Background and Objectives of the Kenmu Restoration
– The Emperors role had been usurped by the Minamoto and Hōjō families.
– The Kamakura shogunate allowed two contending imperial lines.
– Emperor Go-Daigo wanted to overthrow the shogunate and named his own son his heir.
– The shogunate exiled Go-Daigo but loyalist forces rebelled and supported him.
– Nitta Yoshisada attacked the shogunates capital, leading to its defeat.
– Emperor Go-Daigo intended to rule without interference from the military in Kamakura.
– He believed that a revival of the Imperial House was possible.
– The land-ownership problem posed by the manors and their lands needed a solution.
– The great landowners were impoverishing the government and undermining its authority.
– Go-Daigo had no intention of sharing power with the samurai class.
Failure of Go-Daigo’s Policies
– The Emperor failed to protect the rights of tenants and workers.
– He did not properly reward his minor samurai supporters.
– He made errors in redistributing Hōjō lands and failed to return control to civilians.
– The tribunals set up to reward samurai were inefficient and corrupt.
– Samurai anger grew due to extra taxes levied by Go-Daigo and resentment towards the nobility.
Rise of the Ashikaga Brothers
– Go-Daigo sent his son Prince Norinaga to Mutsu Province.
– Ashikaga Takauji’s younger brother installed his son as Governor of the Kōzuke Province.
– The appointment of a warrior to an important post showed the samurai class was not ready for civilian rule.
– Prince Morinaga and Prince Norinaga were appointed sei-i taishōgun, arousing Takauji’s hostility.
– Takauji believed the military class had the right to rule and considered himself a restorer of Minamoto power.
Overthrow of the Kenmu Restoration
– Takauji installed his office in the former Hōjō garrison at Rokuhara.
– The Ashikaga extended their authority and controlled travel along highways.
– Takauji became Shōgun and founded the Ashikaga Shogunate in 1336.
– The Northern and Southern Courts period and the Muromachi period began.
– The Kenmu Restoration was the last time the Emperor of Japan held significant power until the Meiji Restoration in 1868.
Subtopic 1: Prince Morinaga and Civil War
– Prince Morinaga was Takauji’s natural enemy and had the support of his adversaries.
– Tension between the Emperor and the Ashikaga grew, leading to Morinaga’s arrest and confinement.
– Hōjō supporters staged revolts in Kamakura during this time.
– Hōjō Tokiyuki tried to re-establish the shogunate by force and defeated Tadayoshi.
– Prince Morinaga was beheaded on the orders of Tadayoshi.
– Several thousand of the Emperor’s men were ready to go to Kamakura.
– A great army rushed to help Kamakura resist the attack.
– Tadayoshi issued a message asking samurai to join the Ashikaga and destroy Nitta Yoshisada.
– The Court ordered samurai to join Yoshisada and destroy the Ashikaga.
– The campaign was successful for the Ashikaga, with many samurai joining them.
Note: The content related to the Calendrical peculiarities of the era, See also section, and Notes section have been excluded from the groups as they do not fit into any specific category. Source URL:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenmu_Restoration
