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.[3]
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.[3]
1384, also called Shitoku gannen (至徳元年): The new era name was created to mark an event or series of events. The previous era ended and the new one commenced in Eitoku 4.
In this time frame,
Genchū (1384–1393) was the Southern Court equivalent nengō.[4]
Events of the Shitoku era
1384 (Shitoku 1, 3rd month): Shōgun
Ashikaga Yoshimitsu gave up his court position as General of the Left (sadaish).[4]
1385 (Shitoku 2, 8th month): Yoshimistu made a public visit to
Kasuga-taisha.[4]
1385 (Shitoku 2): Southern army defeated at
Koga.[5]
1386 (Shitoku 3, 7th month): Yoshimitsu authorized the
Five Mountain System for ranking state-sponsored Buddhist temples; and
Nanzen-ji was ranked at the top and in a class of its own.[6]
1387-89: Dissension is growing in Toki family of
Mino.[5]