Emperor Sukō

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Emperor Sukō (崇光天皇 Sukō Tennō) (May 25, 1334 – January 31, 1398) was the third of Ashikaga Pretenders during the Period of the Northern and Southern Courts in Japan. According to pre-Meiji scholars, his reign spanned the years from 1348 through 1351.^[1]

Contents 1 Genealogy 2 Life 3 Eras during his reign 4 Southern Court Rivals 5 References

[edit] Genealogy

His personal name was originally Masuhito (益仁;), but was later changed to Okihito (興仁).

His father was the Northern Pretender Emperor Kōgon. His predecessor, Emperor Kōmyō was his uncle, the younger brother of Emperor Kōgon.

• Lady-in-waiting: Niwata (Minamoto) ?? (庭田（源）資子)
  • First son: Imperial Prince Fushimi-no-miya Yoshihito (伏見宮栄仁親王) (First Fushimi-no-miya)
  • Second son: Prince Okinobu (興信法親王) (Buddhist Priest)
• Court Lady: Lady Yasukuku-dono (安福殿女御)
• Consort: Sanjō ?? (三条局)
  • First daughter: ?? (瑞室)
  • Third son: Prince Kōsuke ?? (弘助法親王) (Buddhist Priest)

[edit] Life

He claimed the throne from November 18, 1348 until November 26, 1351.

In 1348, he became Crown Prince. In the same year, he became Northern Emperor upon the abdication of Emperor Kōmyō. Although Emperor Kōgon ruled as cloistered Emperor, the rivalry between Ashikaga Takauji and Ashikaga Tadayoshi began, and in 1351, Takauji returned to the allegiance of the Southern Court, forcing Emperor Sukō to abdicate. This was intended to reunify the Imperial Line. However, the peace soon fell apart, and in 1352, the Southern Dynasty evacuated Kyoto, abducting with them Retired (Northern) Emperors Emperor Kōgon and Emperor Kōmyō as well as Sukō and the Crown Prince, Imperial Prince Naohito, the son of Emperor Kōgon. Because of this, Takauji made Emperor Kōgon's second son Imperial Prince Iyahito emperor (First Fushimi-no-miya).

Returning to Kyoto in 1357, Emperor Sukō's son Imperial Prince Yoshihito began to work with the Bakufu to be named Crown Prince, but the Bakufu instead decided to make Emperor Go-Kōgon's son (the future Emperor Go-En'yú) Crown Prince instead.

In 1398, Emperor Sukō died. But, 30 years after his death, in 1428, his great-grandson Hikohito (彦仁), as the adopted son of Emperor Go-Komatsu, became Emperor Go-Hanazono, fulfilling Sukō's dearest wish.

[edit] Eras during his reign

Nanboku-chō Southern court

• Eras as reckoned by legitimate Court (as determined by Meiji rescript)
  • Shōhei

Nanboku-chō Northern court

• Eras as reckoned by pretender Court (as determined by Meiji rescript)
  • Jōwa
  • Kan'ō

[edit] Southern Court Rivals

• Emperor Go-Murakami

[edit] References

• Titsingh, Isaac, ed. (1834). [Siyun-sai Rin-siyo/Hayashi Gahō, 1652], Nipon o daï itsi ran; ou, Annales des empereurs du Japon, tr. par M. Isaac Titsingh avec l'aide de plusieurs interprètes attachés au comptoir hollandais de Nangasaki; ouvrage re., complété et cor. sur l'original japonais-chinois, accompagné de notes et précédé d'un Aperçu d'histoire mythologique du Japon, par M. J. Klaproth. Paris: Oriental Translation Fund of Great Britain and Ireland. --Two copies of this rare book have now been made available online: (1) from the library of the University of Michigan, digitized January 30, 2007; and (2) from the library of Stanford University, digitized June 23, 2006. Click here to read the original text in French.

Preceded by Emperor Kōmyō

Northern Pretender 1348-1351

Succeeded by Emperor Go-Kōgon