Northern Court

Northern Court 北朝 Hokuchō
1331/1336–1392
Military flag Imperial Seal
Capital	Heian-kyō
Common languages	Late Middle Japanese
Religion	Shinbutsu shūgō
Government	Monarchy
Emperor
• 1331–1333	Kōgon
• 1336–1348	Kōmyō
• 1348–1351	Sukō
• 1352–1371	Go-Kōgon
• 1371–1382	Go-En'yū
• 1382–1392/1412	Go-Komatsu
History
• Established	1331/1336
• Re-unification of Imperial courts	August 11 1392
Preceded by Succeeded by Kenmu Restoration Imperial House of Japan Ashikaga shogunate

The Northern Court (北朝, hokuchō), also known as the Ashikaga Pretenders or Northern Pretenders, were a set of six pretenders to the throne of Japan during the Nanboku-chō period from 1336 through 1392.^[1] Even though the present Imperial House of Japan is descended from the Northern Court emperors, The Southern Court is considered the legitimate line, with the argument being that it was the Southern court which possessed the Imperial Regalia, which was later handed over to the Northern court, thus making Emperor Go-Komatsu the 100th Emperor of Japan. It was in 1911 that Emperor Meiji passed an edict which made the Southern line the legitimate one. ^[2] Earlier, it was thought by pre Meiji scholars that It was the Northern line which was the legitimate line.

The Northern dynasty is also referred to as the "senior line" or the Jimyōin line (持明院統, Jimyōin-tō); Jimyō-in was a temple and retirement residence of this line's emperors Go-Fukakusa and Fushimi.^[3]