Shōkyō

Shōkyō (正慶, also pronounced "Shōkei") was a brief initial Japanese era of the Northern Court during the Kamakura period, after Gentoku and before Kenmu, lasting from April 1332 to April 1333.^[1] The reigning Emperors were Emperor Go-Daigo in the south and Emperor Kōgon in the north.^[2]

Nanboku-chō overview

The Imperial seats during the Nanboku-chō period were in relatively close proximity, but geographically distinct. They were conventionally identified as:

• Northern capital: Kyoto
• Southern capital: Yoshino.

During the Meiji period, an Imperial decree dated March 3, 1911 established that the legitimate reigning monarchs of this period were the direct descendants of Emperor Go-Daigo through Emperor Go-Murakami, whose Southern Court had been established in exile in Yoshino, near Nara.^[3]

Until the end of the Edo period, the militarily superior pretender-Emperors supported by the Ashikaga shogunate had been mistakenly incorporated in Imperial chronologies despite the undisputed fact that the Imperial Regalia were not in their possession.^[3]

This illegitimate Northern Court had been established in Kyoto by Ashikaga Takauji.^[3]

Change of era

• 1332 Shōkyō gannen (正慶元年): The era name was changed to Shōkyō to mark an event or a number of events. The previous era ended and a new one commenced in Genkō 2, the 10th month.^[4]

In this time frame, Genkō (1331–1333) was the Southern Court equivalent nengō.

Events of the Shōkyō era