生平

後醍醐天皇是大覺寺統後宇多天皇的第二皇子。其生母是內大臣花山院師繼的養女，談天門院藤原忠子（忠子的生父是參議五辻忠繼）。正應元年十一月初二（1288年11月26日）出生，乾元元年（1302年）被封為親王。嘉元二年（1304年）受封大宰帥，人稱帥宮。

即位

在德治三年（1308年）持明院統的花園天皇即位時，尊治親王被立為皇太子。在文保二年（1318年）因為花園天皇讓位之故以三十一歲的壯年登基，同年陰曆三月廿九（4月30日）即位。即位後的3年時間裏由父親後宇多法皇開設院政。根據後宇多法皇的願望，後醍醐天皇將哥哥後二條天皇的遺子邦良親王立為皇太子；並將自己的兒子降為親王，否定了其皇位繼承權。這引起了後醍醐天皇的不滿，和法皇發生了矛盾。這也引起了鐮倉幕府的不滿，最終元亨元年（1321年）後宇多法皇的院政被廢止，後醍醐天皇親政。失去法皇這一保護傘的邦良親王後來也沒能即位。

倒幕

雖然鐮倉幕府在1274年和1281年兩次成功抗擊元朝的入侵，但受貨幣經濟影響，無法恩賞抗元官兵，導致了武士對幕府的不滿日益增高。後醍醐天皇積極籌備倒幕計劃。正中元年（1324年），鐮倉幕府發現了後醍醐天皇的倒幕企圖，責令六波羅探題將天皇身邊的日野資朝等人處分，史稱正中之變。鐮倉幕府不知該如何處置天皇，但天皇此後更加深了倒幕的意志，同醍醐寺的文觀、法勝寺的圓觀等僧人親近。元德二年（1329年）假借為中宮安產祈禱為由，暗地裡為征討關東祈願，並拉攏興福寺、延曆寺等寺社勢力的關係。但大覺寺統的貴族大多支持邦良親王，而持明院統的貴族則支持鐮倉幕府，後醍醐天皇陷入了孤立狀態。而且邦良親王病死後，鐮倉幕府指定持明院統的量仁親王為皇太子，後醍醐天皇的皇位岌岌可危。元弘元年（1331年）後醍醐天皇再次計劃倒幕，但被身邊的吉田定房告發；後醍醐天皇攜帶三神器逃出京都，以比叡山為據點，舉兵討幕。但最後被包圍在了笠置山（今京都府相樂郡笠置町內）。幕府以絕對的兵力優勢攻陷了該城並逮捕了天皇。這就是元弘之變。

流放和復歸

鐮倉幕府將策劃倒幕的後醍醐天皇廢黜，擁立持明院統的量仁親王即位，是為光嚴天皇。而鐮倉幕府則商議，以承久之亂中策劃倒幕的後鳥羽上皇被流放隱岐島之事為先例，將後醍醐天皇本人也流放到了隱岐島。次年後醍醐到達隱岐島。但是當時倒幕的勢力，如護良親王、河內國的楠木正成、播磨國的赤松則村（圓心）等人，活躍於日本各地，紛紛表示效忠於後醍醐。元弘三年/正慶二年（1333年）後醍醐天皇在名和長年等人的幫助下逃離隱岐島，逃至伯耆國船上山（今鳥取縣東伯郡琴浦町內）舉兵討幕。鐮倉幕府的執權北條守時派遣足利高氏（即後來的足利尊氏）前往征討，但足利高氏卻倒向了後醍醐一方，攻陷了幕府的六波羅探題。此後新田義貞在東國舉兵，攻陷鐮倉，北條氏和鐮倉幕府一起滅亡了。

建武新政

回到京都的後醍醐天皇不承認光嚴天皇皇位的合法性，尊之為上皇，剝奪了他所有權力。同時廢除了幕府和攝關制度，建立了天皇獨裁政權，由天皇自行任免官職。這就是歷史上的建武新政。同時廢去了邦良親王遺孤康仁親王的皇位繼承權，將自己的兒子恆良親王立為皇太子。

建武新政表面上是復古，事實上建立了天皇專制政權。而且其激進的改革、恩賞的不公平、朝令夕改的法令和政策以及對貴族、大寺社、武士等較大勢力集團權利的侵害，最終導致了新政的失敗。公卿們也對新政持冷漠態度，著名的二條河原落書就對新政的無能進行了批判。同時，征夷大將軍護良親王在倒幕中功勳卓著，但在足利尊氏的讒言下，被天皇放逐到了鐮倉。

足利尊氏的反叛

建武二年（1335年），足利尊氏借鎮壓中先代之亂的契機前往東國，鎮壓成功之後在鐮倉自行封賞有功的將領，與新政對抗。後醍醐天皇命新田義貞前往征討，義貞在箱根竹之下之戰中敗北，尊氏迫近京都。但隨後楠木正成、北畠顯家在京都擊破尊氏，尊氏逃往九州島。翌年足利尊氏在九州站穩了腳跟，得到了光嚴上皇的院宣，再次迫近京都。楠木正成建議同足利尊氏談判，同時遷都以疲敵軍，但被後醍醐天皇拒絕了。新田義貞、楠木正成一起討伐尊氏，在湊川之戰中戰敗，正成戰死，義貞逃回京都。

南北朝時代

足利軍入京後，後醍醐天皇逃往比叡山抵抗。足利尊氏建議達成和解，後醍醐天皇將三神器交出。尊氏讓光嚴上皇開設院政，並由持明院統的光明天皇即位，制定建武式目，開設室町幕府。後醍醐天皇從幽禁地花山院中逃出，聲稱交給足利尊氏的三神器是贗品，自己本人逃到了大和國的吉野（今奈良縣吉野郡吉野町），開設南朝朝廷，從此開始了日本的南北朝時代。

後醍醐天皇讓新田義貞奉尊良親王和恆良親王前往北陸；懷良親王為征西將軍，前往九州；宗良親王前往東國；義良親王前往陸奧。向各地送出皇子鎮守，與北朝和室町幕府對抗。

延元四年/曆應二年（1339年）八月十五，後醍醐天皇讓位給了回到吉野的義良親王（後村上天皇），翌日遺言「討滅朝敵、奪回京都」，在吉野的金輪王寺駕崩，享年52歲（滿50歲）。

攝津國住吉行宮的後村上天皇，命令南朝下屬的住吉大社宮司津守氏在莊嚴淨土寺為後醍醐天皇舉行大法要。同時足利尊氏為了弔唁後醍醐天皇，在京都建立天龍寺。

系譜

后妃・皇子女

• 皇后（中宮）：藤原禧子（1303-1333） - 西園寺實兼女

　• 皇女

　• 懽子內親王（1315-1361） - 光嚴天皇妃

• 皇后（中宮）：珣子內親王（1311-1337） - 後伏見天皇女

　• 幸子內親王

• 女御：藤原榮子 - 二條道平女

• 宮人：遊義門院的一條局 - 藤原實俊女

　• 世良親王（1312-1330）

　• 靜尊法親王

　• 皇女

• 宮人：阿野廉子（1301-1359） - 阿野公廉女

　• 恆良親王（1325-1338）

　• 成良親王（1326-1344）

　• 義良親王（後村上天皇）（1328-1368）

　• 祥子內親王 - 齋宮

　• 惟子內親王

• 宮人：源親子（?-?）-源師親女

　• 護良親王（1308-1335）

　• 懷良親王（1329-1383）

　• 滿良親王

　• 恆性皇子（1305-1333）

　• 聖助法親王

　• 法仁法親王（1325-1352）

　• 玄圓法親王

　• 最惠法親王

　• 知良王

　• 尊真

　• 無文元選（1323-1390）

• 宮人：藤原為子 - 二條為世女

　• 尊良親王（1311-1337）

　• 宗良親王（1312-1385）

　• 瓊子內親王（1316?-1339）

　• 欣子內親王

• 宮人：勾當內侍 - 源經資女

　• 皇女

• 宮人：遊義門院的左衛門督局 - 御子左為忠女

　• 皇女

• 宮人：民部卿三位 - 日野經光女?

　• 妣子內親王

• 宮人：權中納言局

　• 貞子內親王

• 宮人：平基時女

　• 皇女

• 宮人：民部卿局

　• 皇女 - 近衛基嗣室

• 宮人：山階實子

　• 皇女

• 宮人：洞院公敏女

　• 瑜子內親王

• 宮人：坊門局

　• 皇女

• 宮人：權大納言三位局 - 二條為道女

　• 皇女

• 宮人：大納言典侍 - 北畠師重女

• 宮人：勾當內侍 - 世尊寺經朝女

• 生母不詳

　• 用堂尼（?-1396） - 東慶寺5世住持

Biography

Before his ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name (imina) was Takaharu-shinnō (尊治親王).

He was the second son of the Daikakuji-tō emperor, Emperor Go-Uda. His mother was Fujiwara no Chūshi/Tadako (藤原忠子), daughter of Fujiwara no Tadatsugu (Itsutsuji Tadatsugu) (藤原忠継/五辻忠継). She became Nyoin called Dantenmon-in (談天門院). His older brother was Emperor Go-Nijō.

Emperor Go-Daigo's ideal was the Engi era (901–923) during the reign of Emperor Daigo, a period of direct imperial rule. An emperor's posthumous name was normally chosen after his death, but Emperor Go-Daigo chose his personally during his lifetime, to share it with Emperor Daigo.

Events of Go-Daigos life

• 1308 (Enkyō 1): At the death of Emperor Go-Nijō, Hanazono accedes to the Chrysanthemum Throne at age 12 years; and Takaharu-shinnō, the second son of former-Emperor Go-Uda is elevated as Crown Prince and heir apparent under the direction of the Kamakura shogunate.

• 29 March 1318 (Bunpō 2, 26th day of 2nd month): In the 11th year of Hanazono's reign (花園天皇十一年), the emperor abdicated; and the succession (senso) was received by his cousin, the second son of former-Emperor Go-Uda. Shortly thereafter, Emperor Go-Daigo is said to have acceded to the throne (sokui).

• 1319 (Bunpō 3, 4th month): Emperor Go-Daigo caused the nengō to be changed to Gen'ō to mark the beginning of his reign.

In 1324, with the discovery of Emperor Go-Daigo's plans to overthrow the Kamakura shogunate, the Rokuhara Tandai disposed of his close associate Hino Suketomo in the Shōchū Incident.

In the Genkō Incident of 1331, Emperor Go-Daigo's plans were again discovered, this time by a betrayal by his close associate Yoshida Sadafusa. He quickly hid the Sacred Treasures in a secluded castle in Kasagiyama (the modern town of Kasagi, Sōraku District, Kyōto Prefecture) and raised an army, but the castle fell to the shogunate's army the following year, and they enthroned Emperor Kōgon, exiling Daigo to Oki Province (the Oki Islands in modern-day Shimane Prefecture), the same place to which Emperor Go-Toba had been exiled after the Jōkyū War of 1221.

In 1333, Emperor Go-Daigo escaped from Oki with the help of Nawa Nagatoshi and his family, raising an army at Senjo Mountain in Hōki Province (the modern town of Kotoura in Tōhaku District, Tottori Prefecture). Ashikaga Takauji, who had been sent by the shogunate to find and destroy this army, sided with the emperor and captured the Rokuhara Tandai. Immediately following this, Nitta Yoshisada, who had raised an army in the east, laid siege to Kamakura. When the city finally fell to Nitta, Hōjō Takatoki, the shogunal regent, fled to Tōshō temple, where he and his entire family committed suicide. This ended Hōjō power and paved the way for a new military regime.

Upon his triumphal return to Kyoto, Daigo took the throne from Emperor Kōgon and began the Kenmu Restoration. The Restoration was ostensibly a revival of the older ways, but, in fact, the emperor had his eye set on an imperial dictatorship like that of the emperor of China. He wanted to imitate the Chinese in all their ways and become the most powerful ruler in the East. Impatient reforms, litigation over land rights, rewards, and the exclusion of the samurai from the political order caused much complaining, and his political order began to fall apart. In 1335, Ashikaga Takauji, who had travelled to eastern Japan without obtaining an imperial edict in order to suppress the Nakasendai Rebellion, became disaffected. Daigo ordered Nitta Yoshisada to track down and destroy Ashikaga. Ashikaga defeated Nitta Yoshisada at the Battle of Takenoshita, Hakone. Kusunoki Masashige and Kitabatake Akiie, in communication with Kyoto, smashed the Ashikaga army. Takauji fled to Kyūshū, but the following year, after reassembling his army, he again approached Kyōto. Kusunoki Masashige proposed a reconciliation with Takauji to the emperor, but Go-Daigo rejected this. He ordered Masashige and Yoshisada to destroy Takauji. Kusunoki's army was defeated at the Battle of Minatogawa.

When Ashikaga's army entered Kyōto, Emperor Go-Daigo resisted, fleeing to Mount Hiei, but seeking reconciliation, he sent the imperial regalia to the Ashikaga side. Takauji enthroned the Jimyōin-tō emperor, Kōmyō, and officially began his shogunate with the enactment of the Kenmu Law Code.

Go-Daigo escaped from the capital in January 1337, the regalia that he had handed over to the Ashikaga being counterfeit, and set up the Southern Court among the mountains of Yoshino, beginning the Period of Northern and Southern Courts in which the Northern Dynasty in Kyoto and the Southern Dynasty in Yoshino faced off against each other.

Emperor Go-Daigo ordered Imperial Prince Kaneyoshi to Kyūshū and Nitta Yoshisada and Imperial Prince Tsuneyoshi to Hokuriku, and so forth, dispatching his sons all over, so that they could oppose the Northern Court.

• 18 September 1339 (Ryakuō 2, 15th day of the 8th month): In the 21st year of Go-Daigo's reign, the emperor abdicated at Yoshino in favor of his son, Noriyoshi-shinnō, who would become Emperor Go-Murakami.

• 19 September 1339 (Ryakuō 2, 16th day of the 8th month): Go-Daigo died;

The actual site of Go-Daigo's grave is settled. This emperor is traditionally venerated at a memorial Shinto shrine (misasagi) at Nara.

The Imperial Household Agency designates this location as Go-Daigo's mausoleum. It is formally named Tō-no-o no misasagi.

Genealogy

Consorts and children

Empress (Chūgū): Saionji Kishi (西園寺禧子) later Empress Dowager Go-Kyōgoku-in (後京極院), Saionji Sanekane's daughter

• Princess (b. 1314)

• Second Daughter: Imperial Princess Kanshi (懽子内親王, 1315–1362) later Empress Dowager Senseimon-in (宣政門院), Saiō at Ise Shrine; later, married to Emperor Kōgon

Empress (Chūgū): Imperial Princess Junshi (珣子内親王) later Empress Dowager Shin-Muromachi-in (新室町院), Emperor Go-Fushimi』s daughter

• Imperial Princess Sachiko (幸子内親王, b. 1335)

Nyōgo: Fujiwara no Eishi (藤原栄子) also Anfuku-dono (安福殿), Nijō Michihira』s daughter

Court lady: Fujiwara no Chikako (藤原親子) also Chūnagon-tenji (中納言典侍), Itsutsuji Munechika's daughter

• Eleventh Son: Imperial Prince Mitsuyoshi (満良親王)

Lady-in-waiting: Dainagon'nosuke, Kitabatake Moroshige's daughter

Lady-in-waiting: Shin-Ansatsu-tenji (新按察典侍), Jimyoin Yasufuji's daughter

Lady-in-waiting: Sochi-no-suke (帥典侍讃岐)

Court lady: Koto no Naishi (勾当内侍), Saionji Tsunafusa's daughter

• Princess

Court lady: Shōshō no Naishi (少将内侍), Sugawara no Arinaka's daughter

• Imperial Prince Seijo (聖助法親王) – Head Priest of Onjō-ji

Court lady: Fujiwara (Ano) no Renshi (藤原廉子/阿野廉子) later Empress Dowager Shin-Taikenmon-in (新待賢門院, 1301–1359), Ano Kinkado's daughter

• Imperial Prince Tsunenaga (also Tsuneyoshi) (恒良親王)

• Imperial Prince Nariyoshi (also Narinaga) (成良親王)

• Imperial Prince Noriyoshi (義良親王) later become Emperor Go-Murakami

• Imperial Princess Shoshi (祥子内親王) – Saiō at Ise Shrine 1333–1336; later, nun in Hōan-ji

• Imperial Princess Ishi (惟子内親王) – nun in Imabayashi

• Speculated - Imperial Princess Noriko (憲子内親王) later Empress Dowager Shinsenyō-mon-in (新宣陽門院)

Court lady: Minamoto no Chikako (源親子), Kitabatake Morochika's daughter

• Imperial Prince Moriyoshi (or Morinaga) (護良親王) – Head Priest of Enryakuji (Tendai-zasu, 天台座主) (Buddhist name: Prince Son'un, 尊雲法親王)

• Imperial Prince Kōshō (恒性, 1305–1333) – priest

• Imperial Princess Hishi (妣子内親王) – nun in Imabayashi

• princess – married to Konoe Mototsugu (divorced later)

• Imperial Prince Sonsho (尊性法親王)

Court lady: Fujiwara no Ishi/Tameko (藤原為子, d. ), Nijō Tameyo's daughter

• Imperial Prince Takanaga (also Takayoshi) (尊良親王)

• Imperial Prince Munenaga (also Muneyoshi) (宗良親王) – Head Priest of Enryakuji (Tendai-zasu, 天台座主) (Buddhist name: Prince Sonchō, 尊澄法親王)

• Imperial Princess Tamako (瓊子内親王, 1316–1339) – nun

• Princess

Nyōgo: Fujiwara no Jisshi (実子). Tōin Saneo's daughter

• Princess

Court lady: Fujiwara no Shushi/Moriko (藤原守子, 1303–1357), daughter of Tōin Saneyasu (洞院実泰)

• Imperial Prince Gen'en (玄円法親王, d.1348) – Head Priest of Kōfuku-ji

• Imperial Prince Saikei (最恵法親王) – priest in Myōhō-in

Princess: Imperial Princess Kenshi (憙子内親王, 1270–1324) later Empress Dowager Shōkeimon'in (昭慶門院), Emperor Kameyama』s daughter

• Mumon Gensen (無文元選, 1323–1390) – founder of Hōkō-ji (Shizuoka)

Court lady: Fujiwara (Nijo) Michiko (二条道子) also Gon-no-Dainagon no Sammi no Tsubone (権大納言三位局, d. 1351) later Reisho-in (霊照院), Nijō Tamemichi's daughter

• Imperial Prince Hōnin (法仁法親王, 1325–1352) – priest in Ninna-ji

• Prince Kaneyoshi (also Kanenaga) (懐良親王, 1326–1383) – Seisei Taishōgun (征西大将軍) 1336–?

• princess

Court lady: Ichijō no Tsubone (一条局) later Yūgimon'in (遊義門院), Saionji Sanetoshi's daughter

• Imperial Prince Tokiyoshi (also Yoyoshi) (世良親王) ( – 1330)

• Imperial Prince Jōson (静尊法親王) (Imperial Prince Keison, 恵尊法親王) – priest in Shōgoin (聖護院)

• Imperial Princess Kinshi (欣子内親王) – nun in Imabayashi

Court lady: Shōnagon no Naishi (少納言内侍), Shijō Takasuke's daughter

• Sonshin (尊真) – priest

Nyōgo: Dainagon-no-tsubone (大納言局), Ogimachi Saneakira's daughter

• Imperial Princess Naoko (瑜子内親王)

Nyōgo: Saemon-no-kami-no-tsubone (左衛門督局), Nijō Tametada's daughter

• Nun in Imabayashi

Court lady: Gon-no-Chūnagon no Tsubone (権中納言局), Sanjō Kinyasu's daughter

• Imperial Princess Sadako (貞子内親王)

Nyōgo: Yoshida Sadafusa's daughter

Nyōgo: Bōmon-no-tsubone (坊門局), Bomon Kiyotada's daughter

• Princess (Yōdō?)

Nyōgo: Horikawa Mototomo's daughter

• Princess

Nyōgo: Minamoto-no-Yasuko (源康子) also Asukai-no-tsubone (飛鳥井局) later Enseimon'in Harima (延政門院播磨), Minamoto-no-Yasutoki's daughter

Nyōgo: Wakamizu-no-tsubone (若水局), Minamoto-no-Yasutoki's daughter

Nyōgo: Horiguchi Sadayoshi's daughter

• daughter married Yoshimizu Munemasa

Court lady: Konoe no Tsubone (近衛局) later Shōkunmon'in (昭訓門院)

• Prince Tomoyoshi (知良王)

(unknown women)

• Yōdō (d. 1398) – 5th Head Nun of Tōkei-ji

• Rokujō Arifusa's wife

• Ryusen Ryosai (竜泉令淬, d.1366)

• Kenkō (賢光)

Go-Daigo had some other princesses from some court ladies.

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. Even during those years in which the court's actual influence outside the palace walls was minimal, the hierarchic organization persisted.

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-Daigo's reign, this apex of the ''Daijō-kan included:

• Kampaku, Nijō Michihira, 1316–1318

• Kampaku, Ichijō Uchitsune, 1318–1323

• Kampaku, Kujō Fusazane, 1323–1324

• Kampaku, Takatsukasa Fuyuhira, 1324–1327

• Kampaku, Nijō Michihira, 1327–1330

• Kampaku, Konoe Tsunetada, 1330

• Kampaku, Takatsukasa Fuyunori, 1330–1333

• Sadaijin

• Udaijin

• Naidaijin

• Dainagon

Eras of Go-Daigos reign

The years of Go-Daigo's reign are more specifically identified by more than one era name or nengō. Emperor Go-Daigo's eight era name changes are mirrored in number only in the reign of Emperor Go-Hanazono, who also reigned through eight era name changes.

:Pre-Nanboku-chō court

• Bunpō (1317–1319)

• Gen'ō (1319–1321)

• Genkō (1321–1324)

• Shōchū (1324–1326)

• Karyaku (1326–1329)

• Gentoku (1329–1331)

• Genkō (1331–1334)

• Kenmu (1334–1336)

:Nanboku-chō southern court

• Eras as reckoned by legitimate sovereign's Court (as determined by Meiji rescript)

　• Engen (1336–1340)

:Nanboku-chō northern Court

• Eras as reckoned by pretender sovereign's Court (as determined by Meiji rescript)

　• Shōkei (1332–1338)

　• Ryakuō (1338–1342)

In popular culture

Emperor Go-Daigo appears in the alternate history novel Romanitas by Sophia McDougall.