During the
Meiji period, an Imperial decree dated March 3, 1911 established that the legitimate reigning monarchs of this period were the direct descendants of
Emperor Go-Daigo through
Emperor Go-Murakami, whose Southern Court (南朝, nanchō) had been established in exile in
Yoshino, near Nara.[4]
Until the end of the
Edo period, the militarily superior pretender-Emperors supported by the
Ashikaga shogunate had been mistakenly incorporated in Imperial chronologies despite the undisputed fact that the
Imperial Regalia were not in their possession.[4]
1338Ryakuō gannen (暦応元年): The era name was changed to Ryakuō to mark an event or a number of events. The previous era ended and a new one commenced in
Kenmu 5.[5]
Events of the Ryakuō Era
1340 (Ryakuō 3): Observations of the "broom star" (
comet) are recorded.[6]