In the Period of the Northern and Southern Courts, in which the Kyoto Court (Northern Court [Japan]) and Yoshino Court (Southern Court) both stood, the Emperor Godaigo, who set up the Southern Court in the middle of Mt. Yoshino, not only ordered Yoshisada NITTA to dispatch the Imperial Prince Kanenaga and the Imperial Prince Tsuneyoshi to Hokuriku region and appointed the Imperial Prince Korenaga Seisei shogun to dispatch him to Kyushu region, but also dispatched other imperial princes of his own to various places such as the Imperial Prince Muneyoshi to the eastern Japan, and the Imperial Prince Norinaga to Mutsu Province, in order to oppose the Northern Court.
吉野の山中にて南朝を開き、京都朝廷(北朝(日本))と吉野朝廷（南朝）が並立する南北朝時代に後醍醐天皇は、尊良親王や恒良親王らを新田義貞に命じて北陸へ向かわせたほか、懐良親王を征西将軍に任じて九州へ、宗良親王を東国へ、義良親王を陸奥国へと、各地に自分の皇子を送って北朝方に対抗させようとした。