(March 22, 1212 – August 31, 1234) was the 86th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. His reign spanned the years from 1221 CE through 1232 CE. This 13th-century sovereign was named after the 10th-century Emperor Horikawa and ''go-'' (後), translates literally as "later"; and thus, he is sometimes called the "Later Emperor Horikawa". The Japanese word ''go'' has also been translated to mean the "second one;" and in some older sources, this emperor may be identified as "Horikawa, the second," or as "Horikawa II."

Genealogy

Before his ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name (his ''imina'') was , also known as Motsihito''-shinnō''.Titsingh, p. 238. The third son of Imperial Prince Morisada (守貞親王) (Go-Takakura-in, 後高倉院), the second son of Emperor Takakura. *Empress (''Jingū''): Sanjō (Fujiwara) Ariuko (三条（藤原）有子) later Ankimon’in (安喜門院), Sanjo Kinfusa’s daughter *Empress (''Chūgū''): Konoe (Fujiwara)

Nagako Nagako is an uncommon Japanese given name for females. Although written romanized the same way, the kanji can be different. Notable people with the name include: *, later Empress Kōjun of Japan (香淳皇后) * Nagako Konishi (born 1945), a fema ...

(近衛（藤原）長子) Later Takatsukasa’in (鷹司院), Konoe Iezane’s daughter. *Empress (''Chūgū''): Kujō (Fujiwara) Shunshi (九条（藤原）竴子) Later Sōhekimon’in (藻璧門院), Kujo Michiie’s daughter **First son: Imperial Prince Mitsuhito (秀仁親王) later Emperor Shijō **Fourth daughter: Imperial Princess Hoshi (暤子内親王; 1232-1237) **Second Son: (1233) *Lady-in-waiting: Betto-Naishi (別当典侍), Jimyōin Ieyuki’s daughter **First daughter: Imperial Princess Kishi (暉子内親王; 1228-1300) later Muromachi-in (室町院) **Second daughter: Imperial Princess Taishi (体子内親王; 1231-1302) later Shinsenmon’in (神仙門院) *Lady-in-waiting: Dainagon-no-Tsubone (大納言局), Fujiwara Kaneyoshi’s daughter **Third daughter: Imperial Princess Akiko (昱子内親王; 1231-1246)

Events of Go-Horikawa's life

In 1221 CE, because of the Jōkyū Incident, an unsuccessful attempt by Emperor Go-Toba to seize real power, the Kamakura shogunate completely excluded those of the imperial family descended from Emperor Go-Toba from the Chrysanthemum throne, thus forcing Emperor Chūkyō to abdicate. After the

Genpei War The was a national civil war between the Taira and Minamoto clans during the late Heian period of Japan. It resulted in the downfall of the Taira and the establishment of the Kamakura shogunate under Minamoto no Yoritomo, who appointed himself ...

, he, as the grandson of the late Emperor Takakura, who was also a nephew of the then-exiled Retired Emperor Go-Toba, and Chūkyō's first cousin, was enthroned as Go-Horikawa. He ruled from July 29, 1221 CE to October 26 (?), 1232 CE. * 1221 CE (''

Jōkyū , also called Shōkyū, was a Japanese era name (年号, ''nengō'', lit. year name) after '' Kempō'' and before '' Jōō.'' This period spanned the years from April 1219 through April 1222.Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "''Jōkyū''" i ''J ...

3, 9th day of the 7th month''): In the 1st year of what is now considered to have been Chūkyō''-tennō''s reign (仲恭天皇一年), he abruptly abdicated without designating an heir; and contemporary scholars then construed that the succession (‘‘senso’’) was received by a grandson of former Emperor Go-Toba. * 1221 CE (''

3, 1st day of the 12th month''): Emperor Go-Horikawa acceded to the throne (‘‘sokui’’). As Go-Horikawa was only ten-years-old at this time, his father Imperial Prince Morisada acted 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 ...

under the name Go-Takakura-in. In 1232 CE, he began his own cloistered rule, abdicating to his 1-year-old son, Emperor Shijō. However, he had a weak constitution, and his cloistered rule lasted just under two years before he died. Emperor Go-Horikawa's Imperial tomb (''misasagi'') is at Sennyū-ji in the .Sennyū-ji
images of front of Imperial mausoleum enclosure
/ref>

''Kugyō''

''Kugyō'' (公卿) is a collective term for the very few most powerful men attached to the court of the Emperor of Japan in pre- Meiji eras. 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-Horikawa'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: * '' Sesshō'', Konoe Iezane, d. 1242 CE.Brown, p. 345. * ''

Sadaijin The ''Kenkyusha's New Japanese-English Dictionary'', Kenkyusha Limited, was a government position in Japan in the late Nara and Heian periods. The position was consolidated in the Taihō Code of 702. The Asuka Kiyomihara Code of 689 marks the ini ...

'', Konoe Iemichi, 1204–1224 CE. * '' Udaijin'', Fujiwara Kintsugu, 1117–1227 CE. * '' Naidaijin'', Saionji Kintsune, 1171–1224 CE. * '' Dainagon''

Eras of Go-Horikawa's reign

The years of Go-Horikawa's reign are more specifically identified by more than one era name or '' nengō''. *

(1219–1222 CE) * Jōō (1222–1224 CE) *

Gennin ''For the formerly-German town of Gennin, see Jenin, Poland'' was a after '' Jōō'' and before ''Karoku.'' This period spanned the years from November 1224 to April 1225. The reigning emperor was . Change of era * 1224 : The era name was c ...

(1224–1225 CE) *

Karoku was a after '' Gennin'' and before '' Antei.'' This period spanned the years from April 1225 to December 1227. The reigning emperor was .Titsingh, Isaac. (1834) ''Annales des empereurs du Japon'', pp. 238-240 Varley, H. Paul. (1980). ''Jinnō S ...

(1225–1227 CE) *

Antei was a after ''Gennin'' and before ''Kangi.'' This period spanned the years from December 1227 to March 1229. The reigning emperor was .Titsingh, Isaac. (1834) ''Annales des empereurs du Japon'', pp. 238-241 Varley, H. Paul. (1980). ''Jinnō Sh� ...

(1227–1229 CE) *

Kangi , also romanized as Kanki, was a after ''Antei'' and before '' Joei.'' This period spanned the years from March 1229 to April 1232. The reigning emperor was . Change of era * 1229 : The era name was changed to mark an event or a number of even ...

(1229–1232 CE)

Notes

References

* Brown, Delmer M. and Ichirō Ishida, eds. (1979). Jien, c. 1220">Jien.html" ;"title="Jien">Jien, c. 1220 ''Gukanshō">Jien">Jien<_a>,_c._1220.html" ;"title="Jien.html" ;"title="Jien">Jien, c. 1220">Jien.html" ;"title="Jien">Jien, c. 1220 ''Gukanshō
The Future and the Past, a translation and study of the Gukanshō, an interpretative history of Japan written in 1219
.'' Berkeley: University of California Press. * Richard Ponsonby-Fane, Ponsonby-Fane, Richard Arthur Brabazon. (1959)
''The Imperial House of Japan.''
Kyoto: Ponsonby Memorial Society
OCLC 194887
* 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: Oriental Translation Fund of Great Britain and Ireland. * H. Paul Varley">Varley, H. Paul , ed. (1980). [ Kitabatake Chikafusa">html" ;"title="Royal Asiatic Society">Oriental Translation Fund of Great Britain and Ireland. * H. Paul Varley">Varley, H. Paul , ed. (1980). [ Kitabatake Chikafusa, 1359], ''Jinnō Shōtōki'' (
A Chronicle of Gods and Sovereigns: Jinnō Shōtōki
'' New York: Columbia University Press. {{DEFAULTSORT:Go-Horikawa Japanese emperors 1212 births 1234 deaths

Emperor Go-Horikawa (March 22, 1212 – August 31, 1234) was the 86th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. His reign spanned the years from 1221 CE through 1232 CE. This 13th-century sovereign was named after the 10th-century Emperor ...