In the following year the Southern Dynasty's Chikafusa KITABATAKE and Masanori KUSUNOKI invaded Kyoto; and although three former Emperors, Kougon, Komyo, and Suko, were captured because Yoshiakira fled the capital and took refuge in Oumi province, he restored the name of the era to Kanno while recruiting an army to regain Kyoto, and enthroned Emperor Gokougon without the Three Sacred Treasures.
翌年に南朝の北畠親房や楠木正儀らが京都へ侵攻すると、義詮は京を逃れて近江国へ避難した結果、光厳天皇、光明天皇、崇光天皇の三太上天皇を奪われたが、観応の年号を復活させるとともに兵を募って京都を奪還し、三種の神器の無い状態で新たに後光厳天皇を即位させる。