Emperor Gouda

Japanese: 後宇多天皇 - ごうだてんのう

Year of death: 25 June 1324 (16 July 1324)
Year of birth: Bun'ei 4.12.1 (1267.12.17)
Emperor of the mid-Kamakura period. Son of the previous Emperor Kameyama and Empress Fujiwara no Kakushi (Kyogokuin). Emperor Gosaga's children were Emperor Gofukakusa and Emperor Kameyama, and Gosaga loved his younger brother Kameyama. As a result, Gofukakusa abdicated to Kameyama, and Kameyama's son Yohito was named crown prince over Gofukakusa's son. When Gosaga died in Bun'ei 9 (1272), Emperor Kameyama took control of the court and began to rule directly. Two years later, Yohito ascended to the throne and became Emperor Go-Uda. Kameyama became a retired emperor and began to rule as a cloistered emperor, but retired Emperor Go-Fukakusa strongly opposed this. This led to conflict between the Gofukakusa line (known as the Jimyoin line because of its close ties to Jimyoin in Kyoto) and the Kameyama/Go-Uda line (Daikakuji line). Emperor Gofukakusa lobbied the Kamakura shogunate and succeeded in having his son, Prince Hirohito, named crown prince in 1275. In 1287, Go-Uda abdicated in favor of Prince Hirohito (Emperor Fushimi), after which the imperial line passed for a time to the Jimyoin line. Eventually, Go-Uda's son, Kuniharu, ascended to the throne in 1301 and became the 94th Emperor Go-Nijo, with Go-Uda ruling as a cloistered emperor. Again, there was fierce conflict between the Jimyoin and Daikakuji lines over the selection of the crown prince, and in the end Prince Tomohito of the Jimyoin line was selected. Conflict also arose within the Daikakuji line. While Go-Uda recommended his son, Prince Sonharu, Kameyama considered his own son, Prince Tsuneakira, to be the legitimate heir. When Kameyama died in 1305 and Go-Nijo died in 1308, Prince Tomin became Emperor Hanazono and Prince Takaharu became Crown Prince. Go-Uda ignored his father Kameyama's wishes. Go-Uda also made demands of Prince Takaharu. He demanded that Takaharu should only rule for one generation, and that when Go-Nijo's son Kuniyoshi grew up, he should hand over everything to him. In 1318, Go-Uda conspired with Emperor Fushimi of the Jimyoin line, and succeeded Prince Takaharu to the throne and Kuniyoshi to become Crown Prince. Takaharu became the 96th Emperor Go-Daigo, and Go-Uda again ruled as a cloistered emperor. However, Go-Daigo tried to rule the country himself, and the father and son came into conflict. In 1321, Go-Uda finally handed over government affairs to Go-Daigo, realizing direct rule by the Emperor. He died at Daikaku-ji Temple, which had a deep connection with him, having been the Imperial Palace during the Insei period. He was known as an Emperor who loved learning. His tomb is at Rengeho-ji Temple in Kyoto.

(Kazuto Hongo)

Source: Asahi Japanese Historical Biography: Asahi Shimbun Publications Inc. About Asahi Japanese Historical Biography

Japanese:

没年：正中1.6.25(1324.7.16)
生年：文永4.12.1(1267.12.17)
鎌倉中期の天皇。先代亀山天皇と皇后藤原佶子(京極院)の子。後嵯峨天皇の子には先々代後深草天皇と亀山天皇があり,後嵯峨は弟の亀山を愛した。そのため後深草から亀山への譲位が行われ,さらに亀山の皇太子には後深草の皇子をさしおいて,亀山の皇子世仁が立てられた。文永9(1272)年に後嵯峨が没すると亀山天皇が朝廷の実権を掌握し,親政を開始。2年後に世仁が即位し,後宇多天皇となった。亀山は上皇となって院政を開始するが,後深草上皇はこれに強く反発。ここに後深草系(京都持明院と関係が深かったので持明院統と呼ばれる)と亀山・後宇多系(大覚寺統)の対立を生じた。後深草上皇は,鎌倉幕府に働きかけて,建治1(1275)年に皇子の煕仁親王を皇太子とすることに成功。弘安10(1287)年,後宇多は煕仁親王(伏見天皇)に譲位し,こののち皇統はしばらく持明院統に移る。やがて後宇多の皇子邦治が正安3(1301)年に即位して94代後二条天皇になり,後宇多が院政を行った。このときも皇太子の選定をめぐって持明院統と大覚寺統とは激しく対立し,結局持明院統の富仁親王に定まった。対立は大覚寺統の内部にも生じた。後宇多が皇子尊治親王を推したのに対し,亀山は自らの皇子恒明親王を嫡流に擬したのである。嘉元3(1305)年に亀山が,徳治3(1308)年に後二条が没すると,富仁親王が花園天皇となり,尊治親王が皇太子となった。後宇多は父亀山の意向を無視したのである。後宇多は尊治親王にも注文をつけた。尊治はあくまでも一代限りであって,後二条の子邦良が成長したらすべてを邦良に譲るように求めたのである。文保2(1318)年,後宇多は持明院統の伏見上皇と談合し,尊治親王の即位,邦良の皇太子立坊を実現させた。尊治は96代後醍醐天皇となり,後宇多は再び院政を行う。しかし後醍醐は自ら政治を行おうとし,父子は対立するに至る。元亨1(1321)年,ついに後宇多は政務を後醍醐にわたし,天皇親政が実現した。院政時の御所とするなど縁の深かった大覚寺で没す。好学の天皇として有名である。陵所は京都の蓮華峰寺陵。

(本郷和人)

出典　朝日日本歴史人物事典：（株）朝日新聞出版朝日日本歴史人物事典について　情報

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