After Kusunoki Masashige's death in the Battle of Minatogawa, his son, Kusunoki Masatsura, continued his work supporting the Southern Imperial Court in the Nanboku-chō period war. He took on his father's legacy not only as a duty, but also as a way to remain faithful to the ideals for which Masashige had given his life.
In 1347, Masatsura conducted several successful campaigns against supporters of the shogunate and the Northern Court. His military operations covered the provinces of Kii, Izumo, and Settsu. In these campaigns, he managed to strengthen the position of the Southern Court and show that his father's legacy lived on in him.
Masatsura's victory at Sakainoura is particularly noteworthy. An army led by Hosokawa Akiuji was sent there to capture him, but Masatsura's troops managed to defeat the enemy.
In 1348, the shogunate assembled a powerful force and sent it to the city of Yoshino. This was the location of the temporary imperial palace of the Southern Court, and the threat was deadly for the emperor and his entourage.
Masatsura realized that it would be impossible to defend the emperor's residence under such conditions and decided to lead his troops out to meet the enemy. At the same time, his ally, Kitabatake Chikafusa, headed towards Izumo, drawing part of the enemy's forces away with him, thereby easing the pressure on the Southern Court.
According to legend, Masatsura challenged the leader of the shogunate's forces, Ko Moroyasu, to a personal duel. He almost won the battle, but was struck by an enemy arrow, ending his career as a warrior.
According to other sources, Masatsura fought alongside his warriors. When the shogunate army began to gain the upper hand due to its numerical superiority, he retreated to the Nyoirinji temple. There, Masatsura composed a death poem and, following samurai tradition, committed seppuku.
Victory went to the Northern Court army. However, the Southern Court emperor and his entourage managed to escape from Yoshino. Thanks to this, the resistance was not broken, and the confrontation between the two courts continued.
See also
-
The Siege of Unokuchi Castle
One of the important steps in the career of every Japanese commander was the uijin, the first military campaign in which he took part. For the legendary Takeda Shingen, according to some sources, this campaign was the siege of Unokuchi Castle.
-
Battle of Arita-Nakai
By 1517, Takeda Motoshige, lord of Kanyama Castle, was probably the most influential daimyo in Aki Province. Ten years earlier, he had served as a vassal of the Ōuchi clan and participated in Ōuchi Yoshiyuki's campaign in Kyoto. This campaign was part of an effort to support the deposed shogun Ashikaga Yoshitane.
-
The Siege of Arai Castle
Hojo Nagauji (Soun) (1432–1519) went down in Japanese history as one of the most notable figures of his time. He is considered a prime example of a gokoku-jo daimyo. The process of gokoku-jo literally means “the lower classes defeat the upper classes” and in Japanese history was expressed, among other things, in the elevation of minor samurai to the status of owners of entire provinces.
-
Battle of Sakai
Ōuchi Yoshihiro was an influential shugo of the provinces of Suō and Nagato and played an important role as a supporter of the Ashikaga clan during the war with the Southern Court. His greatest achievement was forcing the Southern Court emperor to surrender in 1392, which brought an end to the Nanboku-chō period. This victory strengthened the Ashikaga clan's position and marked the end of the long-standing rivalry between the two imperial lines.
-
Battle of Minatogawa
After his defeat by Nitta Yoshisada in 1336, Ashikaga Takauji completely restored his forces and secured the support of three powerful clans in Kyushu: the Sōni, Shimazu, and Otomo. In addition, he received significant reinforcements from Shikoku Island under the command of Hosokawa. Having thus strengthened his army, Ashikaga Takauji marched on Kyoto.
-
The Siege of Tihaya Castle
Tihaya Castle was built by Kusunoki Masashige on top of Mount Kongo, separated from the neighboring hills by a deep ravine. The terrain itself provided natural protection, making the position extremely convenient for defense.
-
The Siege of Akasaka Fort
Kusunoki Masashige, hero of the Genko Rebellion (1331–1333), was a talented commander and inventive strategist. The two sieges of castles where he acted as defender are inscribed in gold letters in the history of Japanese military art.
-
The Battle of Itinotani
After the death of Minamoto no Yoshinaka, the Genpei War entered its final phase, which is closely associated with the name of Minamoto no Yoshitsune. On March 13, 1184, he and his brother Noriyori set out to accomplish what their cousin had failed to do: deliver a final defeat to the Taira.
