Oguranomiya Seisho (小倉宮聖承)
Oguranomiya Seisho (date of birth unknown - June 13, 1443) was the grandson of Emperor Gokameyama, the ninety-ninth Emperor during the period of the Northern and Southern Courts (Japan), or the fourth and the last Emperor of the Southern Court (Japan), and the son of Oguranomiya Tsuneatsu. He was the second generation of the Oguranomiya family. His secular name was supposedly Yasunari, but this is uncertain. The name given after entering into priesthood was Seisho.
The imperial line of the Northern Court (Japan) became extinct as Emperor Shoko did not have an heir, so his father, the Retired Emperor Gokomatsu, attempted to select Prince Hikohito (Emperor Gohanazono) for an heir from the Fushiminomiya family, a branch of the Northern Court. On August 25, 1428, however, Seisho became dissatisfied with this and thus exiled from his residence in Saga (the present-day Kyoto City), looking to Mitsumasa KITABATAKE, who was an influential person of the Southern Court and appointed as Ise no kuni Kokushi (the governor of Ise Province), for help. In cooperation with Mochiuji ASHIKAGA, Kamakura kubo (Governor-general of the Kanto region) who had been in conflict with the shogunate in those days, Mitsumasa rose in revolt, being presided by Seisho. However, Mochiuji came to a settlement with the shogunate and thus the cooperation broke down; accordingly, Mitsumasa was defeated by Mochiyori TOKI, who was Shugo (Military Governor) of Ise Province, and died in the battle on February 3, 1429.
Although Seisho kept staying at Ise Province to further the revolt, his younger brother Akimasa KITABATAKE concluded peace with the shogunate, where the treatment of Seisho came to an issue: Seisho finally returned to Kyoto.
On this occasion, the shogunate required that 'Seisho's son would become a priest,' while Seisho required that 'the shogunate would make territorial lords present Seisho with 3,000 hiki per month for living expenses.'
Accordingly, Seisho's son became a priest at age 12 and identified himself Oguranomiya Kyoson. He was adopted by Yoshinori ASHIKAGA and entered Kaju-ji Temple. On the contrary, the shogunate never kept its promise to present Seisho with living expenses; therefore, Seisho was forced to be extremely badly off after he returned to Kyoto.
In March 1434, Shocho KAIMON (Emperor Chokei's prince) served as kaishi (the priest who imparts the Buddhist commandments) for Seisho to become a priest. Seisho identified himself as Oguranomiya Seisho thereafter. Seisho died on June 13, 1443. Kyoson, who was assumed to be the only bereaved child of Seisho, was also suspected of involvement in the Conspiracy of Kinketsu, and was exiled to Oki no shima Island. He became lost and the Oguranomiya family became extinct in the end.