Ashikaga Takauji

Ashikaga Takauji (August 18, 1305 – June 7, 1358) was the founder and first shogun of the Ashikaga shogunate. His rule began in 1338, starting the Muromachi Period, and ended with his death in 1358. He was of the Minamoto Seiwa Genji line, who were the descendants of Emperor Seiwa.

Role in Genkō War

Takauji came to prominence for his role in the Genkō War, a rebellion by Emperor Go-Daigo against the Kamakura regime. Go-Daigo attempted to restore the authority and power of the emperor, which had been lost to the rulers of the Kamakura shogunate.

In 1331, the shogunate had banished Go-Daigo to the Oki Islands but he escaped and raised an army in 1333, beginning the Genkō War. Ashikaga Takauji was sent after Go-Daigo and his supporters. However, Takauji was ambitious and wanted to be shogun. Furthermore, Takauji had grown disillusioned with the Kamakura regime. 

During the Kamakura period, the Hōjō clan came to rule as regents over child shoguns, who were mere figureheads. The Hōjō regent had real power becoming despotic. By the 14^th century the Hōjō had become estranged from the samurai, who were their main base of support. The Hōjō lived in luxury, while the samurai grew relatively poorer. Throughout the country, there was rebellion and disorder.

Takauji changed sides and joined Emperor Go-Daigo and other samurai such as Kusunoki Masashige and Nitta Yoshisada fighting the Hōjō.  Takauji seized Kyoto. Soon after, Nitta Yoshisada laid siege to Kamakura.  The Kamakura regime ended with the burning of Kamakura and the mass suicide of the Hōjō regents, Hōjō retainers, and family members.

Kenmu Restoration

After the end of the Kamakura regime, Emperor Go-Daigo attempted to bring back imperial power and civilian government, the Kenmu (or Kemmu) Restoration. Go-Daigo’s initiatives had a promising start; however, Go-Daigo made some serious mistakes particularly with Ashikaga Takauji that ultimately proved fatal to his restoration attempts,.

While Go-Daigo generously gave confiscated Hōjō property to religious institutions and to leading samurai, he neglected the minor samurai. The samurai clans became increasingly disillusioned. Aware of potential rebellion, Takauji informed Go-Daigo, who ignored his warnings.

Go-Daigo wanted to re-establish rule over Kamakura without sending a shogun there. Instead he gave the title to his sons, Prince Morinaga and Prince Norinaga. Six-year-old Prince Norinaga became Governor-General of the Mutsu and Dewa provinces. Not to be outdone, Ashikaga Takauji’s younger brother, Tadayoshi, installed one of his sons, eleven-year-old Nariyoshi, in Kamakura as Governor of Kōzuke province with himself as a deputy and de facto ruler.

Takauji believed the military class had the right to rule and, as a descendant of the Minamoto clan  and the Seiwa Genji line, he considered himself a restorer of Minamoto power and deserving of the title of sei-i tai shogun. He became the leader of the discontented samurai.

On the pretext that Prince Morinaga was plotting to seize the throne, Takauji arrested Morinaga and brought him to Kamakura. Around this time, Hōjō Tokiyuki, the surviving son of the last Kamakura regent, had raised an army to attempt to re-establish the Kamakura shogunate, the Nakasendai Rebellion. Ashikaga Tadayoshi was forced to flee Kamakura, but beheaded Prince Morinaga before he left.

Takauji asked Go-Daigo to make him seii tai shogun to quell the Hōjō uprising but Go-Daigo refused. So taking matters into his own hands, Takauji raised an army and defeated the Hōjō. He stayed in Kamakura and allotted Hōjō land and booty to his followers without permission from the court.

Because Ashikaga Takauji had acted without obtaining an authorizing imperial edict, Go-Daigo enlisted Nitta Yoshisada and other loyal samurai to attack the Ashikaga.

At first the forces loyal to Go-Daigo were successful. However, Takauji and Tadayoshi defeated Nitta Yoshisada at the Battle of Takenoshita. The Ashikaga were able to advance upon Kyoto and occupy it for a brief time but had to retreat to Kyūshū. In April 1336, Takauji allied with clans native to Kyūshū and defeated local allies of Go-Daigo, eventually obtaining complete control of Kyūshū.

Takauji and Tadayoshi gathered their forces and began an advance on Kyoto. Takauji left his four-year old son Yoshiakira to represent him in his absence from Kamakura. He entrusted three guardians over his son: Hosokawa Kiyouji, Uesugi Noriaki, and Shiba Ienaga. While this action seemed to ensure stability, in actuality it formally divided the country in two, with dual administrations for the east and the west, with similar authority and powers.

The Ashikaga brothers advanced upon Kyoto with a huge force on two fronts. Takauji with a flotilla reached the environs of present-day Kobe. Tadayoshi followed in parallel with a land force.

The Ashikaga had a huge advantage in forces: Go-Daigo’s mistakes had alienated many samurai and peasants. As the great Ashikaga army marched toward Kyoto, Kusunoki Masashige proposed reconciliation. Go-Daigo rejected this advice and ordered Masashige and Nitta Yoshisada into battle.  On July 4, 1336, at the Battle of Minatogawa, Ashikaga Takauji’s forces defeated the imperial forces and the great samurai Kusunoki Masashige died.

Ashikaga Takauji entered Kyoto and Go-Daigo fled to Mt Hiei. Takauji installed Emperor Kōmyō to replace Go-Daigo. This started the turbulent Northern and Southern Court period (Nanboku-chō), where there were two courts and two emperors, each claiming authority and legitimacy. Nanboku-chō would last for almost 60 more years.

In 1338 Takauji was appointed shogun by Kōmyō beginning the Ashikaga shogunate.

Kannō disturbance

Dividing power between them, Takauji took charge of military affairs and Tadayoshi of civil matters. Tadayoshi was very active in the government, often ruling in the name of Takauji. This led to simmering tensions, which reached a boiling point when Takauji appointed Kō no Moronae as his deputy. Moronae was the brother of Moroyasu, victor in the Battle of Shijōnawate. Tadayoshi opposed Moronae, perhaps his reputation for violence, greed, and lewdness having something to do with it. Tadayoshi tried many schemes to get rid of Moronae including assassination, but all failed. Rather, in 1349, it was Tadayoshi who was forced to leave government and become a Buddhist monk under the spiritual guidance of Musō Soseki.

Takauji replaced Tadayoshi with his son, Yoshiakira from Kamakura. Takauji replaced Yoshiakira with another of his sons, Motouji, to whom he gave the title of Kantō kanrei or “Kantō deputy.” The Kamakura area took on an interesting name in popular culture at the time: because the kanrei was the shogun’s son, ruled the Kantō region, and controlled the military there, it was called the “Kamakura bakufu” or Kamakura shogunate. Motouji was a child, so the real power lay with his guardians, the two trusted shitsuji assigned to help him, Uesugi Noriaki and Kō no Morofuyu.

In 1350, Tadayoshi joined his former enemies, the Southern Court. The Southern Court’s Emperor Go-Marakami appointed Tadayoshi as commander of his army. Joining him was Uesugi Noriaki (who had a quarrel with Kō no Moronae), whom Takauji had entrusted as shitsuji over his son Motouji.

Tadayoshi began the Kannō Disturbance. He had early success. In 1351, his forces defeated those of Takauji and occupied Kyoto. He also managed to capture and execute the Kō brothers, Moronae and Moroyasu. Morofuyu was later defeated by Uesugi Noriaki and committed seppuku.

In 1352 Takauji returned with a strong army and defeated Tadayoshi. After a brief reconciliation, Tadayoshi died rather suddenly in 1352; the Taiheiki, a historical account of the era, suggests by poisoning.

Uesugi Noriaki was exiled to Shimano Province where he became a monk.

In 1352, the sons of Nitta Yoshisada, Yoshioki and Yoshimune, took Kamakura, forcing Motouji to leave. Takauji’s forces eventually re-took Kamakura. After he left, he installed a new shitsuji for Mototouji, Hatakeyama Kunikiyo.

Ashikaga Takauji considered himself the rightful successor to the Kamakura shogunate and structured his government along the same lines. Ironically, he was forced to remain in Kyoto due to the fighting between the Northern Court and the Southern Court, a situation he and Tadayoshi created. The Ashikaga always had a tenuous hold of power and the feud between Tadayoshi and Takauji did not help matters. Takauji was never able to fully consolidate power, which proved problematic for his successors.

Both Tadayoshi and Takauji were disciples of famous Zen master, intellectual and garden designer Musō Soseki, under whose guidance Tadayoshi would later become a Buddhist monk. According to Musō Soseki, Takauji had three qualities: he kept his cool in battle and was not afraid of death; he was merciful and tolerant; and, he was very generous with those below him.

Takauji was a highly cultured man, who composed waka (31-syllable poems) and renga (linked verse). He also contributed to the development of the Zen sect, for which he built several temples, including Tenryū Temple at Kyoto.

Takauji’s son Ashikaga Yoshiakira succeeded him as shogun after his death. Yoshiakira inherited a rather unstable situation because of the Kannō Disturbance, divided loyalties of the samurai, and the resurging Southern Court.

Takauji’s son Ashikaga Motouji was sent to help stabilize the general situation in the Kantō region. He even had to deal with the Nitta heirs, capturing Nitta Yoshioki, whom he drowned. He was able to reconcile with Uesugi Noriaki to keep the peace. His position became known as the Kantō kubō. The term “kubō” was first used by Takauji himself to imply equality with the shogun. Motouji stayed loyal but his son, Ashikaga Ujimitsu (1359-1398) and each following Kantō kubō aspired to be shogun, which became a constant headache for the Ashikaga shoguns in Kyoto. 

Takauji’s grandson, Yoshimitsu (1358 – 1408) became the third Ashikaga shogun. Beginning from an early age, his advisor, Hosokawa Yoriyuki attempted to reconcile with the court nobility by having Yoshimitsu participate in the court ranking system. This was to erase the stigma that Takauji was a traitor who fought against the restoration of imperial power. Yoshimitsu united the Northern and Southern courts in 1392.

The split between the Northern and Southern Courts begged the question: which is legitimate? Many who pondered the question came to the conclusion that since Go-Daigo never freely abdicated and kept the Imperial Regalia, the Southern Court was legitimate during its existence. If so, that leads to the conclusion that those who fought for the Southern Court were loyalist heroes and the Ashikaga were viewed as traitors. By the 1930s, during a time of ultra-nationalism, emperor worship, and military aggression, Ashikaga Takauji was considered the most heinous person in Japan’s history.