3.1 Kamakura Period 1185-1333

Time Line

When Emperor Go-Shirakawa acceded to the throne, the military was already a potentially potent force. Hogen no ran resulted in replacing the old leaders and led to increasing importance of the two military clans, the Taira (Heike) and the Minamoto (Genji). After the Taira defeat in the Genpei War, real political power resided with the Minamoto clan, led by Minamoto Yoritomo.

After Heiji no ran, Taira no Kiyomori had spared Minamoto Yoshitomo’s young sons, Yoritomo, Noriyori, and Yoshitsune.  Following his father’s execution, Yoritomo was exiled and held as hostage of the Hōjō family whose leader was Hōjō Tokimasa. Yoritomo married Tokimasa’s daughter, Hōjō Masako, establishing an alliance. Later, Yoritomo became the head of the Minamoto clan.

At the start of The Genpei War (1180-1185), Yoritomo consolidated his power in the east as lord of Kamakura by having his housemen and supporters give an oath of allegiance under the scrutiny of Yoritomo’s Board of Samurai. The oath began a process of differentiating the samurai as a self-conscious class. Yoritomo usurped the monarchy’s authority to confirm landholdings and office regarding military personnel. He also helped the monarchy with money. For this, Go-Shirakawa bestowed 5^th court rank on Yoritomo. After the war, Yoritomo took over Taira property and distributed it to his warriors. Then he began to consolidate.

Yoritomo had no elder relatives who might contend for power. His brother, Yoshitsune, the great hero of the Genpei War violated his orders not to accept emoluments from the monarchy. Yoshitomo convince Go-Shirakawa that Yoshitsune and his uncle, Minamoto no Yukiiye, were fermenting rebellion. Yoritomo assassinated Minamoto Yukiiye and all his children.  Then Yoritomo chased Yoshitsune throughout Japan, finally catching and killing him. Later he had his brother, Noriyori, assassinated, which left no brothers, no father, no uncle, no cousin, and no outside rivals. Yoritomo was the master of Japan.

Yoritomo’s wife, Hōjō Masako and her father, Hōjō Tokimasa had their own consolidation plan. Yoritomo and Masako had two sons: Yoriie and Sanetomo. After Yoritomo’s death, Yoriie took over. When Yoriie began to favor his wife’s family, Masako and Tokimasa, in a father-daughter venture, killed Yoriie’s wife’s family. Yoriie abdicated and died soon after. Masako believed that Tokimasa had Yoriie assassinated. After Sanetomo became shogun, Masako kept him well protected from Hōjō Tokimasa, who retired to a monastery, and lived there to the ripe old age of 78. However, Yorii’s son killed Sanetomo and then he was executed.  Thus ended Yoritomo’s line. Afterwards, Masako adopted an aristocratic infant and the Hōjō clan became the rulers of Japan.

Yoritomo was awarded the title sei-itai shōgun. The Hōjō acquired the title for several figureheads for whom they acted as regents. Yoritomo set up the bakufu (“tent government”), which was a government of military rule. He took over the estate system to collect his military tax. He set up a new system to run the estates comprised of tsuibushi (constables) or shugo (“protectors”) or governors who oversaw stewards, assigned vassals to guard service, and kept law and order.  The estate stewards or jito were independent of the military governors and received income rights (shiki) guaranteed by Kamakura not Kyoto. Yoritomo’s samurai-dokoro (“service room” or “orderly room”), assigned military duties and rewards and punishment to samurai, including regulations governing their private lives. He reformed the legal system, promulgating the Joei Code in 1232. It was a collection of Minamoto house law. For many years, the board was renowned for its just opinions and grew in power and prestige.

The Kamakura Period was named for military regime established in the seacoast town, Kamakura. The Kamakura regime sought not to displace Kyoto but to keep the peace and dispense justice while the royal court continued to perform essential rituals and ceremonies.

For developments in Buddhism during the Kamakura Period.