Kozuke-Musashi Campaign
Encyclopedia
The Kōzuke-Musashi campaign was a rapid and direct assault during the Japanese Genkō War
by Nitta Yoshisada
that led up to the Siege of Kamakura
in 1333. It consisted of a number of battles over a brief period. The ultimate result was the ending of the Kamakura Shogunate
.
, which had never fully recovered from successfully fending off the Mongol Invasions
, was already engaging a resurgent imperial house under Go-Daigo during the Genkō War
. Go-Daigo's son Prince Morinaga
energetically organized an uprising against the Hōjō
recruiting a number of the key martial leaders that supported the Emperor including Kusunoki Masashige
. Early in 1333 Morninaga and Kusunoki, the latter being entrenched at Chihaya
, were the targets of a large army sent from Kamakura
to destroy the uprising. This left Kamakura relatively undefended.
Nitta Yoshisada
, who was originally supporting the Hojo Regents of Kamakura, was convinced to support the imperial cause. From his home base in Kōzuke Province
, Nitta and a group of other nobles including his brother Yoshisuke
took advantage of the lightly defended Kamakura and entered Musashi Province
in force. Following the important Kamakura Kaidō
highway, Nitta's army received fresh recruits along the way from local powerful clans and repeatedly engaged the Hojo
forces until reaching the outskirts of Kamakura, thus beginning the Siege of Kamakura
.
from Kōzuke
and joined the Kamakura Kaidō
at Sugaya. The principle battles were:
Genko War
The —also known as the —was a civil war in Japan which marked the fall of the Kamakura shogunate and end of the power of the Hōjō clan. The war thus preceded the Nanboku-chō period and the rise of the Ashikaga shogunate...
by Nitta Yoshisada
Nitta Yoshisada
was the head of the Nitta family in the early fourteenth century, and supported the Southern Court of Emperor Go-Daigo in the Nanboku-chō period, capturing Kamakura from the Hōjō clan in 1333....
that led up to the Siege of Kamakura
Siege of Kamakura (1333)
The 1333 siege of Kamakura was a battle of the Genkō War, and marked the end of the power of the Hōjō clan, which had dominated the regency of the Kamakura shogunate for over a century...
in 1333. It consisted of a number of battles over a brief period. The ultimate result was the ending of the Kamakura Shogunate
Kamakura shogunate
The Kamakura shogunate was a military dictatorship in Japan headed by the shoguns from 1185 to 1333. It was based in Kamakura. The Kamakura period draws its name from the capital of the shogunate...
.
Background
By the first part of the 14th century, the Kamakura ShogunateKamakura shogunate
The Kamakura shogunate was a military dictatorship in Japan headed by the shoguns from 1185 to 1333. It was based in Kamakura. The Kamakura period draws its name from the capital of the shogunate...
, which had never fully recovered from successfully fending off the Mongol Invasions
Mongol invasions of Japan
The ' of 1274 and 1281 were major military efforts undertaken by Kublai Khan to conquer the Japanese islands after the submission of Goryeo to vassaldom. Despite their ultimate failure, the invasion attempts are of macrohistorical importance, because they set a limit on Mongol expansion, and rank...
, was already engaging a resurgent imperial house under Go-Daigo during the Genkō War
Genko War
The —also known as the —was a civil war in Japan which marked the fall of the Kamakura shogunate and end of the power of the Hōjō clan. The war thus preceded the Nanboku-chō period and the rise of the Ashikaga shogunate...
. Go-Daigo's son Prince Morinaga
Prince Morinaga
was a son of Emperor Go-Daigo and Minamoto no Chikako executed by Ashikaga Tadayoshi in 1335.When Moriyoshi was 18, Go-Daigo had him named the head abbot of the Enryakuji temple on Mount Hiei....
energetically organized an uprising against the Hōjō
Hojo clan
See the late Hōjō clan for the Hōjō clan of the Sengoku Period.The in the history of Japan was a family who controlled the hereditary title of shikken of the Kamakura Shogunate. In practice, the family had actual governmental power, many times dictatorial, rather than Kamakura shoguns, or the...
recruiting a number of the key martial leaders that supported the Emperor including Kusunoki Masashige
Kusunoki Masashige
was a 14th century samurai who fought for Emperor Go-Daigo in his attempt to wrest rulership of Japan away from the Kamakura shogunate and is remembered as the ideal of samurai loyalty.-Tactician:...
. Early in 1333 Morninaga and Kusunoki, the latter being entrenched at Chihaya
Siege of Chihaya
The 1333 siege of Chihaya took place during the final year of Japan's Kamakura period. It was one of several battles of the Genkō War, in which Emperor Go-Daigo sought to eliminate the power of the Hōjō clan regents. Chihaya-jō was built atop Mt. Kongō, in Kawachi province, in 1332...
, were the targets of a large army sent from Kamakura
Kamakura, Kanagawa
is a city located in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, about south-south-west of Tokyo. It used to be also called .Although Kamakura proper is today rather small, it is often described in history books as a former de facto capital of Japan as the seat of the Shogunate and of the Regency during the...
to destroy the uprising. This left Kamakura relatively undefended.
Nitta Yoshisada
Nitta Yoshisada
was the head of the Nitta family in the early fourteenth century, and supported the Southern Court of Emperor Go-Daigo in the Nanboku-chō period, capturing Kamakura from the Hōjō clan in 1333....
, who was originally supporting the Hojo Regents of Kamakura, was convinced to support the imperial cause. From his home base in Kōzuke Province
Kozuke Province
was an old province located in the Tōsandō of Japan, which today comprises Gunma Prefecture. It is nicknamed as or .The ancient provincial capital was near modern Maebashi. During the Sengoku period, Kōzuke was controlled variously by Takeda Shingen, Uesugi Kenshin, the late Hōjō clan, and...
, Nitta and a group of other nobles including his brother Yoshisuke
Nitta Yoshisuke
thumb|200px also known as , was the brother of Nitta Yoshisada in the early fourteenth century, and supported the Southern Court of Emperor Go-Daigo in the Nanboku-cho period, capturing Kamakura with his brother from the Hōjō clan in 1333....
took advantage of the lightly defended Kamakura and entered Musashi Province
Musashi Province
was a province of Japan, which today comprises Tokyo Prefecture, most of Saitama Prefecture and part of Kanagawa Prefecture. It was sometimes called . The province encompassed Kawasaki and Yokohama...
in force. Following the important Kamakura Kaidō
Kamakura Kaido
is the generic name of a great number of roads built during the Kamakura period which, from all directions, converged on the military capital of Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. The term itself however was created probably during the Edo Period to mean simply any old road going to Kamakura; it...
highway, Nitta's army received fresh recruits along the way from local powerful clans and repeatedly engaged the Hojo
Hojo clan
See the late Hōjō clan for the Hōjō clan of the Sengoku Period.The in the history of Japan was a family who controlled the hereditary title of shikken of the Kamakura Shogunate. In practice, the family had actual governmental power, many times dictatorial, rather than Kamakura shoguns, or the...
forces until reaching the outskirts of Kamakura, thus beginning the Siege of Kamakura
Siege of Kamakura (1333)
The 1333 siege of Kamakura was a battle of the Genkō War, and marked the end of the power of the Hōjō clan, which had dominated the regency of the Kamakura shogunate for over a century...
.
The Campaign
Nitta's forces entered MusashiMusashi Province
was a province of Japan, which today comprises Tokyo Prefecture, most of Saitama Prefecture and part of Kanagawa Prefecture. It was sometimes called . The province encompassed Kawasaki and Yokohama...
from Kōzuke
Kozuke Province
was an old province located in the Tōsandō of Japan, which today comprises Gunma Prefecture. It is nicknamed as or .The ancient provincial capital was near modern Maebashi. During the Sengoku period, Kōzuke was controlled variously by Takeda Shingen, Uesugi Kenshin, the late Hōjō clan, and...
and joined the Kamakura Kaidō
Kamakura Kaido
is the generic name of a great number of roads built during the Kamakura period which, from all directions, converged on the military capital of Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. The term itself however was created probably during the Edo Period to mean simply any old road going to Kamakura; it...
at Sugaya. The principle battles were:
- Battle of KotesashiBattle of Kotesashi (1333)The was part of the decisive Kōzuke-Musashi Campaign during the Genkō War in Japan that ultimately ended the Kamakura Shogunate. Fought in present day Tokorozawa on May 11, 1333, it pitted the anti-shogunate imperial forces led by Nitta Yoshisada against the forces of the Hōjō Shogun. The next...
(May 11, 1333) - Battle of KumegawaBattle of KumegawaThe was part of the decisive Kōzuke-Musashi Campaign during the Genkō War in Japan that ultimately ended the Kamakura Shogunate. Fought in present day Higashimurayama at the foot of the Hachikokuyama ridge on May 12, 1333, it pitted the anti-shogunate imperial forces led by Nitta Yoshisada...
(May 12, 1333) - Battle of BubaigawaraBattle of BubaigawaraThe was part of the decisive Kōzuke-Musashi Campaign during the Genkō War in Japan that ultimately ended the Kamakura Shogunate. Fought in present day Fuchū on May 15 and 16, 1333, it pitted the anti-shogunate imperial forces led by Nitta Yoshisada against the forces of the Hōjō...
(and Sekido) (May 15–16, 1333)