Emperor Go-Kameyama - Life

Life

Go-Kameyama acceeded to the throne during the turbulent Nanboku-chō period during which rival claimants to the Chrysanthemum Throne gathered supporters around them in what were known as the Northern court and the Southern Court. Go-Kameyama became Emperor in what was called the Southern court when Emperor Chōkei abdicated in 1383. On October 15, 1392, at the insistence of the peace faction amongst his own courtiers, he applied to Ashikaga Yoshimitsu for peace; and he subsequently returned to the capital where he did hand over the Sacred Treasures to his Northern Court rival. In doing so, Go-Kameyama was understood to have abdicated. Since 1911, the Japanese government has declared the southern claimants were actually the rightful emperors because they retained possession of the three sacred treasures, thus converting the emperors of the former Northern court into mere pretenders.

By the conditions of the peace treaty, the Northern Court and the Southern Court were supposed to alternate control of the throne. However, this was thrown out in 1412, and all subsequent emperors came from the family of the former Northern Court rival, the ultimately successful Emperor Go-Komatsu.

Following his abdication, he went into seclusion; but, in 1410, he returned to Yoshino.

The Imperial Household Agency recognizes Saga no ogura no misasagi (嵯峨小倉陵) in Ukyō-ku, Kyoto as his tomb.