Emperor Sukō

Emperor Sukō
Emperor Sukō
3rd Northern Pretender
Reign	1348–1351
Predecessor	Emperor Kōmyō
Successor	Emperor Go-Kōgon
Born	May 25, 1334
Died	January 31, 1398 (aged 63)

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]

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)

Events of Sukō's life

In his own lifetime, Sukō and those around him believed that he occupied the Chrysanthemum 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'yū) 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, became Emperor Go-Hanazono, fulfilling Sukō's dearest wish. Sukō is enshrined at the Daikōmyōji no misasagi (大光明寺陵) in Fushimi-ku, Kyoto.