2nd Northern Emperor
Emperor K?my?
(
光明天皇
,
K?my? Tenn?
)
(January 11, 1322 ? July 26, 1380) was the second of the
Emperors of Northern Court
, although he was the first to be supported by the
Ashikaga Bakufu
. According to pre-Meiji scholars, his reign spanned the years from 1336 through 1348.
[1]
Genealogy
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His personal name was
Yutahito
(豊仁), second son of
Emperor Go-Fushimi
. His mother was
Neishi
(寧子), the daughter of Saionji Kinhira (西園寺公衡)
- Naishi: Ogimachi Sanjo Sanemi’s daughter
- daughter: Jogakuin-dono (長照院; d.1422)
- daughter
- Naishi: Mikawa-no-kami’s daughter
Events of K?my?'s life
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]
In his own lifetime, K?my? and those around him believed that he occupied the
Chrysanthemum Throne
from September 20, 1336 to November 18, 1348.
When
Ashikaga Takauji
rebelled against
Emperor Go-Daigo
's
Kenmu Restoration
and entered
Ky?to
in 1336, Go-Daigo fled to
Enryaku-ji
on
Mount Hiei
. Despite lacking the
sacred treasures
, Prince Yutahito was enthroned as emperor, beginning the Northern Court. On the 12th month, 21st day, Go-Daigo escaped to Yoshino, founding the Southern Court.
On November 18, 1348, he abdicated in favor of the eldest son of his older brother, the former claimant to the throne
Emperor K?gon
, who became
Emperor Suk?
.
In April 1352, taking advantage of the Kan'? Disturbance, a family feud in the Ashikaga clan, the Southern Emperor
Emperor Go-Murakami
entered Kyoto, capturing it and carrying away K?my? along with Emperor K?gon,
Emperor Suk?
, and the Crown Prince Tadahito. They all ended up finally in Anau, the location of the Southern Court.
[2]
In the
Sh?hei
Reunification, K?my? and his companions were placed under house arrest in
Yamato Province
, in what is today the village of
Nishiyoshino
,
Yoshino District
,
Nara
. In 1355, returning to
Ky?to
, he entered a monastery.
- July 26, 1380
(
K?ryaku
2, 24th day of the 6th month
): The former emperor died at age 60.
[3]
Eras of K?my?'s reign
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The years of K?my?'s reign are more specifically identified by more than one
era name
or
neng?
.
[4]
- Nanboku-ch?
Northern court
- Eras as reckoned by pretender Court (as determined by Meiji rescript)
- Kenmu
(continued)
- Ryaku?
- K?ei
- J?wa
- Nanboku-ch?
Southern court
- Eras as reckoned by legitimate Court (as determined by Meiji rescript)
- Engen
- K?koku
- Sh?hei
Southern Court Rivals
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Notes
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]
Japanese Imperial kamon
? a stylized
chrysanthemum
blossom
- ^
Titsingh, Isaac. (1834).
Annales des empereurs du japon,
pp. 294?295.
- ^
Sansom, George (1961).
A History of Japan, 1334-1615
. Stanford University Press. p. 88.
ISBN
0804705259
.
- ^
Titsingh,
p. 315.
- ^
Titsingh, p. 294.
References
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See also
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