Kitabatake Chikafusa

Kitabatake Chikafusa (北畠 親房?, March 8, 1293 – June 1, 1354) was a Japanese court noble and writer of the 14th century who supported the Southern Court in the Nanboku-cho period, serving as advisor to five Emperors. Some of his greatest and most famous work was performed during the reign of Emperor Go-Daigo, under whom he proposed a series of reforms, amounting to a revival or restoration of political and economic systems of several centuries earlier. In addition to authoring a history of Japan and a number of works defending the right of Go-Daigo's line to the throne, Kitabatake fought in defense of the Southern Court as a member of the Murakami branch of the Minamoto clan.

Kitabatake, in his writings, held a strong distaste for the Ashikaga clan, the ruling family at the time who held the position of Shogun and maintained a rival Imperial court known as the Northern Court. This disdain came not only because they were warriors rather than nobles, who were clumsy and uncouth at Court, but because they were of a less distinguished branch of the famous Minamoto clan than Kitabatake's own Murakami branch. In particular, he disliked Ashikaga Takauji, the first Ashikaga shogun, who had originally supported Go-Daigo's claim to the Throne, but who ultimately headed the Northern Court and sought to destroy all who supported the Emperor's Southern Court.

Kitabatake also wrote of Nitta Yoshisada, one of the greatest military supporters of Go-Daigo, in a bad light. He saw Nitta as a warrior, little different from the Shoguns, but also accused him of never being available when the Emperor called upon him. Had Nitta been more available in the south of the country, instead of fighting his own battles in the north, Kitabatake claims, Nitta could have prevented the death of Kitabatake Akiie, Chikafusa's son.

When Go-Daigo died in 1339, Chikafusa was under siege in his stronghold in Hitachi Province. He sent copies of his major works to the new emperor, twelve-year-old Emperor Go-Murakami, advising him and his advisors. Though he is most well known for his writings and his role as Imperial advisor, Kitabatake was also a competent commander in battle, and held off the superior forces of the shogunate on many occasions. The siege of Hitachi lasted four years, and though his fortress ultimately fell to the supporters of the shogunate, Kitabatake escaped to Yoshino, the capital of the Southern Court, where he advised the Emperor until his own death in 1354.

Chikafusa is considered one of the greatest men of his time, along with his rival Ashikaga Takauji. Though his works are heavily colored by his personal bias and political motives, they are some of the most detailed accounts available on the history of Japan's feudal government and Imperial line.