Jōkyū

Jōkyū was a Japanese era name used from 1219 to 1222, during the Kamakura period. Its years encompassed the Jōkyū War, an unsuccessful attempt by retired Emperor Go-Toba to overthrow the Kamakura shogunate.

Connect

Jōkyū War: A 1221 conflict in which retired Emperor Go-Toba’s forces challenged the Kamakura shogunate and were defeated. The defining conflict of the era began in its third year.
Kamakura shogunate: Japan’s military government, founded in the late twelfth century and based in Kamakura. Its victory in 1221 sharply increased its authority over the court.
Japanese era name: A name assigned to a period of years in the traditional Japanese system of dating. Jōkyū dates events by an era-name system rather than a numbered reign alone.
Japanese era-name changes: The practice of replacing a Japanese era name, often in response to political change or a perceived inauspicious event. Jōkyū followed the era name Kenryaku and was replaced by Jōō in 1222.
Go-Toba: A Japanese emperor who abdicated in 1198 and later led the failed 1221 attempt to overthrow the Kamakura shogunate. His revolt made Jōkyū a turning point in imperial–shogunal relations.
Jōkyū War land confiscations: The seizure of estates from supporters of Go-Toba after the Jōkyū War. Confiscated lands rewarded shogunate allies and expanded its reach westward.
Kamakura period: A period of Japanese history, conventionally dated from 1185 or 1192 to 1333, when the Kamakura shogunate ruled. Jōkyū falls within this period of military government.
Kenryaku: A Japanese era name used from 1211 to 1213, before the era name Kenpō. It is an earlier era, distinct from Jōkyū in date and political context.
Hōjō Yoshitoki: The second regent of the Kamakura shogunate, who led its government during the Jōkyū War. He directed the shogunate’s response to Go-Toba’s challenge.
Rokuhara Tandai: The Kamakura shogunate’s Kyoto-based offices for military oversight and judicial administration. Their postwar role made shogunal supervision of the capital more direct.