The Imperial forces loyal to Emperor Go-Daigo led by Kusunoki Masashige and Nitta Yoshisada attempted to intercept the Ashikaga forces led by Ashikaga Takauji in Settsu. The Ashikaga invaded from Kyushu after consolidating their forces at the Battle of Tatarahama and attacked the Imperial force at the Minato River from land and sea. The Imperial force was surrounded and destroyed by Ashikaga, killing Kusunoki and causing Yoshisada to retreat, and allowing the Ashikaga to march to Kyoto.
The Battle of Minatogawa was a major defeat for the Imperial loyalists but became famous in Japanese mythology for the loyalty displayed by Kusunoki to the Emperor in the face of certain death and defeat.[2]
In February 1336, the defeat of the rebellious Ashikaga clan in the Nanboku-chō Wars forced Ashikaga Takauji to flee the capital Kyoto for the island of Kyushu. With this position of strength, the Imperial general Kusunoki Masashige had attempted to persuade Emperor Go-Daigo to seek peace with the Ashikaga. However, believing that the threat of the Ashikaga clan could be eliminated, Go-Daigo refused and ordered Nitta Yoshisada to assemble the force to defeat the Ashikaga armies.[3] Yoshisada launched his campaign as ordered, but when Akamatsu Norimura sided with the Ashikaga he was led into a protracted siege defending Shirahata Castle in Harima Province. With the Imperial forces distracted by the siege, the Ashikaga had time to regroup and consolidate its forces in Kyushu by winning the Battle of Tatarahama against Imperial loyalists in April. Immediately, Takauji launched the counter-invasion against the Imperial forces, advancing into Honshu by land and sea. Yoshisada was informed of Takauji's advance and ended the siege at Shirohata Castle, attempting to find a better defensive position against the Ashikaga invasion by retreating to Hyogo.[3]
Battle
Troops disposition at Minatogawa
Emperor Go-Daigo ordered Kusunoki to gather his force and to reinforce Yoshisada in Settsu despite the strategic flaws of the plan. Kusunoki proposed that the Emperor and Imperial forces hide on Mount Hiei near Kyoto, allowing the Ashikaga to enter the city and attacking from the mountain, trapping them and forcing them to defend the city while harassing their supply route. Go-Daigo rejected the proposal, refusing to leave Kyoto, and after failing to argue for the strategy, Kusunoki ordered his eldest son, Kusunoki Masatsura, back to his domain to continue the war before advancing to successfully join Yoshisada. The Imperial force had no naval force to prevent itself from being surrounded, but chose a defendable position near the Minato River and extended its troop east to attempt to prevent a landing from sea to the south.[4]
The Ashikaga force chose to encircle and destroy the Imperial force. The main land force led by Ashikaga Tadayoshi attacked the Imperials from the west to tie down Masashige, with Shoni Yorihisa launching a side attack from the south and Shiba Takatsune circling from the north to attack from behind. The landing of Hosokawa Jozen further to the east forced Yoshisada to avoid an encirclement by pulling back and Kusunoki was quickly surrounded with Takauji landing his naval force between two Imperial forces without any interference. Abandoned by the main Imperial force, the Kusunoki clan force was quickly overwhelmed and Kusunoki Masashige, his brother Kusunoki Masasue, and all his clansmen were subsequently killed.[1]: 133 [3][5] Yoshisada was forced back to Kyoto which was quickly abandoned as undefendable and Go-Daigo retreated to the religious sanctuary of Mount Hiei, which he had previously refused to do.[3]: 54
The unimpeded force of Ashikaga clan entered Kyoto and enthroned Emperor Kōmyō, beginning the Northern Court-Southern Court rivalry of the Nanboku-chō period as Go-Daigo fled Kyoto to Yoshino.
Cultural significance
The Battle of Minatogawa and series of battles are recorded with drama and exaggeration of accounts in Taiheiki, a historical epic which provides the wealth of information known to this period. During the Edo period, Kusunoki, despite only commanding a fraction of the Imperial force, became a figure of loyalty for choosing to sacrifice himself for the Imperial family against the impossible odds, with Tokugawa Mitsukuni writing the epitaph and Minatogawa Shrine consecrated on 24 May 1872 to cement his fame. The battle was commonly taught as a morality tale until the end of World War II, and Captain Goro Nonaka criticized the use of Ohka by 721st Naval Air Group comparing it to this battle as a sign of futility.[citation needed]
battle, minatogawa, japanese, 湊川の戰い, also, known, battle, minato, river, battle, nanboku, chō, wars, fought, near, minato, river, settsu, province, present, kobe, hyōgo, prefecture, july, 1336, part, nanboku, chō, warsdate5, july, 1336locationnear, minato, riv. The Battle of Minatogawa Japanese 湊川の戰い also known as the Battle of Minato River was a battle of the Nanboku chō Wars fought near the Minato River in Settsu Province present day Kobe Hyōgo Prefecture on 5 July 1336 Battle of MinatogawaPart of the Nanboku chō WarsBattle of MinatogawaDate5 July 1336Locationnear the Minato River Settsu Province present day Kobe Hyōgo Prefecture 34 40 47 9 N 135 9 57 1 E 34 679972 N 135 165861 E 34 679972 135 165861 Coordinates 34 40 47 9 N 135 9 57 1 E 34 679972 N 135 165861 E 34 679972 135 165861ResultAshikaga victoryBelligerentsAshikaga clanImperial loyalist forcesCommanders and leadersAshikaga TakaujiAshikaga TadayoshiKō no MoroyasuKusunoki Masashige Nitta YoshisadaStrength35 000 1 17 500 1 Casualties and losses Kusunoki force decimatedclass notpageimage Location within Japan The Imperial forces loyal to Emperor Go Daigo led by Kusunoki Masashige and Nitta Yoshisada attempted to intercept the Ashikaga forces led by Ashikaga Takauji in Settsu The Ashikaga invaded from Kyushu after consolidating their forces at the Battle of Tatarahama and attacked the Imperial force at the Minato River from land and sea The Imperial force was surrounded and destroyed by Ashikaga killing Kusunoki and causing Yoshisada to retreat and allowing the Ashikaga to march to Kyoto The Battle of Minatogawa was a major defeat for the Imperial loyalists but became famous in Japanese mythology for the loyalty displayed by Kusunoki to the Emperor in the face of certain death and defeat 2 Contents 1 Background 2 Battle 3 Cultural significance 4 See also 5 ReferencesBackground EditIn February 1336 the defeat of the rebellious Ashikaga clan in the Nanboku chō Wars forced Ashikaga Takauji to flee the capital Kyoto for the island of Kyushu With this position of strength the Imperial general Kusunoki Masashige had attempted to persuade Emperor Go Daigo to seek peace with the Ashikaga However believing that the threat of the Ashikaga clan could be eliminated Go Daigo refused and ordered Nitta Yoshisada to assemble the force to defeat the Ashikaga armies 3 Yoshisada launched his campaign as ordered but when Akamatsu Norimura sided with the Ashikaga he was led into a protracted siege defending Shirahata Castle in Harima Province With the Imperial forces distracted by the siege the Ashikaga had time to regroup and consolidate its forces in Kyushu by winning the Battle of Tatarahama against Imperial loyalists in April Immediately Takauji launched the counter invasion against the Imperial forces advancing into Honshu by land and sea Yoshisada was informed of Takauji s advance and ended the siege at Shirohata Castle attempting to find a better defensive position against the Ashikaga invasion by retreating to Hyogo 3 Battle Edit Troops disposition at Minatogawa Emperor Go Daigo ordered Kusunoki to gather his force and to reinforce Yoshisada in Settsu despite the strategic flaws of the plan Kusunoki proposed that the Emperor and Imperial forces hide on Mount Hiei near Kyoto allowing the Ashikaga to enter the city and attacking from the mountain trapping them and forcing them to defend the city while harassing their supply route Go Daigo rejected the proposal refusing to leave Kyoto and after failing to argue for the strategy Kusunoki ordered his eldest son Kusunoki Masatsura back to his domain to continue the war before advancing to successfully join Yoshisada The Imperial force had no naval force to prevent itself from being surrounded but chose a defendable position near the Minato River and extended its troop east to attempt to prevent a landing from sea to the south 4 The Ashikaga force chose to encircle and destroy the Imperial force The main land force led by Ashikaga Tadayoshi attacked the Imperials from the west to tie down Masashige with Shoni Yorihisa launching a side attack from the south and Shiba Takatsune circling from the north to attack from behind The landing of Hosokawa Jozen further to the east forced Yoshisada to avoid an encirclement by pulling back and Kusunoki was quickly surrounded with Takauji landing his naval force between two Imperial forces without any interference Abandoned by the main Imperial force the Kusunoki clan force was quickly overwhelmed and Kusunoki Masashige his brother Kusunoki Masasue and all his clansmen were subsequently killed 1 133 3 5 Yoshisada was forced back to Kyoto which was quickly abandoned as undefendable and Go Daigo retreated to the religious sanctuary of Mount Hiei which he had previously refused to do 3 54 The unimpeded force of Ashikaga clan entered Kyoto and enthroned Emperor Kōmyō beginning the Northern Court Southern Court rivalry of the Nanboku chō period as Go Daigo fled Kyoto to Yoshino Cultural significance EditThe Battle of Minatogawa and series of battles are recorded with drama and exaggeration of accounts in Taiheiki a historical epic which provides the wealth of information known to this period During the Edo period Kusunoki despite only commanding a fraction of the Imperial force became a figure of loyalty for choosing to sacrifice himself for the Imperial family against the impossible odds with Tokugawa Mitsukuni writing the epitaph and Minatogawa Shrine consecrated on 24 May 1872 to cement his fame The battle was commonly taught as a morality tale until the end of World War II and Captain Goro Nonaka criticized the use of Ohka by 721st Naval Air Group comparing it to this battle as a sign of futility citation needed See also EditTaiheiki Minatogawa ShrineReferences Edit a b c Morris Ivan 1975 The Nobility of Failure Holt Rinehart and Winston pp 132 ISBN 9780030108112 Turnbull Stephen 1998 The Samurai Sourcebook Cassell amp Co pp 206 208 ISBN 1 85409 523 4 a b c d Sansom George 1961 A History of Japan 1334 1615 Stanford University Press pp 44 53 ISBN 0804705259 Turnbull Stephen 1977 The Samurai A Military History MacMillan Publishing Co Inc pp 101 102 ISBN 0026205408 Sato Hiroaki 1995 Legends of the Samurai Overlook Duckworth pp 186 187 ISBN 9781590207307 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Battle of Minatogawa amp oldid 1139445324, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
