Go-Toba took the throne at the age of three. •
8 September 1183 (
Juei 2, 20th day of the 8th month): In the 3rd year of Antoku
-tennōs reign (安徳天皇三年), the emperor fled the capital rather than give in to pressures for his abdication. In Antoku's absence, the
cloistered former-Emperor Go-Shirakawa then elevated Antoku's younger brother by decree; and the young child was given the acceptance of abdication (
juzen) rites. The anti-Taira faction intended that the succession (
senso) was received; and shortly thereafter, Emperor Go-Toba is said to have acceded to the throne (
sokui). Although these formal rites and ceremonies were taking place in Heian-kyō, the imperial regalia were still held by Antoku. Thus, the
senso and
sokui of Go-Toba became the first in history to omit the ritual transmission of the
sacred treasures from a sovereign to his successor. In 1198, Go-Toba abdicated in favor of his son,
Emperor Tsuchimikado. Go-Toba reigned as cloistered Emperor from 1198 till 1221 during reigns of three emperors, but his power was more limited than former cloistered Emperors in the
Heian period. It was during this time that Go-Toba decreed that the followers of the
Pure Land sect in Kyōto, led by
Hōnen, be banished or in some cases executed. Originally this was prompted by complaints of clergy in Kyoto who were concerned about the rise in popularity of the new sect, but Go-Toba personally ordered the decree after two of his ladies in waiting converted to the sect without his knowledge. In 1221, the shōgun installed Go-Toba's three-year-old grandson,
Emperor Chūkyō, as emperor, but Go-Toba chose to stage a rebellion in an attempt to reclaim the throne and overthrow the
Kamakura shogunate. This conflict is known as the
Jōkyū War, named after the
era in which it occurred. and editor, although the majority of his activities took place after his abdication aged 18 (as the abdication freed him from 'the ceremonial prison of the imperial palace'). Besides his enthusiasm for
archery,
equestrianism, and
swordsmanship, Go-Toba was a great lover of swords himself, and summoned swordsmiths to his court where they were given honorary titles and taught the emperor their craft. He became a respectable swordsmith himself, and it was his patronage and encouragement of this art that gave birth to Japan's 'Golden Age' of bladesmithing. His contribution to the art is still held in such high esteem, that even today a tradition is maintained in sword literature that he is the first swordsmith to be discussed. His greatest contribution to literature is the
Shin Kokinshū (The New Anthology of Ancient and Modern
Waka), which Japanese has considered one of three major influential waka anthologies along
Man'yōshū and
Kokin Wakashū. He ordered its creation and took part in the
working group as an editor. He revived the Office of Waka (和歌所) and made it the headquarters of this edition. He held many
utakai (waka parties) and
utaawase (waka competitions). Not only the creator and organizer, he acted as a critic, and wrote the style of waka in general and criticism of his contemporary poets. During his exile, he continued to compose hundreds of waka and to edit both anthologies from his creation in Oki Islands and a private edition of
Shin Kokinshū for 18 years, getting rid of around 400 wakas from the former edition, while its edition had been officially declared to be completed in 1204, and further elaborations finished even in 1216. While he declared his private edition should be authentic, today the 1216 version is considered as the authentic and others as variants. His edition is today called
Oki-bon Shin Kokinshū (Oki edition). It is probable that during his exile, he also wrote his
Go-Toba no in gokuden ("Secret Teachings"), a short work on aesthetic criticism; the "Secret Teachings" are particularly valuable as a major source on Go-Toba's complicated relationships with his former client, the greatest poet of the age – Fujiwara no Teika. One of his 31-syllable poems was chosen by
Fujiwara no Teika as Number 99 in the popular anthology
Hyakunin Isshu.
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-Toba's reign, this apex of the
Daijō-kan included: •
Sesshō,
Konoe Motomichi, 1160–1233. •
Sesshō, Matsu Morie, 1172–1238. •
Sadaijin, Ōimikado Tsunemune, 1119–1189. •
Sadaijin,
Sanjō Sanefusa, 1147–1225. •
Dainagon ==Eras of Go-Toba's reign==