Shitoku
Period of Japanese history (1384–1387)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Shitoku (至徳) was a Japanese era name (年号, nengō; lit. year name) of the Northern Court during the Era of Northern and Southern Courts after Eitoku and before Kakei. This period spanned the years from February 1384 to August 1387.[1] The emperor in Kyoto was Emperor Go-Komatsu (後小松天皇, Go-Komatsu-tennō)[2] The Southern Court rival in Yoshino during this time-frame was Emperor Go-Kameyama (後亀山天皇, Go-Kameyama-tennō).
Nanboku-chō overview
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 (南朝, nanchō) 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 (北朝, hokuchō) had been established in Kyoto by Ashikaga Takauji.[3]
Southern Court Equivalents: Genchū
Change of era
Events of the Shitoku era
- 1384 (Shitoku 1, 3rd month): Shōgun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu gave up his court position as General of the Left (sadaish).[4]
- 1385 (Shitoku 2, 8th month): Yoshimistu made a public visit to Kasuga-taisha.[4]
- 1385 (Shitoku 2): Southern army defeated at Koga.[5]
- 1386 (Shitoku 3, 7th month): Yoshimitsu authorized the Five Mountain System for ranking state-sponsored Buddhist temples; and Nanzen-ji was ranked at the top and in a class of its own.[6]
- 1387-89: Dissension is growing in Toki family of Mino.[5]