According to the rule of Ryoto tetsuritsu (alternate accedence from two ancestries of imperial families), Emperor Komyo in the Jimyoin-to (imperial lineage from Emperor Gofukakusa to Emperor Gokomatsu) adopted Imperial Prince Nariyoshi who was a son of Emperor Godaigo in the Daikakuji-to (imperial lineage starting with Emperor Kameyama) as an heir.
両統迭立の伝統に従い、持明院統の光明天皇は、大覚寺統である後醍醐天皇の皇子成良親王を皇太子とした。