# Emperor Go-Horikawa

Emperor Go-Horikawa (後堀河天皇, Go-Horikawa-tennō) (22 March 1212 – 31 August 1234) was the 86th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. His reign spanned the years from 1221 through 1232.
This 13th-century sovereign was named after the 11th-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 Yutahito-shinnō (茂仁親王), also known as Motsihito-shinnō. 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 (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, 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, 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 to October 26 (?), 1232.
* 29 July 1221 (Jōkyū 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.
* 14 January 1222 (Jōkyū 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 under the name Go-Takakura-in.
In 1232, 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 Nochi no Tsukinowa no Higashiyama no misasagi (後月輪東山陵).

### 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 included:
* Sesshō, Konoe Iezane, d. 1242.
* Sadaijin, Konoe Iemichi, 1204–1224.
* Udaijin, Fujiwara Kintsugu, 1117–1227.
* Naidaijin, Saionji Kintsune, 1171–1224.
* 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.
* Jōkyū (1219–1222 CE)
* Jōō (1222–1224 CE)
* Gennin (1224–1225 CE)
* Karoku (1225–1227 CE)
* Antei (1227–1229 CE)
* Kangi (1229–1232 CE)