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The Northern and Southern Courts were born out of a short-lived alternation between two imperial lineages known as the [[Daikakuji and Jimyoin lines|Daikakuji and Jimyôin lines]]. Over the course of the 13th century, the Imperial succession came to be divided, or confused, with some emperors being descended from [[Emperor Go-Fukakusa]] (r. 1246-1259), and some emperors descended from Go-Fukakusa's younger brother, [[Emperor Kameyama]] (r. 1259-1274). Combined with the practice of emperors abdicating and retiring, a situation emerged in which multiple retired emperors were concurrently active in Court politics, multiple of whom had first sons with legitimate claims to the succession.

The Northern and Southern Courts were born out of a short-lived alternation between two imperial lineages known as the [[Daikakuji and Jimyoin lines|Daikakuji and Jimyôin lines]]. Over the course of the 13th century, the Imperial succession came to be divided, or confused, with some emperors being descended from [[Emperor Go-Fukakusa]] (r. 1246-1259), and some emperors descended from Go-Fukakusa's younger brother, [[Emperor Kameyama]] (r. 1259-1274). Combined with the practice of emperors abdicating and retiring, a situation emerged in which multiple retired emperors were concurrently active in Court politics, multiple of whom had first sons with legitimate claims to the succession.

The descendants of Emperor Go-Fukakusa, including [[Emperor Fushimi]], came to be known as the Jimyô-in line, while the descendants of his brother Emperor Kameyama, including [[Emperor Go-Uda]] and, later, [[Emperor Go-Nijo|Emperor Go-Nijô]], came to be known as the Daikaku-ji line. In [[1297]], the [[Kamakura shogunate]] created a succession dispute by interfering with the succession and asserting that Emperor Go-Uda should abdicate in favor of his cousin Emperor Fushimi, against the wishes of the Retired Emperor Kameyama. This dispute was quickly resolved by a compromise, however, and for the next several decades, from [[1297]] until [[1334]], the imperial succession alternated between these two lineages.

The descendants of Emperor Go-Fukakusa, including [[Emperor Fushimi]], came to be known as the Jimyô-in line, while the descendants of his brother Emperor Kameyama, including [[Emperor Go-Uda]] and, later, [[Emperor Go-Nijo|Emperor Go-Nijô]], came to be known as the Daikaku-ji line. In [[1287]], the [[Kamakura shogunate]] created a succession dispute by interfering with the succession and asserting that Emperor Go-Uda should abdicate in favor of his cousin Emperor Fushimi, against the wishes of the Retired Emperor Kameyama. This dispute was quickly resolved by a compromise, however, and for the next several decades, from [[1287]] until [[1334]], the imperial succession alternated between these two lineages.

[[Emperor Go-Daigo]], seeking the restoration of fuller imperial power and the weakening or elimination of the shogunate, however, attempted to put an end to this system. Taking up residence in Yoshino, he gathered supporters around him and asserted the illegitimacy of his rivals still ruling in Kyoto (and supported by the newly-founded Muromachi shogunate).

[[Emperor Go-Daigo]], seeking the restoration of fuller imperial power and the weakening or elimination of the shogunate, however, attempted to put an end to this system. Taking up residence in Yoshino, he gathered supporters around him and asserted the illegitimacy of his rivals still ruling in Kyoto (and supported by the newly-founded Muromachi shogunate).