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==The Rise of Takauji==

==The Rise of Takauji==

In December 1335 a punitive expedition led by the Emperor's son Takanaga and Nitta Yoshisada marched out from Kyoto and defeated an advance force commanded by Tadayoshi in Mikawa province. The Imperialists pressed eastward, only to be mauled by Takauji himself in the Ashigara pass of the Hakone Mountains. A following battle in Suruga sent Go-Daigo's army fleeing westward, pursued by the Ashikaga. On 23 February Takauji's army fought its way into Kyoto but failed to capture Go-Daigo, who had taken up with the warrior monks of the Enryakuji. Takauji himself arrived two days later and began what would prove to be an extremely short-lived occupation of Kyoto. At the same time, the loyalist general Kitabatake Akiie had gathered an army and drove on the capital, gratefully accepting the full assistance of the Enryakuji. Within days of entering the capital, Takauji found himself forced to defend it against Kitabatake, and after four days retreated to Settsu. Takauji eventually made his way to Kyushu, on the way making various promises and appointments to drum up a considerable amount of support from the western families. Once on Kyushu, a brief campaign was required to defeat the sole source of notable opposition to the Ashikaga on the island, the Kikuchi. The Kikuchi were defeated at the [[Battle of Tadara no hama]] on 14 April [[1336]], and Takauji now had a secure base of operations and the support of the Kyushu warrior families, including the Shimazu, [[Matsuura clan|Matsuura]], [[Otomo clan|Otomo]], and [[Shoni clan|Shoni]]. Adding these clans to those already in the Ashikaga camp (the [[Hosokawa clan|Hosokawa]], [[Akamatsu clan|Akamatsu]], [[Imagawa clan|Imagawa]], [[Isshiki clan|Isshiki]], Nikki, Uesugi, [[Ko clan|Ko]], and [[Ouchi clan|Ouchi]]) rounded out a formidable coalition that was far more formidable then the army Takauji had marched to Kyoto with. Nonetheless, Takauji could not afford to dally on Kyushu for long: at other points throughout the country Go-Daigo's forces were pressing those Ashikaga bastions left behind, including those in the Kanto and the eastern Chugoku provinces. In June Takauji headed back towards Kyoto, setting part of his army on the march through western Honshu and the other slowly advancing via ship.

In December 1335 a punitive expedition led by the Emperor's son Takanaga and Nitta Yoshisada marched out from Kyoto and defeated an advance force commanded by Tadayoshi in Mikawa province. The Imperialists pressed eastward, only to be mauled by Takauji himself in the Ashigara pass of the Hakone Mountains. A following battle in Suruga sent Go-Daigo's army fleeing westward, pursued by the Ashikaga. On 23 February Takauji's army fought its way into Kyoto but failed to capture Go-Daigo, who had taken up with the warrior monks of the Enryakuji. Takauji himself arrived two days later and began what would prove to be an extremely short-lived occupation of Kyoto. At the same time, the loyalist general Kitabatake Akiie had gathered an army and drove on the capital, gratefully accepting the full assistance of the Enryakuji. Within days of entering the capital, Takauji found himself forced to defend it against Kitabatake, and after four days retreated to Settsu. Takauji eventually made his way to Kyushu, on the way making various promises and appointments to drum up a considerable amount of support from the western families. Once on Kyushu, a brief campaign was required to defeat the sole source of notable opposition to the Ashikaga on the island, the Kikuchi. The Kikuchi were defeated at the [[Battle of Tadara no hama]] on 14 April [[1336]], and Takauji now had a secure base of operations and the support of the Kyushu warrior families, including the Shimazu, [[Matsura clan|Matsura]], [[Otomo clan|Otomo]], and [[Shoni clan|Shoni]]. Adding these clans to those already in the Ashikaga camp (the [[Hosokawa clan|Hosokawa]], [[Akamatsu clan|Akamatsu]], [[Imagawa clan|Imagawa]], [[Isshiki clan|Isshiki]], Nikki, Uesugi, [[Ko clan|Ko]], and [[Ouchi clan|Ouchi]]) rounded out a formidable coalition that was far more formidable then the army Takauji had marched to Kyoto with. Nonetheless, Takauji could not afford to dally on Kyushu for long: at other points throughout the country Go-Daigo's forces were pressing those Ashikaga bastions left behind, including those in the Kanto and the eastern Chugoku provinces. In June Takauji headed back towards Kyoto, setting part of his army on the march through western Honshu and the other slowly advancing via ship.

Faced with Takauji's inexorable movement towards Kyoto, Go-Daigo was pressed by Nitta and the court for immediate action, with Nitta advocating an all-out battle with Takauji's army to end the war decisively. [[Kusunoki Masashige]] was against a direct approach due to the disparity in numbers but in the end Go-Daigo decided to fight. Often presented as foolishness on his part (especially to highlight the tragedy of Masashige's resulting death), Go-Daigo's decision may simply have been realistic. Taking to the hills again (as Kusunoki suggested) would probably have only delayed the inevitable. Most of the country's important samurai families were either already on Takauji's side or leaning that way-Go-Daigo's [[Kemmu Restoration]] was in fact already over.

Faced with Takauji's inexorable movement towards Kyoto, Go-Daigo was pressed by Nitta and the court for immediate action, with Nitta advocating an all-out battle with Takauji's army to end the war decisively. [[Kusunoki Masashige]] was against a direct approach due to the disparity in numbers but in the end Go-Daigo decided to fight. Often presented as foolishness on his part (especially to highlight the tragedy of Masashige's resulting death), Go-Daigo's decision may simply have been realistic. Taking to the hills again (as Kusunoki suggested) would probably have only delayed the inevitable. Most of the country's important samurai families were either already on Takauji's side or leaning that way-Go-Daigo's [[Kemmu Restoration]] was in fact already over.

On the morning of 5 July, a day that promised to be hot and humid, Takauji gave the order to move to contact. Tadayoshi advanced eastward, his main body flanked to the south by [[Shoni Yorihisa]] and to the north by the warriors of the Shiba clan. While Takauji sailed around and prepared for a landing just east of the Minatogawa's mouth, Tadayoshi clashed with Kusunoki's picked men and soon became heavily engaged. [[Wakiya Sagisuke]] had repulsed a landing by Hosokawa and now Jozen moved to make another try further up the coast. Meanwhile, the Shoni had moved around Kusunoki's hard-pressed troops and clashed with Nitta's forward ranks. To the north, Shiba outflanked Kusunoki and advanced on Nitta's right. By this point, Takauji had landed and after regrouping struck Nitta's front. At this critical stage in the battle, Nitta received word that Hosokawa had landed behind the Imperialist army near the Ikutagawa. Nitta realized that the possibility now existed that Takauji might trap the defending army and defeat it in detail. Panicking and pressed from all sides, Yoshisada sounded a general retreat, which, unfortunately, left Kusunoki isolated. That redoubtable warrior fought against hopeless odds until he took his own life, by which time the battle was more or less decided. Go-Daigo's one hope for securing a continuation of his restoration had ended in complete defeat, and while Nitta and other surviving loyalists would fight on elsewhere, Takauji was triumphant.

On the morning of 5 July, a day that promised to be hot and humid, Takauji gave the order to move to contact. Tadayoshi advanced eastward, his main body flanked to the south by [[Shoni Yorihisa]] and to the north by the warriors of the Shiba clan. While Takauji sailed around and prepared for a landing just east of the Minatogawa's mouth, Tadayoshi clashed with Kusunoki's picked men and soon became heavily engaged. [[Wakiya Sagisuke]] had repulsed a landing by Hosokawa and now Jozen moved to make another try further up the coast. Meanwhile, the Shoni had moved around Kusunoki's hard-pressed troops and clashed with Nitta's forward ranks. To the north, Shiba outflanked Kusunoki and advanced on Nitta's right. By this point, Takauji had landed and after regrouping struck Nitta's front. At this critical stage in the battle, Nitta received word that Hosokawa had landed behind the Imperialist army near the Ikutagawa. Nitta realized that the possibility now existed that Takauji might trap the defending army and defeat it in detail. Panicking and pressed from all sides, Yoshisada sounded a general retreat, which, unfortunately, left Kusunoki isolated. That redoubtable warrior fought against hopeless odds until he took his own life, by which time the battle was more or less decided. Go-Daigo's one hope for securing a continuation of his restoration had ended in complete defeat, and while Nitta and other surviving loyalists would fight on elsewhere, Takauji was triumphant.

Nitta managed to hold off the oncoming Ashikaga samurai long enough for Go-Daigo to flee Kyoto for the relative safety of the Enryakuji on Mt. Hiei. Takauji entered Kyoto a month or so after Minatogawa and received retired emperor Kogon-in, whom he rewarded generously. Anxious to put an end to the war while he was so far ahead, Takauji launched an attack on Mt. Hiei that made little progress. A loyalist counter-attack on 7 August caused some damage to Kyoto but resulted in the death of the force's commander, [[Nawa Nagatoshi]]. A virtual stalemate settled over the area, not broken until October, when Nitta Yoshisada failed in an attempt to drive Takauji from Kyoto. Continued resistance from Mt. Hiei was becoming more and more pointless, and perhaps to buy time Go-Daigo agreed to a cease-fire. He handed over the Imperial Regalia to the Ashikaga and fled to Yoshino while Nitta Yoshisada went with Prince [[Takanaga]] and holed up in southern Echizen. Takauji invested the Regalia on Prince [[Yakuhito]], retired emperor Kogon-in's brother, who reigned as the Emperor [[Komyo]]. Knowing that there was likely to be much fighting left to be done, Takauji made immediate rewards to those who had followed him to Kyoto and any who responded to subsequent calls to arms.

Nitta managed to hold off the oncoming Ashikaga samurai long enough for Go-Daigo to flee Kyoto for the relative safety of the Enryakuji on Mt. Hiei. Takauji entered Kyoto a month or so after Minatogawa and received retired emperor Kogon-in, whom he rewarded generously. Anxious to put an end to the war while he was so far ahead, Takauji launched an attack on Mt. Hiei that made little progress. A loyalist counter-attack on 7 August caused some damage to Kyoto but resulted in the death of the force's commander, [[Nawa Nagatoshi]]. A virtual stalemate settled over the area, not broken until October, when Nitta Yoshisada failed in an attempt to drive Takauji from Kyoto. Continued resistance from Mt. Hiei was becoming more and more pointless, and perhaps to buy time Go-Daigo agreed to a cease-fire. He handed over the Imperial Regalia to the Ashikaga and fled to Yoshino while Nitta Yoshisada went with Prince [[Takanaga]] and holed up in southern Echizen. Takauji invested the Regalia on Prince [[Yakuhito]], retired emperor Kogon-in's brother, who reigned as the [[Emperor Komyo|Emperor Kômyô]]. Knowing that there was likely to be much fighting left to be done, Takauji made immediate rewards to those who had followed him to Kyoto and any who responded to subsequent calls to arms.

Perhaps to the frustration of Takauji, Go-Daigo would not go away. From Yoshino he loudly declared that the Imperial Regalia in Komyo's possession were in fact forgeries. Since the originals were necessary to have a legitimate succession, that meant that Go-Daigo was still the real emperor. He gained enough support to make his claim at least feasible, and the Period of the Southern and Northern Courts began.

Perhaps to the frustration of Takauji, Go-Daigo would not go away. From Yoshino he loudly declared that the Imperial Regalia in Komyo's possession were in fact forgeries. Since the originals were necessary to have a legitimate succession, that meant that Go-Daigo was still the real emperor. He gained enough support to make his claim at least feasible, and the Period of the Southern and Northern Courts began.