Emperor Komyo

Japanese: 光明天皇 - こうみょうてんのう

Year of death: Koreki 2/Tenju 6.6.24 (1380.7.26)
Year of birth: 1322.1.11 (12.23)
The second emperor of the Northern Court. His father was Emperor Go-Fushimi, his mother was Yasushi (Kougimon-in), the daughter of former Minister of the Left Saionji Kinhira, and his elder brother was Emperor Kogon. His name was Toyohito. In June 1336, Ashikaga Takauji defeated Kusunoki Masashige and others, and Emperor Go-Daigo fled to Enryaku-ji Temple. Taking this opportunity, Takauji petitioned the retired Emperor Kogon to have his younger brother, Prince Toyohito, ascend the throne. Meanwhile, Emperor Go-Daigo moved to Yoshino, ushering in an era in which the Northern and Southern Courts coexisted. In this situation, Emperor Komyo abdicated in 1348 (Seiwa 4) to Emperor Kogon's son, Prince Masuhito, and gave birth to Emperor Suko. However, when Ashikaga Takauji surrendered to the Southern Court in 1355 (Bunwa 4) and the Northern Court was abolished, he entered the Buddhist priesthood. His Buddhist name was Shinjoe. Later, together with the retired emperors Kogon and Suko, he was moved from place to place in the Southern Court, such as Yoshino and Kawachi, but after returning to Kyoto, he lived a life of devotion to Buddhism and passed away at Hasedera Temple in Yamato Province (Nara Prefecture). His handwritten diary, "Emperor Komyo's Diary," remains.

(Masaaki Komori)

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

Japanese:

没年：康暦2/天授6.6.24(1380.7.26)
生年：元亨1.12.23(1322.1.11)
北朝第2代の天皇。父は後伏見天皇,母は前左大臣西園寺公衡の娘寧子(広義門院),光厳天皇は実兄。名は豊仁。建武3/延元1(1336)年6月,足利尊氏が楠木正成らを破り,後醍醐天皇は延暦寺に逃れた。この機に当たり,尊氏は光厳上皇に奏請し弟豊仁親王を践祚させたのである。一方,後醍醐天皇は吉野に遷幸し南北朝並立の時代となった。こうした中,光明天皇は,貞和4/正平3(1348)年,光厳上皇の皇子益仁親王に譲位し崇光天皇を誕生させた。しかし,文和4/正平10(1355)年に足利尊氏が南朝に降伏するに至り北朝が廃されると,仏門に入った。法名を真常恵という。のち光厳,崇光両上皇と共に南朝の拠点,吉野,河内などを転々と移されたが,帰京後は仏門に帰依する生活を送り大和国(奈良県)長谷寺で崩じた。自筆の日記『光明天皇宸記』が残されている。<参考文献>肥後和男『歴代天皇紀』

(小森正明)

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