Emperor Go-Daigo

Who was Emperor Go-Daigo?

Emperor Go-Daigo was the 96th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.

Post-Meiji historians construe Go-Daigo's reign to span 1318–1339; however, pre-Meiji accounts of his reign considered the years of his reign to encompass only between 1318–1332. Pre-Meiji scholars also considered Go-Daigō a pretender Emperor in the years from 1336 through 1339.

This 14th-century sovereign was named after the 9th-century Emperor Daigo and go-, translates literally as "later;" and thus, he is sometimes called the 'Later Emperor Daigo'. The Japanese word go has also been translated to mean the "second one;" and in some older sources, this emperor may be identified as 'Daigo, the second,' or as 'Daigo II.'