally appointed by the emperor...
responded by declaring Emperor Kōgon
Emperor Kōgon
Emperor Kōgon was the 1st of Ashikaga Pretenders during the Period of the Northern and Southern Courts in Japan...
, Go-Daigo's second cousin once removed and the son of an earlier emperor, Emperor Go-Fushimi
Emperor Go-Fushimi
Emperor Go-Fushimi was the 93rd emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession...
of the Jimyōin-tō, as the new emperor. After the destruction of the Kamakura shogunate in 1333, Kōgon lost his claim, but his brother, Emperor Kōmyō
Emperor Komyo
was the 2nd of the Ashikaga Pretenders, although he was actually the first to be supported by the Ashikaga Bakufu. According to pre-Meiji scholars, his reign spanned the years from 1336 through 1348.-Genealogy:...
, and two of his sons were supported by the new Ashikaga shoguns
Ashikaga shogunate
The , also known as the , was a Japanese feudal military regime, ruled by the shoguns of the Ashikaga clan.This period is also known as the Muromachi period and gets its name from Muromachi Street of Kyoto where the third shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu established his residence...
as the rightful claimants to the throne. Kōgon's family thus formed an alternate Imperial Court in Kyoto, which came to be called the Northern Court because its seat was in a location north of its rival.
During the Meiji period
Meiji period
The , also known as the Meiji era, is a Japanese era which extended from September 1868 through July 1912. This period represents the first half of the Empire of Japan.- Meiji Restoration and the emperor :...
, an Imperial decree dated March 3, 1911 established that the legitimate reigning monarchs of this period were the direct descendants of Emperor Go-Daigo
Emperor Go-Daigo
Emperor Go-Daigo was the 96th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession....
through Emperor Go-Murakami
Emperor Go-Murakami
was the 97th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession, and a member of the Southern Court during the Nanboku-chō period of rival courts. He reigned from September 18, 1339 until March 29, 1368 . His personal name was...
, whose had been established in exile in Yoshino, near Nara.
The established in Kyoto
Kyoto
is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area.-History:...
by Ashikaga Takauji
Ashikaga Takauji
was the founder and first shogun of the Ashikaga shogunate. His rule began in 1338, beginning the Muromachi period of Japan, and ended with his death in 1358...
is therefore considered illegitimate.
Northern Pretenders
These are the Hokuchō or Northern Court emperors:- Emperor KōgonEmperor KōgonEmperor Kōgon was the 1st of Ashikaga Pretenders during the Period of the Northern and Southern Courts in Japan...
1332-1333. - –
- Emperor KōmyōEmperor Komyowas the 2nd of the Ashikaga Pretenders, although he was actually the first to be supported by the Ashikaga Bakufu. According to pre-Meiji scholars, his reign spanned the years from 1336 through 1348.-Genealogy:...
1336-1348. - Emperor SukōEmperor Suko) was the third of Ashikaga Pretenders during the Period of the Northern and Southern Courts in Japan. According to pre-Meiji scholars, his reign spanned the years from 1348 through 1351.-Genealogy:...
1348-1351. - –
- Emperor Go-KōgonEmperor Go-KogonEmperor Go-Kōgon was the 4th of the Ashikaga Pretenders during the Period of the Northern and Southern Courts...
1352-1371. - Emperor Go-En'yūEmperor Go-En'yuwas the 5th of the Ashikaga Pretenders during the period of two courts. According to pre-Meiji scholars, his reign spanned the years from 1371 through 1382....
1371-1382. - Emperor Go-KomatsuEmperor Go-KomatsuEmperor Go-Komatsu was the 100th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. He is officially considered a pretender from May 24, 1382 to October 21, 1392, when Emperor Go-Kameyama abdicated...
1382-1392 (then went on to reign as legitimate emperor 1392-1412)
Southern Court
The Imperial Court supported by the Ashikaga shoguns was rivaled by the of Go-Daigo and his descendants. This came to be called the Southern Court because its seat was in a location south of its rival. Although the precise location of the emperors' seat did change, it was often identified as simply YoshinoYoshino
Yoshino may refer to:* Somei Yoshino, a flowering cherry tree Prunus × yedoensis* Japanese cruiser Yoshino- Places :* Yoshino, Nara, a town located in Yoshino District, Nara Prefecture, Japan...
.
In 1392, Emperor Go-Kameyama
Emperor Go-Kameyama
was the 99th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. He ruled from 1383 to October 21, 1392, becoming the last Emperor of the Southern Court...
of the Southern Court was defeated and abdicated in favor of Kōgon's great-grandson, Emperor Go-Komatsu
Emperor Go-Komatsu
Emperor Go-Komatsu was the 100th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. He is officially considered a pretender from May 24, 1382 to October 21, 1392, when Emperor Go-Kameyama abdicated...
, thus ending the divide. The Southern Court of the Japanese Imperial Line is nonetheless seen as legitimate. In fact, Northern Court members are officially called pretender
Pretender
A pretender is one who claims entitlement to an unavailable position of honour or rank. Most often it refers to a former monarch, or descendant thereof, whose throne is occupied or claimed by a rival, or has been abolished....
s. One Southern Court descendant, Kumazawa Hiromichi
Kumazawa Hiromichi
, also known as the "Kumazawa emperor," was a Japanese businessman and Buddhist priest from Nagoya who publicly disputed the legitimacy of Emperor Hirohito's bloodline in the period shortly after the end of the Second World War...
, declared himself to be Japan's rightful Emperor in the days after the end of the Pacific War. He claimed that Emperor Hirohito
Hirohito
, posthumously in Japan officially called Emperor Shōwa or , was the 124th Emperor of Japan according to the traditional order, reigning from December 25, 1926, until his death in 1989. Although better known outside of Japan by his personal name Hirohito, in Japan he is now referred to...
was a fraud, arguing that Hirohito's entire line is descended from the Northern Court. Despite this, he was not arrested for lèse majesté
Lèse majesté
Lese-majesty is the crime of violating majesty, an offence against the dignity of a reigning sovereign or against a state.This behavior was first classified as a criminal offence against the dignity of the Roman republic in Ancient Rome...
, even when donning the Imperial Crest. He could and did produce a koseki
Koseki
A is a Japanese family registry. Japanese law requires all Japanese households to report births, acknowledgements of paternity, adoptions, disruptions of adoptions, deaths, marriages and divorces of Japanese citizens to their local authority, which compiles such records encompassing all Japanese...
detailing his bloodline back to Go-Daigo in Yoshino
Yoshino
Yoshino may refer to:* Somei Yoshino, a flowering cherry tree Prunus × yedoensis* Japanese cruiser Yoshino- Places :* Yoshino, Nara, a town located in Yoshino District, Nara Prefecture, Japan...
, but his claims and rhetoric failed to inspire anything other than sympathy.
Southern Court Emperors
These are the Nanchō or Southern Court emperors:- Emperor Go-DaigoEmperor Go-DaigoEmperor Go-Daigo was the 96th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession....
1336-1339. - Emperor Go-MurakamiEmperor Go-Murakamiwas the 97th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession, and a member of the Southern Court during the Nanboku-chō period of rival courts. He reigned from September 18, 1339 until March 29, 1368 . His personal name was...
1339-1368. - Emperor ChōkeiEmperor ChokeiEmperor Chōkei was the 98th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. He reigned from 1368 through 1383...
1368-1383. - Emperor Go-KameyamaEmperor Go-Kameyamawas the 99th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. He ruled from 1383 to October 21, 1392, becoming the last Emperor of the Southern Court...
1383-1392.