Emperor Go-Daigo

Emperor Go-Daigo (後醍醐天皇 Go-Daigo-tennō) (26 November 1288 – 19 September 1339) was the 96th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. He is remembered for trying to bring back power to the imperial family.

In 1333, he overthrew the Kamakura shogunate, ending their rule and starting what is called the Kenmu Restoration. This was important because it helped the Imperial House regain its strength.

He worked hard to give the imperial family real power again. This did not happen again until the Meiji Restoration in 1868.

But his success did not last. In 1336, a leader named Ashikaga Takauji overthrew the Kenmu Restoration and began the Ashikaga shogunate. This caused a split in the imperial family, creating two opposing factions. One group, called the Northern Court, was supported by the Ashikaga leaders and stayed in Kyoto. The other group, known as the Southern Court, was led by Emperor Go-Daigo and stayed in Yoshino.

Biography

Before becoming emperor, his name was Takaharu-shinnō. He was the second son of Emperor Go-Uda and Fujiwara no Chūshi/Tadako. His older brother was Emperor Go-Nijō.

Emperor Go-Daigo wanted to bring back strong imperial rule like during the Engi era under Emperor Daigo. He became emperor in 1318 after his cousin Emperor Go-Nijō stepped down. In 1324, his plans to change the ruling Kamakura shogunate were discovered, and he had to hide important treasures. In 1333, he escaped and, with help from a general named Ashikaga Takauji, overthrew the shogunate. This led to the Kenmu Restoration, where the emperor tried to take full control. However, his strict rules caused problems. In 1337, Go-Daigo set up a separate court in Yoshino to fight against the new government in Kyoto. He passed away in 1339.

Genealogy

Emperor Go-Daigo had many consorts and children. One of his main consorts was Saionji Kishi, who was the daughter of Saionji Sanekane. They had a daughter named Imperial Princess Kanshi. Another consort was Imperial Princess Junshi, daughter of Emperor Go-Fushimi. They had a daughter named Imperial Princess Sachiko.

From other court ladies, Emperor Go-Daigo had several sons and daughters. Some of these children became priests or nuns, or held important roles. Many married into other noble families or took religious vows.

Kugyō

Kugyō (公卿) is a word for the most important men in the Emperor of Japan's court before the Meiji time. Even when the court didn't have much power outside the palace, its setup stayed the same.

Usually, only three or four men were in this special group. They were experienced courtiers whose families had served for years. During the time of Emperor Go-Daigo, the top leaders of the Daijō-kan included several key figures who helped in important jobs.

Eras of Go-Daigo's reign

The years of Go-Daigo's reign are identified by special names, called era names. Emperor Go-Daigo had eight different era names during his time, which was a lot and matched only by another emperor, Emperor Go-Hanazono.

The era names during Go-Daigo's reign include:

Pre-Nanboku-chō court

• Bunpō (1317–1319)
• Gen'ō (1319–1321)
• Genkō (1321–1324)
• Shōchū (1324–1326)
• Karyaku (1326–1329)
• Gentoku (1329–1331)
• Genkō (1331–1334)
• Kenmu (1334–1336)

Nanboku-chō southern court

• Eras as reckoned by legitimate sovereign's Court (as determined by Meiji rescript)
  • Engen (1336–1340)

Nanboku-chō northern Court

• Eras as reckoned by pretender sovereign's Court (as determined by Meiji rescript)
  • Shōkei (1332–1338)
  • Ryakuō (1338–1342)

In popular culture

Emperor Go-Daigo appears in the book Romanitas by Sophia McDougall. This story imagines different events in history, and the emperor is part of the tale.