Kōkoku


Kōkoku was a Japanese era of the Southern Court during the Era of Northern and Southern Courts after Engen and before Shōhei, lasting from April 1340 to December 1346. The emperor in Kyoto was Emperor Kōmyō. Go-Kōgon's Southern Court rival in Yoshino during this time-frame was Emperor Go-Murakami.

Nanboku-chō overview

During the Meiji period, an Imperial decree dated March 3, 1911, established that the legitimate reigning monarchs of this period were the direct descendants of Emperor Go-Daigo through Emperor Go-Murakami, whose Southern Court had been established in exile in Yoshino, near Nara.
Until the end of the Edo period, the militarily superior pretender-Emperors supported by the Ashikaga shogunate had been mistakenly incorporated in Imperial chronologies despite the undisputed fact that the Imperial Regalia were not in their possession.
This illegitimate Northern Court had been established in Kyoto by Ashikaga Takauji.

Change of era

Events of the Kōkoku Era

1342 : Ichijō Tsunemichi loses his position as kampaku; and he is replaced by Kujō Michinori.1342 : Minamoto no Nagamichi is removed from his position as daijō daijin.1342 : Kujō Michinori is replaced by Takatsukasa Morohira, who was formerly udaijin.1342 : Fujiwara no Kiyoko dies. She was the daughter of Usesugi Yorishige and the mother of Ashikaga Takauji.1343 : Nijō Yoshimoto, the author of Masukagami, was promoted from the court position of nadaijin to udaijin; and in due course, the udaijin was promoted to sadaijin. The dainagon was promoted to nadaijin.1344 : Shōgun Takauji offered prayers at Iwashimizu Hachiman-gū.