Northern Court

During the period of the Northern and Southern Courts, this was the Jimyoin Imperial Court in Kyoto. It was referred to as opposed to the Southern Court of the Daikakuji Imperial Court, which was based in Yoshino, Yamato Province. In 1336 (Kenmu 3, Engen 1), when the Kenmu government collapsed, Emperor Go-Daigo was driven out by Ashikaga Takauji, who entered Kyoto on the orders of the Retired Emperor Kogon. After Emperor Go-Daigo escaped from Kyoto, Emperor Komyo ascended to the throne under the Kogon Insei system, and the throne was established. After that, Emperors Suko, Go-Kogon, Go-Enyu, and Go-Komatsu succeeded to the throne. Emperor Kogon, who ascended to the throne at the end of the Kamakura period but was dethroned when Emperor Go-Daigo was restored to the throne, is counted as the first emperor, and there are cases in which the number of generations up to Go-Komatsu is counted. The Northern Court was based in Kyoto throughout the Northern and Southern Court period and was responsible for the revival of official affairs, but at the time the forces allied with the Southern Court were called the Imperial Court, while the Northern Court was sometimes called the Warrior Court, and thus it was supported by the Warriors (the Ashikaga clan) and during this time a close cooperation system between the nobles and the Warriors was established. In 1392 (Meitoku 3, Genchu ​​9) the "Three Sacred Treasures" were handed over from Emperor Gokameyama of the Southern Court to Emperor Gokomatsu of the Northern Court, and the two courts were unified. The throne was subsequently passed on to the Jimyoin line, which continues to this day. However, after the Southern Court was deemed legitimate by imperial decree of Emperor Meiji, none of the emperors, except for Gokomatsu, are currently included in the count of successive emperors.

[Ichiro Nitta]

"History of the Northern and Southern Courts Period" by Yoshinari Tanaka (1979, Kodansha Academic Library)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

南北朝時代、京にあった持明院統(じみょういんとう)の朝廷。大和国吉野などに拠った大覚寺統(だいかくじとう)の南朝に対していう。建武政権が崩壊した1336年（建武3・延元1）、光厳上皇(こうごんじょうこう)の院宣を奉じて入京した足利尊氏に逐われた後醍醐天皇が京を脱出したのち、光厳院政のもとで光明天皇(こうみょうてんのう)が践祚(せんそ)して成立し、以後、崇光(すこう)・後光厳・後円融(ごえんゆう)・後小松(ごこまつ)の各天皇が皇位を継いだ。鎌倉末期に皇位に即きながら後醍醐天皇の復位によって廃位された光厳天皇を初代として算入し、後小松まで6代を数えることがある。北朝は、南北朝時代をほぼ一貫して京にあって公事(くじ)の再興を担ったが、当時南朝方に与する勢力を宮方とよんだのに対して北朝方を武家方とよぶことがあったように、武家（足利氏）に支えられて存立し、この間に公家と武家の緊密な連携体制が構築される。1392年（明徳3・元中9）に「三種の神器」が南朝後亀山天皇(ごかめやまてんのう)から北朝後小松天皇へ渡されて両朝の合一が成り、爾後皇位は持明院統に継承されて当代にまで連なる。ただし、明治天皇の勅裁により南朝が正統とされてのち、現在では後小松を除き歴代数に算入されていない。

［新田一郎］

『田中義成著『南北朝時代史』（1979・講談社学術文庫）』

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