(May 25, 1334 – January 31, 1398) was the third of Emperors of Northern Court 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.Titsingh, Isaac. (1834). ''Annales des empereurs du japon'', pp. 296–301.

Genealogy

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

Emperor Kōgon was the first of the Emperors of Northern Court during the Period of the Northern and Southern Courts in Japan. His reign spanned the years from 1331 through 1333. Genealogy Before his ascension to the Nanboku-chō throne, his personal name (h ...

. His predecessor,

Emperor Kōmyō (January 11, 1322 – July 26, 1380) was the second of the Emperors of Northern Court, although he was the first to be supported by the Ashikaga Bakufu. According to pre-Meiji scholars, his reign spanned the years from 1336 through 1348. Genea ...

was his uncle, the younger brother of Emperor Kōgon. *Lady-in-waiting: Niwata (Minamoto) Motoko (庭田（源）資子; d.1394), Niwata Shigemoto's daughter **First son: Imperial Prince Fushimi-no-miya Yoshihito (1351–1416; 伏見宮栄仁親王) (Founder of

Fushimi-no-miya The is the oldest of the four shinnōke, branches of the Imperial Family of Japan which were eligible to succeed to the Chrysanthemum Throne in the event that the main line should die out. The Fushimi-no-miya was founded by Prince Yoshihito, th ...

house, collateral branch of the Imperial Family and included in the

Succession to the Japanese throne The current line of succession to the Chrysanthemum Throne is based on the Imperial Household Law. At present, only direct male-line males are allowed to ascend the throne. Present line of succession The list below contains all people currently ...

until 1947) **Second son: Imperial Prince Priest Koshin (1358–1391; 興信法親王) *Court Lady: Anfuku-dono-Naishi (安福殿女御) *Consort: Sanjō-no-Tsubone (三条局) **First daughter: Princess Suiho (瑞宝女王) **Third son: Imperial Prince Priest Kojo (弘助法親王)

Events of Sukō's life

Sukō occupied 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, ...

from 18 November 1348 until 22 November 1351. In 1348, he became

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 is crown princess, which may refer either to an heiress apparent or, especially in earlier times, to the wif ...

. In the same year, he became Northern Emperor upon the abdication of

. Although

ruled as

cloistered Emperor A is the term for a Japanese emperor who had abdicated and entered the Buddhist monastic community by receiving the '' Pravrajya'' rite. The term can also be shortened to . Cloistered emperors sometimes acted as ''Daijō Tennō'' (retired emperor ...

, the rivalry between

Ashikaga Takauji was the founder and first ''shōgun'' of the Ashikaga shogunate."Ashikaga Takauji" in ''The New Encyclopædia Britannica''. Chicago: Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 15th edn., 1992, Vol. 1, p. 625. His rule began in 1338, beginning the Muromac ...

and

Ashikaga Tadayoshi "Ashikaga Tadayoshi" in ''The New Encyclopædia Britannica''. Chicago: Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 15th edn., 1992, Vol. 1, p. 624. was a general of the Northern and Southern Courts period (1337–92) of Japanese history and a close associate ...

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 April 1352, the Southern Dynasty evacuated Kyoto, abducting with them Retired (Northern) Emperors Emperor Kōgon and Emperor Kōmyō as well as Emperor Sukō and the Crown Prince Tadahito. Because of this, Takauji made

'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 , officially , was the title of the military dictators of Japan during most of the period spanning from 1185 to 1868. Nominally appointed by the Emperor, shoguns were usually the de facto rulers of the country, though during part of the Kamakur ...

to be named Crown Prince, but the Bakufu instead decided to make Emperor Go-Kōgon's son (the future

Emperor Go-En'yū (11 January 1359 – 6 June 1393) was the 5th of the Emperors of Northern Court during the period of two courts in Japan. According to pre-Meiji scholars, his reign spanned the years from 1371 through 1382. This Nanboku-chō "sovereign" was n ...

) 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 Shōkō was the 101st emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'')称光天皇 (101) retrieved 2013-8-28. His reign spanned the years from 1412 through 1428. Genealogy His personal name w ...

, became

Emperor Go-Hanazono (July 10, 1418 – January 18, 1471) was the 102nd emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'')後花園天皇 (102) retrieved 2013-8-28. His reign spanned the years from 1428 throu ...

, fulfilling Sukō's dearest wish. Sukō is enshrined at the ''Daikōmyōji no misasagi'' (大光明寺陵) in

Fushimi-ku, Kyoto is one of the eleven Wards of Kyoto, wards in the Municipalities of Japan, city of Kyoto, in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. Famous places in Fushimi include the Fushimi Inari Jinja (shrine), Shrine, with thousands of torii lining the paths up and down ...

Eras during his reign

:''Nanboku-chō'' Southern court *Eras as reckoned by legitimate Court (as determined by Meiji rescript) ** ''

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 Court ...

'' :''Nanboku-chō'' Northern court *Eras as reckoned by pretender Court (as determined by Meiji rescript) ** '' Jōwa'' ** '' Kan'ō''

Southern Court rivals

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 ...

Japanese line of succession

If the current line of the Japanese royal family fails to produce sons (i.e. if the 3 currently in line all fail to produce sons), then it would be Suko's line that would become the main line and most senior of the

House of Yamoto A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air condi ...

in male primogeniture preference (i.e. son to son). Currently (as of 2021) the head of this line is

Fushimi Hiroaki is a former Japanese prince and 24th head of the Fushimi-no-miya shinnōke (collateral branch of the Imperial Family of Japan). He has not been a member of imperial family since the passing of the Imperial Household Law of 1947. If the law had ...

, however as he has no sons, the line will become extinct upon his death.

Ancestry

Notes

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.html" ;"title="Hayashi_Gahō.html" ;"title="iyun-sai Rin-siyo/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: Oriental Translation Fund of Great Britain and Ireland. {{DEFAULTSORT:Suko, Emperor Japanese emperors Suko of Japan Suko of Japan Emperor Suko Emperor Suko Emperor Suko 14th-century Japanese monarchs Japanese retired emperors