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.
This 13th-century sovereign was named after the 9th-century Emperor Ninmyō and go-, translates literally as "later", and thus he could be called the "Later Emperor Fukakusa". The Japanese word go has also been translated to mean the "second one"; and in some older sources, this emperor may be identified as "Fukakusa, the second", or as "Fukakusa II".

Name

Before his ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name was Hisahito.
Although the Roman-alphabet spelling of the name of this 13th-century emperor is the same as that of the personal name of a current member of the Imperial family, the kanji are different:
He was the second son of Emperor Go-Saga.

Issue

  • Empress: Saionji Kimiko later Higashinijō‘in, Saionji Saneuji's daughter
  • *Second daughter: Imperial Princess Takako
  • * Daughter
  • *Third daughter: Imperial Princess Reishi later Yūgimon'in, married Emperor Go-Uda
  • Consort: Tōin Inshi later Genkimon-in, Tōin Saneo's daughter
  • *Fourth daughter: Imperial Princess Hisako later Eiyōmon'in
  • *Second son: Imperial Prince Hirohito later Emperor Fushimi
  • *Third son: Imperial Prince Mitsuhito later Imperial Prince Priest Shonnin
  • Court Lady: Saionji Aiko, Saionji Kinsuke's daughter
  • *Fifth daughter: Imperial Princess Hanako/Eiko/Akiko later Yōtokumon'in
  • Court Lady: Saionji Moriko, Saionji Kintsune's daughter
  • * First Son: Imperial Prince Tsunehito
  • * Fourth Son: Imperial Prince Yukihito
  • Court Lady: Sanjō Fusako, Sanjō Kinchika's daughter
  • *Fifth son: Imperial Prince Priest Gyōkaku
  • *Seventh son: Imperial Prince Hisaaki
  • *Ninth son: Imperial Prince Priest Sokaku
  • * Sixth Daughter: Imperial Princess Eiko later Shozenmon’in
  • Court Lady: Miyoshi Tadako, Miyoshi Yasuhira's daughter
  • *Sixth Son: Imperial Prince Priest Shinsho
  • Court Lady: Bettō-Naishi, Takakura Shigemichi's daughter
  • * Eighth Son: Imperial Prince Priest Kojo
  • Court Lady: Lady Nijō, Minamoto no Masatada's daughter
  • * Prince
  • unknown
  • * Prince

    Political significance

When Go-Fukakusa ascended to the throne in 1246 at the age of four, his father Go-Saga continued to rule from his position of Retired Emperor. In 1260 Go-Saga forced Go-Fukakusa to abdicate in favor of Kameyama. Kameyama's son was named Crown Prince. Go-Fukakusa appealed to the shogunal administration in the city of Kamakura and had his own son named next in line after Go-Uda. During the reign of Go-Uda, Go-Fukakusa exerted power from the office of Retired Emperor. An agreement was reached by which the next emperors would alternate between descendants of Go-Fukakusa and descendants of Kameyama.

Events of Go-Fukakusa's life

Hisahito-shinnō formally became Go-Fukakusa-tennō : In the 4th year of Go-Saga-tennōs reign, he abdicated; and the succession was received by his 4-year-old son. Shortly thereafter, Emperor Go-Fukakusa is said to have acceded to the throne.
In 1259, at the insistence of Retired Emperor Go-Saga, he abdicated at the age of 15 to his younger brother, who would become Emperor Kameyama.
After Emperor Go-Uda's ascension in 1274, Saionji Sanekane negotiated with the Bakufu, and succeeded in getting Emperor Go-Fukakusa's son Hirohito named as Crown Prince. In 1287, with his ascension as Emperor Fushimi, Go-Fukakusa's cloistered rule began.
In 1290, he entered the priesthood, retiring from the position of cloistered Emperor. But, with his seventh son, Imperial Prince Hisaaki becoming the 8th Kamakura shōgun among other things, the position of his Jimyōin-tō became strengthened.
In 1304, he died. He is enshrined with other emperors at the imperial tomb called Fukakusa no kita no misasagi'' in Fushimi-ku, Kyoto.

Kugyō

Kugyō is a collective term for the very few most powerful men attached to the court of the Emperor of Japan in pre-Meiji eras. Even during those years in which the court's actual influence outside the palace walls was minimal, the hierarchic organization persisted.
In general, this elite group included only three to four men at a time. These were hereditary courtiers whose experience and background would have brought them to the pinnacle of a life's career. During Go-Fukakusa's reign, this apex of the Daijō-kan included:
The years of Go-Fukakusa's reign are more specifically identified by more than one era name or nengō.