Meitoku

[1] After October 1392, Meitoku replaced the Southern Court's nengō (Genchū).

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] This illegitimate Northern Court (北朝, hokuchō) had been established in Kyoto by Ashikaga Takauji.

[4] In the initial years of this time frame, Genchū (1384–1392) was the Southern Court equivalent nengō.

In Meitoku 3/Genchū 9 (1392), the Northern Dynasty confiscated the Sacred Treasures which the Southern Court had possessed.

The Imperial seats during the Nanboku-chō period were in relatively close proximity, but geographically distinct. They were conventionally identified as: