perial. The former was only three years old when (1246) he became
nominal sovereign, and, after a reign of thirteen years, he was
compelled (1259) to make way for his father's favourite, Kameyama,
who reigned from 1259 to 1274.

To understand what followed, a short genealogical table will assist:

88th Sovereign, Go-Saga (1243-1246)
|
+--------------+-------------+
| |
89th, Go-Fukakusa (1246-1259) 90th, Kameyama (1259-1274)
| |
92nd, Fushimi (1287-1298) 91st, Go-Uda (1274-1287)
| |
+-----+----+ +-----+-----+
| | | |
93rd, 95th, 94th, 96th,
Go-Fushimi Hanazono Go-Nijo Go-Daigo
(1298-1301) (1307-1318) (1301-1307) (1318-1339)
| | | |
+-----+----+ +-----+-----+
| |
Jimyo-in family Daikagu-ji Family
(called afterwards Hoku-cho, (called afterwards Nan-cho,
or the Northern Court) or the Southern Court)

The cloistered Emperor, Go-Saga, abdicating after a reign of four
years, conducted the administration according to the camera system
during twenty-six years. It will be observed from the above table
that he essayed to hold the balance equally between the families of
his two sons, the occupant of the throne being chosen from each
alternately. But everything goes to show that he favoured the
Kameyama branch. Like Go-Toba, he cherished the hope of seeing the
Imperial Court released from the Bakufu shackles, and to that end the
alert, enterprising Kameyama seemed better suited than the dull,
resourceless Takakura, just as in Go-Toba's eyes Juntoku had appeared
preferable to Tsuchimikado.

Dying in 1272, Go-Saga left a will with injunctions that it should be
opened in fifty days. It contained provisions destined to have
disastrous consequences. One clause entrusted to the Bakufu the duty
of deciding whether the administrative power should be placed in the
hands of the cloistered Emperor, Go-Fukakusa, or in those of the
reigning sovereign, Kameyama. Another provided that a very large
property, known as the Chokodo estates,