Emperor Go-Kōgon


Emperor Go-Kōgon was the 4th of the Emperors of Northern Court during the Period of the Northern and Southern Courts. According to pre-Meiji scholars, his reign spanned the years from 1352 through 1371.
This Nanboku-chō "sovereign" was named after his father Emperor Kōgon and go-, translates literally as "later;" and thus, he may be called the "Later Emperor Kōgon", or, in some older sources, may be identified as "Emperor Kōgon, the second", or as "Emperor Kōgon II."

Genealogy

His personal name was Iyahito.
He was the second son of the Northern Pretender Emperor Kōgon, and brother of his predecessor, Emperor Sukō. His mother was Hideko, Sanjō Kinhide's daughter
  • Lady-in-waiting: Hirohashi Nakako later Sukenmon’in, Hirohashi Kanetsuna's daughter
  • *Second son: Imperial Prince Ohito later Emperor Go-En'yū
  • *Fifth son: Imperial Prince Priest Eijo
  • *Sixth son: Imperial Prince Priest Gyōnin
  • Consort: Uemon-no-Suke no Tsubone
  • *First son: Imperial Prince Priest Ryōnin
  • *Third son: Imperial Prince Priest Gyojo
  • *Seventh son: Imperial Prince Priest Kakuzō
  • Consort: Sakyōdaibu-no-Tsubone, Hōin Chōkai's daughter
  • *First daughter: Imperial Princess Haruko
  • *Fourth son: Imperial Prince Priest Kakuei
  • *Eighth son: Imperial Prince Priest Dōen
  • *Eleventh son: Imperial Prince Priest Shōjo
  • Consort:Shonagon-naishi, Tachibana no Mochishige ‘s daughter
  • *Tenth son: Imperial Prince Priest Myōshō
  • from unknown women
  • *Ninth son: Imperial Prince Priest Kanshu
  • *Thirteenth son: Imperial Prince Priest Kankyō
  • *Second daughter: Imperial Princess Kenshi
  • *Fourteenth son: ?
  • *Daughter: Princess Shūnin

Events of Go-Kōgon's life

In his own lifetime, Go-Kōgon and those around him believed that he occupied the Chrysanthemum Throne from 25 September 1352 to 9 April 1371.

In 1351, Ashikaga Takauji briefly returned to the allegiance of the Southern Dynasty, causing the Southern Court to briefly consolidate control of the Imperial Line. However, this peace fell apart in April 1352. On this occasion, the Southern Court abducted Retired Emperors Emperor Kōgon and Emperor Kōmyō as well as Emperor Sukō and the Crown Prince Tadahito from Kyoto to Anau, the location of the Southern Court. This produced a state of affairs in which there was no Emperor in Kyoto. Because of this, Imperial Prince Iyahito became emperor in 1352 with the support of Ashikaga Yoshiakira.
During this period, the Era of the Northern and Southern Courts, because of the antagonism between the two competing dynasties, public order in Kyoto was disturbed. The Southern Court repeatedly recaptured Kyoto. Emperor Go-Kōgon was forced to repeatedly flee from Kyoto to Ōmi Province and other places. Around the time that Ashikaga Yoshimitsu was named shōgun, the Southern Courts power weakened, and order was restored to Kyoto. Also around this time, the Emperor's authority began to show its weakness.
On 9 April 1371, he abdicated in favor of his son, who became Emperor Go-En'yū. He continued to rule as Cloistered Emperor until he died of illness on 12 March 1374. He is enshrined with other emperors at the imperial tomb called Fukakusa no kita no misasagi in Fushimi-ku, Kyoto.

Eras of Go-Kōgon's reign

The years of Go-Kōgon's reign are more specifically identified by more than one era name or nengō.

Southern Court rivals