- Born: 1573
- Died: 1593
- Reigned: 1557 - 1586
- Sons: Go-Yôzei
- Titles: Tennô (Emperor)
- Japanese: 正親町天皇 (Oogimachi tennou)
Ôgimachi, who succeeded Go-Nara, was the emperor from 1557 until 1586 and his actual coronation, held in 1560, was paid for in large part by contributions from Môri Motonari. He made overtures to Oda Nobunaga of Owari province in late 1564 and when Nobunaga marched to Kyoto in 1568 with Ashikaga Yoshiaki, Ôgimachi formally acknowledged Yoshiaki as shôgun. By 1573 it seems apparent that Nobunaga was endeavoring to remove Ôgimachi from office, making a number of requests that he abdicate in favor of Prince Sanehito. In fact, and according to the diary of Nakayama Tadachika, a court noble, Ôgaimachi agreed to Nobunaga's request in 1573. In the event he was not to abdicate in Nobunaga's lifetime and, to be sure, the extent that Nobunaga played in Ôgaimachi's premature decision is unclear. Nobunaga continued to work against Ôgimachi by meddling in courtly affairs and duties for the duration of the former's lifetime, though his specific purpose for doing so is hazy. Ôgimachi finally retired in 1586 and a retirement palace (In no Gosho) was built for him by Toyotomi Hideyoshi. He was succeeded by his son Go-Yôzei.
References
- Initial text from Sengoku Biographical Dictionary (Samurai-Archives.com) FWSeal & CEWest, 2005