Since Emperor Antoku took three sacred emblems of the Imperial Family with him, together with the Taira clan, in their absence there was an emergency plan: the Cloistered Emperor Go-Shirakawa ordered Emperor Go-Toba to succeed to the Imperial Throne as a command from a former Emperor.
三種の神器を安徳天皇とともに平氏が持ち去ったために神器が無い場合の緊急避難措置として後白河法皇の院宣により即位した。