This week: war in the Ashikaga age. Plus; the reign of Ashikaga Yoshimitsu is generally considered the zenith of Ashikaga prestige, but why was his power built on such shaky foundations? Once the Ashikaga had seized control of Japan, how did they go about actually governing it?
Sources
Sansom, George B. A History of Japan, 1334-1615.
Conlan, Thomas. State of War: The Violent Order of Fourteenth Century Japan
Conlan, Thomas. The Culture of Force and Farce: Fourteenth Century Japanese Warfare.
Grossberg, Kenneth. Japan’s Renaissance: The Politics of the Muromachi Bakufu.
Mass, Jeffrey. The Bakufu in Japanese History.
Images
Nasu no Yoichi from the Heike Monogatari. Attempts to live up to feats of heroes like Yoichi were the driving force behind Muromachi period battles.A scene from the Taiheiki; note that each warrior is individually labeled. This print is from the Edo era, but the Taiheiki text it is lifted from mimics the Heike Monogatari in prizing individual accomplishment as the hallmark of the samurai.
Kinkakuji, the “retirement home” of Ashikaga Yoshimitsu. Built as a Buddhist temple in the style popular on the Chinese mainland.Ashikaga Yoshinori; chosen by lot to be shogun, he was probably the last person of real competence to hold the post.
