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Jōkyū facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Jōkyū (承久), also called Shōkyū, was a special time period in Japanese history. It was like a way of counting years, similar to how we use "AD" or "CE" today. This period started in April 1219 and ended in April 1222. The emperor during this time was Emperor Juntoku.

What Happened During the Jōkyū Era?

The Jōkyū era was a short but important time in Japan. Here are some of the main things that took place:

A Shogun is Assassinated

  • February 12, 1219 (Jōkyū 1): The leader of the military government, known as the shogun, was Sanetomo. He was killed on the steps of a famous temple called Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gū in Kamakura. This was a very shocking event because the shogun was a powerful figure.

Emperor Juntoku's Visits and Abdication

  • 1220 (Jōkyū 2): Emperor Juntoku visited two important shrines: the Iwashimizu Shrine and the Kamo Shrines. These were religious visits.
  • May 13, 1221 (Jōkyū 3): Emperor Juntoku decided to step down from his role as emperor. This is called abdicating. His oldest son, who was only four years old, took his place. This transfer of power is known as senso.
  • Soon after, this young son, Emperor Chūkyō, officially became emperor (sokui). However, he was emperor for only a few months.

Another Emperor Steps Down

  • July 29, 1221 (Jōkyū 3): Emperor Chūkyō also abdicated. Scholars at the time believed that a grandson of the former Emperor Go-Toba then took over the role of emperor.

The Jōkyū War

  • 1221 (Jōkyū 3): A big conflict happened called the Jōkyū War (Jōkyū no ran). This was an attempt by the former Emperor Go-Toba to take back power from the Kamakura shogunate. The shogunate was the military government that ruled Japan. Emperor Go-Toba wanted to be in charge again, but his effort did not succeed. The shogunate remained in power.

Emperor Go-Horikawa Confirmed

  • January 14, 1222 (Jōkyū 3): Emperor Go-Horikawa's position as emperor was officially confirmed (sokui).

Related pages

  • National Diet Library, "The Japanese Calendar" -- historical overview plus illustrative images from library's collection

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Jōkyū para niños

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