Changes

''Born: 1294''

* ''Born: 1294''

''Died: 1336''

* ''Died: 1336''

The man who was to become a legendary hero in Meiji era textbooks and a powerful symbol of loyalty to the emperor was a relative unknown in the days before he stepped into history's spotlight. In fact, little is known even now about the Kusunoki or their roots. The Taiheiki records that Kusunoki was descended from Tachibana Moroye, an influential nobleman and scholar, but this, along with the Kusunoki's presumed Minamoto ties, has never been either proved nor disproved. What is certain is that in 1331 Kusunoki Masashige was a landowner of some modest standing in Kwatchi province who responded to the Emperor Go-Daigo's plea for military support against the Hojo. There were few other men of standing willing to cast in their lots with the imperial cause, making Kusunoki's pledge of support all the more noble. His first act was to fortify a hilltop position called Akasaka, which he garrisoned with a total of 500 men. There he accepted the company of Prince Morinaga, who had fled from the Enryakuji. This was in October, and by the end of that very same month the Imperial cause seemed lost. Emperor Go-Daigo had taken up at the Kasagi Temple following his flight from Kyoto on 27 September; on 28 October Bakufu forces captured Kasagi and forced Go-Daigo to flee. Within days Go-Daigo was apprehended and confined in Rokuhara. As for Kusunoki and Prince Morinaga, they had already cast their lots and had no choice but to continue on their rebellious course. In November Bakufu troops arrived at Akasaka and laid siege with forces that greatly outnumbered those of the defenders. The battle lasted for about three weeks or so and in that time Masashige and his men fought gallantly, creating an inordinate number of Bakufu casualties around the walls of Akasaka and forested hillsides of Mt. Kongo. The Bakufu forces managed to cut Akasaka's aqueduct, and all but doomed the small garrison. Kusunoki, determined to carry on the fight elsewhere, succeded in faking his own death: he ordered the castle torched and slipped out under cover of night, tricking the Hojo into believing that he had committed suicide. Prince Morinaga parted ways with Kusunoki at this point and went into hiding at Yoshino.

The man who was to become a legendary hero in Meiji era textbooks and a powerful symbol of loyalty to the emperor was a relative unknown in the days before he stepped into history's spotlight. In fact, little is known even now about the Kusunoki or their roots. The Taiheiki records that Kusunoki was descended from Tachibana Moroye, an influential nobleman and scholar, but this, along with the Kusunoki's presumed Minamoto ties, has never been either proved nor disproved. What is certain is that in 1331 Kusunoki Masashige was a landowner of some modest standing in Kwatchi province who responded to the Emperor Go-Daigo's plea for military support against the Hojo. There were few other men of standing willing to cast in their lots with the imperial cause, making Kusunoki's pledge of support all the more noble. His first act was to fortify a hilltop position called Akasaka, which he garrisoned with a total of 500 men. There he accepted the company of Prince Morinaga, who had fled from the Enryakuji. This was in October, and by the end of that very same month the Imperial cause seemed lost. Emperor Go-Daigo had taken up at the Kasagi Temple following his flight from Kyoto on 27 September; on 28 October Bakufu forces captured Kasagi and forced Go-Daigo to flee. Within days Go-Daigo was apprehended and confined in Rokuhara. As for Kusunoki and Prince Morinaga, they had already cast their lots and had no choice but to continue on their rebellious course. In November Bakufu troops arrived at Akasaka and laid siege with forces that greatly outnumbered those of the defenders. The battle lasted for about three weeks or so and in that time Masashige and his men fought gallantly, creating an inordinate number of Bakufu casualties around the walls of Akasaka and forested hillsides of Mt. Kongo. The Bakufu forces managed to cut Akasaka's aqueduct, and all but doomed the small garrison. Kusunoki, determined to carry on the fight elsewhere, succeded in faking his own death: he ordered the castle torched and slipped out under cover of night, tricking the Hojo into believing that he had committed suicide. Prince Morinaga parted ways with Kusunoki at this point and went into hiding at Yoshino.