Court of North

The Cour of North (in Japanese Hokuchō , 北朝) is a short dynasty of 6 emperors of the Japan, called applicants of North or Ashikaga applicants, who reigned on Kyōto during the time Nanboku-chō, and opposed to the line now considered as legitimate, called Nanchō (“Court of the South”).

Origins and history

The origins of the Court of North go back to the emperor Go-Saga, who reigned of 1242 with 1246. Two of its sons, Go-Fukakusa then Kameyama, succeeded to him. The descendants of these two last entered in competition for the succession to the Trône of the chrysanthemum, the descendants of Go-Fukakusa being known as the line Jimyōin-tō whereas those of Kameyama took the name of line Daikakuji-tō.

In 1333, when the emperor Go-Daigo, Daikakuji-tō line, revolted against the Shogunat de Kamakura and initiated the Restauration of Kemmu, the shogun answered by exiling Go-Daigo and while putting on the throne Kōgon, of the Jimyōin-tō line. After the destruction of the shogunat of Kamakura in 1333, Kōgon lost its title, but his/her brother, Kōmyō, and two of his sons were supported by new the shoguns Ashikaga as being the legitimate applicants with the throne.

The family of Kōgon thus formed a court of the North which competed with the court of the South of Go-Daigo and its descendants. In 1392, the emperor Go-Kameyama signed an agreement with Go-Komatsu (of the Court of North) to return to the old alternation every 10 years. However, Go-Komatsu broke this agreement, while reigning 20 years and by designating for heir his own son instead of a member to the old Court of the South.

Being the ancestors of all the following emperors, the Court of North was regarded during centuries as the true imperial family. However, since 1911, the Japanese government declared the applicants of the South as being the legitimate emperors because having had the three Treasures crowned.

List applicants of North

Sources

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