Beginning
During the preceding Kamakura period (1185–1334), the Hōjō clan enjoyed absolute power in the governing of Japan. This monopoly of power, as well as the lack of a reward of lands after the defeat of Mongol invasion, led to simmering resentment among Hōjō vassals. Finally, in 1333, the Emperor Go-Daigo ordered local governing vassals to oppose Hōjō rule, in favor of Imperial restoration, in the Kenmu Restoration.
To counter this revolt, the Kamakura bakufu ordered Ashikaga Takauji to squash the uprising. For reasons that are unclear, possibly because Ashikaga was the de facto leader of the powerless Minamoto clan, while the Hōjō clan were from the Taira clan the Minamoto had previously defeated, Ashikaga turned against the Kamakura bakufu, and fought on behalf of the Imperial court.
After the successful overthrow of the Kamakura bakufu in 1336, Ashikaga Takauji set up his own bakufu in Kyoto.
Read more about this topic: Ashikaga Shogunate
Famous quotes containing the word beginning:
“I should be glad if all the meadows on the earth were left in a wild state, if that were the consequence of men’s beginning to redeem themselves.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“As soon as you begin to say “We have always done things this way—perhaps that might be a better way,” conscious law-making is beginning. As soon as you begin to say “We do things this way—they do things that way—what is to be done about it?” men are beginning to feel towards justice, that resides between the endless jar of right and wrong.”
—Helen M. Cam (1885–1968)
“What we call birth
Is but a beginning to be something else
Than what we were before; and when we cease
To be that something, then we call it death.”
—Ovid (Publius Ovidius Naso)