The Northern Court, also known as the Ashikaga Pretenders or Northern Pretenders, were a set of 6 claimants to the throne of Japan, today considered not legitimate Emperors. His Majesty The Emperor Akihito of Japan The Emperor of Japan (天皇 tennō) is Japans titular head of state and the head of the Japanese Imperial Family. ...

The origins of the Northern Court go back to Emperor Go-Saga, the 88th Emperor, reigning from 1242 to 1246. Go-Saga was succeeded in turn by two of his sons, Go-Fukakusa and Kameyama. The descendants of these two competed with each other for the throne. Go-Fukakusa's descendants were referred to as the Jimyōin-tō while Kameyama's descendants were known as the Daikakuji-tō. Emperor Go-Saga (後嵯峨天皇) (April 1, 1220 - March 17, 1272) was the 88th imperial ruler of Japan. ... Emperor Go-Fukakusa (後深草天皇) (June 28, 1243 - August 17, 1304) was the 89th imperial ruler of Japan. ... Emperor Kameyama (亀山天皇) (July 9, 1249 - October 4, 1305) was the 90th Emperor of Japan. ...

In 1331, when Emperor Go-Daigo (from the Daikakuji-tō) staged the Kemmu Restoration and revolted against the Kamakura shogunate, the Shōgun responded by declaring Kōgon, Go-Daigo's second cousin once removed and the son of an earlier emperor, Go-Fushimi of the Jimyōin-tō, as the new emperor. After the destruction of the Kamakura shogunate in 1333, Kōgon lost his claim, but his brother, Kōmyō, and two of his sons were supported by the new Ashikaga shoguns as the rightful claimants to the throne. Kōgon's family thus formed a northern court which was rivalled by the southern court of Go-Daigo and his descendants. In 1392, the Southern Court Emperor Go-Kameyama was defeated and abdicated in favor of Kōgon's great-grandson, Go-Komatsu, thus ending the divide. Go-Kameyama signed an agreement with Go-Komatsu to return to the old alternations on a ten-year plan. However, Go-Kameyama broke this promise, not only ruling for 20 years, but being succeeded by his own son, rather than by one from the former Southern Court. Because they were the ancestors of all the subsequent emperors, the Northern Court was for centuries afterward officially described as the true Imperial Family. However, since 1911, the Japanese government has declared the southern claimants were actually the rightful emperors, making these six officially pretenders. Emperor Go-Daigo (後醍醐天皇) (November 26, 1288 - September 19, 1339) was the 96th Emperor of Japan. ... The Kemmu Restoration (建武の新政; Kemmu no shinsei) was a period of Japanese history that occurred from 1333 to 1336 AD. It marks the three year period between the fall of the Kamakura shogunate and the rise of the Ashikaga shogunate, when Emperor Go-Daigo re-established Imperial control. ... The Kamakura shogunate (鎌倉幕府) was a feudal military dictatorship ruled by the shoguns from 1185 to 1333. ... This page is about the Japanese ruler and military rank. ... Emperor Kōgon (光厳天皇) (August 1, 1313 - August 5, 1364) was the first of what are now called the northern Ashikaga pretenders to the throne of Japan, although this designation is technically inaccurate in his case. ... Emperor Go-Fushimi (後伏見天皇) (April 5, 1288 - May 17, 1336) was the 93rd imperial ruler of Japan. ... Emperor Kōmyō (光明天皇) (January 11, 1322 - July 26, 1380) was the second of the Ashikaga Pretenders, although he was actually the first to be supported by the Ashikaga Bakufu. ... Emperor Go-Kameyama (後亀山天皇) (?? - May 10, 1424) was the 99th imperial ruler of Japan. ... Emperor Go-Komatsu (後小松天皇) (August 1, 1377 - December 1, 1433) was the 100th imperial ruler of Japan. ...

The Northern Pretenders were:

• Kōgon 1332-1333
• No Northern Court
• Kōmyō 1336-1348
• Sukō 1348-1351
• Brief interregnum
• Go-Kōgon 1352-1371
• Go-En'yū 1371-1382
• Go-Komatsu 1382-1392 (then went on to reign as legitimate emperor 1392-1412)

The Southern Court Emperors were: Emperor Kōgon (光厳天皇) (August 1, 1313 - August 5, 1364) was the first of what are now called the northern Ashikaga pretenders to the throne of Japan, although this designation is technically inaccurate in his case. ... Emperor Kōmyō (光明天皇) (January 11, 1322 - July 26, 1380) was the second of the Ashikaga Pretenders, although he was actually the first to be supported by the Ashikaga Bakufu. ... Emperor Sukō (崇光天皇) (May 25, 1334 - January 31, 1398) was the third of Ashikaga Pretenders during the Period of the Northern and Southern Courts. ... Emperor Go-Kōgon (後光厳天皇) (April 14, 1336 - March 12, 1374) was the fourth of the Ashikaga Pretenders during the Period of the Northern and Southern Courts. ... Emperor Go-Enyū (後円融) (January 11, 1359 - June 6, 1393) was the fifth of the Ashikaga Pretenders during the period of two courts. ... Emperor Go-Komatsu (後小松天皇) (August 1, 1377 - December 1, 1433) was the 100th imperial ruler of Japan. ...

• Go-Murakami 1339-1368
• Chōkei 1368-1383
• Go-Kameyama 1383-1392

Emperor Go-Murakami (後村上天皇) (1328 - March 29, 1368) was the 97th imperial ruler of Japan, a member of the Southern Court during the Era of Northern and Southern Courts. ... Emperor Chōkei (長慶天皇) (1343 - August 27, 1394) was the 98th imperial ruler of Japan. ... Emperor Go-Kameyama (後亀山天皇) (?? - May 10, 1424) was the 99th imperial ruler of Japan. ...

See also

• Nanboku-cho