(1328 – March 29, 1368) was the 97th

emperor of Japan The emperor of Japan is the hereditary monarch and head of state of Japan. The emperor is defined by the Constitution of Japan as the symbol of the Japanese state and the unity of the Japanese people, his position deriving from "the will of ...

, according to the traditional order of succession, and a member of the Southern Court during the Nanboku-chō period of rival courts. He reigned from September 18, 1339, until March 29, 1368 (''

Shōhei was a Japanese era (年號, ''nengō'', lit. year name) of the Southern Court during the Era of Northern and Southern Courts after Kōkoku and before Kentoku. This period spanned the years from December 1346 to July 1370. The Southern Cou ...

23, 11th day of the 3rd month''). His personal name was . He reigned from Sumiyoshi, Ōsaka, Yoshino,

Nara The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is an independent agency of the United States government within the executive branch, charged with the preservation and documentation of government and historical records. It is also task ...

, and other temporary locations. This 14th-century sovereign was named after the 10th-century

Emperor Murakami The word ''emperor'' (from , via ) can mean the male ruler of an empire. ''Empress'', the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife ( empress consort), mother/grandmother ( empress dowager/ grand empress dowager), or a woman who rul ...

and ''go-'' (後), translates as "later"; and thus, he is sometimes called the "Later Emperor Murakami". The Japanese word ''go'' has also been translated to mean the "second one"; and in some older sources, this emperor may be identified as "Murakami, the second", or as "Murakami II".

Events of Go-Murakami's life

"Prince Norinaga" was Go-Daigo's son from his "favorite consort of his later years". This was Lady Renshi. He lived during the turbulent years of conflict between rival claimants to the

Chrysanthemum Throne The is the throne of the Emperor of Japan. The term also can refer to very specific seating, such as the throne in the Shishin-den at Kyoto Imperial Palace. Various other thrones or seats that are used by the Emperor during official functions ...

. The contested succession pitted what were known as the Northern and Southern Courts against each other. These years are also known as the

Nanboku-chō period The , also known as the Northern and Southern Courts period, was a period in Japanese history between 1336-1392 CE, during the formative years of the Ashikaga shogunate, Muromachi (Ashikaga) shogunate. Ideologically, the two courts fought for 50 ...

. When Emperor Go-Daigo began his

Kenmu Restoration The was a three-year period of Imperial rule in Japanese history between the Kamakura period and the Muromachi period from 1333 to 1336. The Kenmu Restoration was an effort made by Emperor Go-Daigo to overthrow the ruling Kamakura Shogunate ...

, the still very young prince, along with Kitabatake Akiie, in 1333 went to

Tagajō is a city located in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 62,869 in 27,869 households, and a population density of 3,200 people per km². The total area of the city is . The city was named after Taga Castle, the c ...

in what is now

Miyagi Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku region of Honshu. Miyagi Prefecture has a population of 2,265,724 (1 August 2023) and has a geographic area of . Miyagi Prefecture borders Iwate Prefecture to the north, Akit ...

, at the time Mutsu Province, to return the eastern

samurai The samurai () were members of the warrior class in Japan. They were originally provincial warriors who came from wealthy landowning families who could afford to train their men to be mounted archers. In the 8th century AD, the imperial court d ...

to their allegiance and destroy the remnants of the

Hōjō clan The was a Japanese samurai family who controlled the hereditary title of '' shikken'' (regent) of the Kamakura shogunate between 1203 and 1333. Despite the title, in practice the family wielded actual political power in Japan during this perio ...

. However, in 1336, because

Ashikaga Takauji also known as Minamoto no Takauji was the founder and first ''shōgun'' of the Ashikaga shogunate."Ashikaga Takauji" in ''Encyclopædia Britannica, The New Encyclopædia Britannica''. Chicago: Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 15th edn., 1992, Vol. ...

had raised a rebellion, the Emperor returned to Sakamoto with a strong force to confront him. He was accompanied by Kitabatake Akiie, in order to confront Takauji. When Takauji defeated them in Kyōto in 1336, they again returned to Mutsu Province. In 1337, because

was attacked, they returned yet again to the west, returning to Yoshino while constantly fighting battles. In 1338, he headed to Tagajō, but returned to Yoshino because of a storm. In Oct. 1338, he was named

Crown Prince A crown prince or hereditary prince is the heir apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The female form of the title, crown princess, is held by a woman who is heir apparent or is married to the heir apparent. ''Crown prince ...

. On 19 Sept. 1339, he became emperor upon the death of Emperor Go-Daigo.

Kitabatake Chikafusa was a Japanese court noble and writer of the 14th century who supported the Southern Court in the Nanboku-cho period, serving as advisor to five Emperors. Some of his greatest and most famous work was performed during the reign of Emperor ...

became his advisor. In 1348, Kō no Moronao attacked Yoshino, and the Emperor left for modern-day Nishiyoshino Village in Yoshino District,

Nara Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region of Honshu. Nara Prefecture has a population of 1,321,805 and has a geographic area of . Nara Prefecture borders Kyoto Prefecture to the north, Osaka Prefecture to the ...

, which was then

Yamato Province was a province of Japan, located in Kinai, corresponding to present-day Nara Prefecture in Honshū. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric (2005). "Yamato" in . It was also called . Yamato consists of two characters, 大 "great", and 和 " Wa". At first, th ...

. In 1352, he entered Otokoyama in

Yamashiro Province was a province of Japan, located in Kinai. It overlaps the southern part of modern Kyoto Prefecture on Honshū. Aliases include , the rare , and . It is classified as an upper province in the '' Engishiki''. Yamashiro Province included Kyoto it ...

. As a result of the Battle of Shichijō Ōmiya, Kusunoki Masanori recovered Kyōto from

Ashikaga Yoshiakira was the second ''shōgun'' of the Ashikaga shogunate who reigned from 1358 to 1367 during the Muromachi period of Japan. Yoshiakira was the son of the founder and first ''shōgun'' of the Muromachi shogunate, Ashikaga Takauji. His mother was Ak ...

. At this time, April 1352, the Retired Northern Emperors Kōgon, Kōmyō, and Sukō were taken to Anau, the location of the Southern Court. However, within twenty days,

had recaptured Kyōto. The Emperor and his retinue were confined to Otokoyama, but escaped to

Kawachi Province was a Provinces of Japan, province of Japan in the eastern part of modern Osaka Prefecture. It originally held the southwestern area that was split off into Izumi Province. It was also known as . Geography The area was radically different in th ...

during an attack by Yoshiakira, and a few months later returned to Yoshino. In 1361, Hosokawa Kiyōji and Kusunoki Masanori, who had returned to the Southern Court's allegiance, attacked Kyōto, and temporarily recovered it. But, Yoshiakira quickly responded, and they evacuated Kyōto in less than twenty days. They continued trying to recover Kyōto, but the Southern Court's power was already weakening, and by the Emperor's death in 1368,

Ashikaga Yoshimitsu was the third '' shōgun'' of the Ashikaga shogunate, ruling from 1368 to 1394 during the Muromachi period of Japan. Yoshimitsu was Ashikaga Yoshiakira's third son but the oldest son to survive, his childhood name being Haruō (). Yoshimitsu ...

was in power and the throne had been moved to Sumiyoshi. Kanshinji gomurakami tenno hinoomisasagi

Go-Murakami's tomb is known as ''Hinoo no misasagi'' (檜尾陵); it is located in the precincts of Kanshin-ji temple (観心寺) in

Kawachinagano, Osaka is a Cities of Japan, city located in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 101,649 in 47493 households and a population density of 930 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . Geography Kawachinagano is loca ...

.Ponsonby-Fane, p. 422.

Kugyō

Kugyō is the collective term for the very few most powerful men attached to the court of the Emperor of Japan in pre-Meiji eras. The term generally referred to the and court officials and denoted a court rank between First Rank and Third Rank un ...

'' (公卿) is a collective term for the very few most powerful men attached to the court of the

Emperor of Japan The emperor of Japan is the hereditary monarch and head of state of Japan. The emperor is defined by the Constitution of Japan as the symbol of the Japanese state and the unity of the Japanese people, his position deriving from "the will of ...

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-Murakami's reign, this apex of the ''

Daijō-kan The , also known as the Great Council of State, was (i) (''Daijō-kan'') the highest organ of Japan's premodern Imperial government under the Ritsuryō legal system during and after the Nara period or (ii) (''Dajō-kan'') the highest organ of Jap ...

'' included: * ''

Sadaijin The ''Kenkyusha's New Japanese-English Dictionary'', Kenkyusha Limited, was a government position in Japan during the Asuka to Meiji era. The Asuka Kiyomihara Code of 689 marks the initial appearance of the ''Sadaijin'' in the context of a cent ...

'' * ''

Udaijin was a government position in Japan during the Asuka to Meiji era. The position was consolidated in the Taihō Code of 701. The Asuka Kiyomihara Code of 689 marks the initial appearance of the ''Udaijin'' in the context of a central administrat ...

'' * ''

Naidaijin The , literally meaning "Inner Minister", was an ancient office in the Japanese Imperial Court. Its role, rank and authority varied throughout the pre- Meiji period of Japanese history, but in general remained as a significant post under the Ta ...

'' * ''

Dainagon was a counselor of the first rank in the Imperial court of Japan. The role dates from the 7th century. This advisory position remained a part of the Imperial court from the 8th century until the Meiji period in the 19th century.Nussbaum, "Dainag ...

Eras of Go-Murakami's reign

The years of Go-Murakami's reign are more specifically identified by more than one

era name A regnal year is a year of the reign of a sovereign, from the Latin meaning kingdom, rule. Regnal years considered the date as an ordinal, not a cardinal number. For example, a monarch could have a first year of rule, a second year of rule, a t ...

or ''

nengō The or , is the first of the two elements that identify years in the Japanese era calendar scheme. The second element is a number which indicates the year number within the era (with the first year being "", meaning "origin, basis"), followed b ...

''. :''Nanboku-chō'' southern court *Eras as reckoned by legitimate Court (as determined by Meiji rescript) ** '' Engen'' (1336–1340) ** '' Kōkoku'' (1340–1346) ** ''

'' (1346–1370) :''Nanboku-chō'' northern court *Eras as reckoned by pretender Court (as determined by Meiji rescript) ** '' Ryakuō'' (1338–1342) ** '' Kōei'' (1342–1345) ** '' Jōwa'' (1345–1350) ** '' Kannō'' (1350–1352) ** '' Bunna'' (1352–1356) ** '' Embun'' (1356–1361) ** ''

Kōan A ( ; ; zh, c=公案, p=gōng'àn ; ; ) is a narrative, story, dialogue, question, or statement from Chan Buddhism, Chinese Chan Buddhist lore, supplemented with commentaries, that is used in Zen Buddhism, Buddhist practice in different way ...

'' (1361–1362) ** ''

Jōji was a Japanese era name (年号, ''nengō'', lit. year name) of the Northern Court during the Era of Northern and Southern Courts after ''Kōan'' and before ''Ōan''. This period spanned the years from September 1362 through February 1368. T ...

'' (1362–1368) ** ''

Ōan , also romanized as Ō-an, was a Japanese era name (年号, ''nengō'', lit. year name) of the Northern Court during the Era of Northern and Southern Courts after '' Jōji'' and before '' Eiwa.'' This period spanned the years from February 1368 ...

'' (1368–1375)

Genealogy

He was the seventh son of Emperor Go-Daigo *Consort: Minamoto (Kitabatake) Akiko (源 (北畠) 顕子),

's daughter **First daughter: Imperial Princess Noriko (憲子内親王; 1345–1391) later Shin-Sen'mon-in (新宣陽門院) *Court Lady: Fujiwara no Shōshi (藤原勝子) later Kaki Mon'in, Ano Sanetama's daughter **First son: Imperial Prince Yutanari (寛成親王) later

Emperor Chōkei was the 98th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. He reigned from 1368 through 1383. His personal name was Yutanari (寛成) and his regal name roughly translates to "Long Celebration". Genealogy His father was ...

**Second son: Imperial Prince Hironari (熙成親王) later Emperor Go-Kameyama **Fourth son: Imperial Prince Yasunari (泰成親王, 1360–1423) *Consort: Okurakyo-no-Tsubone (大蔵卿局) **Third son: Imperial Prince Korenari (惟成親王, d. 1423) **Fifth son: Imperial Prince Moronari (師成親王, 1361–1431) *Consort: Reizen-no-Tsubone (冷泉局) **Seventh son: Imperial Prince Yoshinari (良成親王, d. 1395) *unknown **Sixth son: Imperial Prince Kanenari (説成親王) **daughter: Imperial Princess Sadako (貞子内親王)

References

References

* Ponsonby-Fane, Richard Arthur Brabazon (1959)
''The Imperial House of Japan.''
Kyoto: Ponsonby Memorial Society. . * Titsingh, Isaac, ed. (1834). iyun-sai Rin-siyo/Hayashi Gahō, 1652">Hayashi_Gahō.html" ;"title="iyun-sai Rin-siyo/ iyun-sai Rin-siyo/Hayashi Gahō, 1652 ''Nipon o daï itsi ran">Hayashi Gahō">iyun-sai Rin-siyo/Hayashi Gahō, 1652">Hayashi_Gahō.html" ;"title="iyun-sai Rin-siyo/Hayashi Gahō">iyun-sai Rin-siyo/Hayashi Gahō, 1652 ''Nipon o daï itsi ran; ou
Annales des empereurs du Japon
'' Paris: Royal Asiatic Society">Oriental Translation Fund of Great Britain and Ireland. . {{DEFAULTSORT:Go-Murakami Emperors of Japan 1328 births 1368 deaths

Emperor Go-Murakami (1328 – March 29, 1368) was the 97th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession, and a member of the Southern Court during the Nanboku-chō period of rival courts. He reigned from September 18, 1339, until March 29, 13 ...

14th-century Japanese monarchs Sons of Japanese emperors

Events of Go-Murakami's life

Kugyō

Eras of Go-Murakami's reign

Genealogy

See also

References

References