Emperor Go-Hanazono was the 102nd emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. His reign spanned the years from 1428 through 1464. This 15th-century sovereign was named after the 14th-century Emperor Hanazono and go- translates as "later", and thus, he could be called the "Later Emperor Hanazono", or in some older sources, may be identified as "Hanazono, the second" or as "Hanazono II".
Because the previous emperor, Emperor Shōkō had no son, retired Emperor Go-Komatsu needed to secure the Jimyōin inheritance against the Daikakuji line, before Emperor Shōkō died, he adopted a son out of the Fushimi-no-miya house, who became Emperor Go-Hanazono after Shōkō's death.
1428 : In the 17th year of Shōkō-tennō 's reign, the emperor died at age 27; and the succession was received by his adopted son.
Shōchō 1, on the 29th day of the 7th month : Emperor Go-Hanazono is said to have acceded to the throne. The new emperor is age 10.
1429 : Minamoto-no Yoshinobu is honored in court; and thereafter, he is known as Shōgun Ashikaga Yoshinori.
1441 : Shōgun Yoshinori is murdered at age 48 by Akamatsu Mitsusuke; and shortly thereafter, his 8-year-old son, Ashikaga Yoshikatsu, is proclaimed as the new Shogun.
1441 : The assassins of Yoshinori kill themselves.
1442 : Shōgun Yoshikatsu died at the age of 10. He enjoyed riding horses; but he was gravely injured in a fall from a horse, and died as a result. He was shōgun for only three years. His 8-year-old brother, Yoshinari, was then named shogun.
1443.: An armed group of rebels penetrated the palace defenses. A fire was started and one of the men sought to kill Go-Hanazono, but the emperor escaped. However, the intruders managed to steal the Three Sacred Treasures: the mirror, the sword and the jewel. Later, a guard found the mirror and a priest found the sword, but the location of the jewel was not known until the 8th month of the starting year of the Bun'an-era.
1453 : The name of Shōgun Minamoto-no Yoshinari was changed to Ashikaga Yoshimasa.
1458 : The Sacred Jewel is retrieved from the former Southern Court. It is returned to Miyako to join the other Sacred Treasures.
1464 : Go-Hanazono resigned his throne in favor of his son, who would be known as Emperor Go-Tsuchimikado.
Until former-Emperor Go-Komatsu died in 1433, Emperor Go-Hanazono held the title of formal head of the Daïri, the real power in the court was wielded by his uncle, who continued a practice known as cloistered rule. After this, Go-Hanazono enjoyed 30 years of direct imperial rule, until his abdication on August 21, 1464, when the conventional pattern of indirect government by cloistered emperors was again resumed.
January 18, 1471 : Former Emperor Go-Hanazono died at age 52.
Kugyō
Kugyō 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-Hanazono's reign, this apex of the Daijō-kan included:
Sadaijin
Udaijin
Naidaijin
Dainagon''
Eras of Go-Hanazono's reign
The years of Go-Hanozono's reign are more specifically identified by more than one era name or nengō. Go-Hanazono's reign is almost unique because of its eight successive eras; and only the turbulent years of Emperor Go-Daigo's reign included as many eras.
