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The Seiseifu (roughly, "office for the subjugation of the west") was, ostensibly, the chief headquarters of the [[Imperial Court]] in [[Kyushu]] in the medieval period. Amidst the political divisions of the [[Nanboku-cho|Nanboku-chô period]], however, it became in practice a major center of strength for supporters of the [[Southern Court]], standing in opposition to the forces of the [[Northern Court]]. In particular, in the 1360s-1380s, the Seiseifu (and by extension the island of Kyushu) was ruled by [[Prince Kanenaga]] (aka Kaneyoshi) and his ''[[wako|wakô]]'' allies.

The Seiseifu (roughly, "office for the subjugation of the west") was, ostensibly, the chief headquarters of the [[Imperial Court]] in [[Kyushu]] in the medieval period. Amidst the political divisions of the [[Nanboku-cho|Nanboku-chô period]], however, it became in practice a major center of strength for supporters of the [[Southern Court]], standing in opposition to the forces of the [[Northern Court]]. In particular, in the 1360s-1380s, the Seiseifu (and by extension the island of Kyushu) was ruled by [[Prince Kanenaga]] (aka Kaneyoshi) and his ''[[wako|wakô]]'' allies.

Kanenaga, a son of [[Emperor Go-Daigo]], was formally named ''seisei shôgun'' (General for the Subjugation of the West), and gained the support of most if not all of the samurai clans of Kyushu, and a certain degree of ''de facto'' power over the entire island by [[1365]]. Bolstered by material supplies looted from coastal Korea by his ''wakô'' allies, Kanenaga quickly began exchanging envoys with the [[Ming Dynasty|Ming court]], even being [[investiture|invested]] as "King of Japan." Historian [[Amino Yoshihiko]] describes this as Kanenaga attempting (and perhaps succeeding, to some extent, however briefly) "to establish an independent country in Kyushu."<ref>Amino, 270.</ref>

Kanenaga, a son of [[Emperor Go-Daigo]], was formally named ''seisei shôgun'' (General for the Subjugation of the West), and gained the support of most if not all of the samurai clans of Kyushu, and a certain degree of ''de facto'' power over the entire island by [[1365]]. Bolstered by material supplies looted from coastal Korea by his ''wakô'' allies, Kanenaga quickly began exchanging envoys with the [[Ming Dynasty|Ming court]], even being [[investiture|invested]] as "King of Japan." Historian [[Amino Yoshihiko]] describes this as Kanenaga attempting (and perhaps succeeding, to some extent, however briefly) "to establish an independent country in Kyushu."<ref>Amino, 270.</ref>

Kanenaga's independent power in Kyushu came under attack in the 1370s, however, by forces led by [[Imagawa Ryoshun|Imagawa Ryôshun]], ''[[Kyushu tandai]]'' in service to the Northern Court and the [[Muromachi shogunate]]. Though Kanenaga continued to resist Imagawa's advances until the former's death in [[1383]], the shogun meanwhile received investiture from the Ming as "King of Japan," thus stripping Kanenaga of that recognition as well.

Kanenaga's independent power in Kyushu came under attack in the 1370s, however, by forces led by [[Imagawa Ryoshun|Imagawa Ryôshun]], ''[[Kyushu tandai]]'' in service to the Northern Court and the [[Muromachi shogunate]]. Kanenaga's son [[Prince Yoshinari]] took over ''de facto'' leadership of the Seiseifu in [[1375]]; though the Seiseifu continued to resist Imagawa's advances until Kanenaga's death in [[1383]], the shogun meanwhile received investiture from the Ming as "King of Japan," thus stripping Kanenaga of that recognition as well. Yoshinari continued to lead after his father's death, but in [[1392]] the Northern and Southern Courts reunited, and the Nanboku-chô period of division was ended.

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==References==

==References==

*Amino Yoshihiko, Alan Christy (trans.) ''Rethinking Japanese History'', Center for Japanese Studies, University of Michigan (2012), 269-270.

*Amino Yoshihiko, Alan Christy (trans.) ''Rethinking Japanese History'', Center for Japanese Studies, University of Michigan (2012), 269-270.

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[[Category:Muromachi Period]]

[[Category:Muromachi Period]]

[[Category:Political Institutions]]

[[Category:Political Institutions]]