Changes

*''Date: [[1213]]''

*''Date: [[1213]]/5/2-3''

*''Japanese'': 和田合戦 ''(Wada gassen)''

*''Japanese'': 和田合戦 ''(Wada gassen)''

The Wada Conflict was a series of battles or skirmishes which took place in [[Kamakura]] in [[1213]], fought between forces of shogunal retainer [[Wada Yoshimori]] and those of [[shikken|shogunal regent]] [[Hojo Yoshitoki|Hôjô Yoshitoki]].

The Wada Conflict was a series of battles or skirmishes which took place in [[Kamakura]] in [[1213]], fought between forces of shogunal retainer [[Wada Yoshimori]] and those of [[shikken|shogunal regent]] [[Hojo Yoshitoki|Hôjô Yoshitoki]].

In the early months of that year, Hôjô Yoshitoki and his sister [[Hojo Masako|Hôjô Masako]] (mother of [[Shogun]] [[Minamoto no Sanetomo]]), seeing shogunal retainer Wada Yoshimori as a potential threat to the shogunate, arrested two of Yoshimori's sons and his nephew Tanenaga on charges of conspiring against the shogunate. The two sons were released shortly afterwards, but Tanenaga was paraded through the streets as a common criminal might have been, and a month later, the Hôjô confiscated a portion of Wada's lands.

In the early months of that year, Hôjô Yoshitoki and his sister [[Hojo Masako|Hôjô Masako]] (mother of [[Shogun]] [[Minamoto no Sanetomo]]), seeing shogunal retainer Wada Yoshimori as a potential threat to the shogunate, arrested two of Yoshimori's sons and his nephew Tanenaga on charges of conspiring against the shogunate. The two sons were released shortly afterwards, but Tanenaga was paraded through the streets as a common criminal might have been, and a month later, the Hôjô confiscated a portion of Wada's lands.

After spending roughly a month gathering his forces and his allies, Yoshimori organized a series of attacks on shogunal targets to take place on 1213/5/2. The Wada residence was located just across [[Wakamiya-oji|Wakamiya-ôji]] (the main avenue of the shogunal capital of [[Kamakura]]) from that of Hôjô Yoshitoki; though Yoshimori made efforts to hide his military build-up, it was obvious to Yoshitoki, who, anticipating the attack, snuck out of his own home and fled to the shogunal residence, a block and a half to the northeast, while the shogun himself, and his mother Hôjô Masako, sought refuge at the residence of the head of the city's main shrine, [[Tsurugaoka Hachimangu|Tsurugaoka Hachimangû]].

After spending roughly a month gathering his forces and his allies, Yoshimori organized a series of attacks on shogunal targets to take place on 1213/5/2. The Wada residence was located just across [[Wakamiya-oji|Wakamiya-ôji]] (the main avenue of the shogunal capital of [[Kamakura]]) from that of Hôjô Yoshitoki; though Yoshimori made efforts to hide his military build-up, it was obvious to Yoshitoki, who, anticipating the attack, snuck out of his own home and fled to the shogunal residence, a block and a half to the northeast, while the shogun himself, and his mother Hôjô Masako, sought refuge at the residence of the head of the city's main shrine, [[Tsurugaoka Hachimangu|Tsurugaoka Hachimangû]].

Eventually, as dusk approached, Wada Yoshimori ordered his men to withdraw. They made their way down Wakamiya-ôji, towards the beach, pursued by [[Hojo Yasutoki|Hôjô Yasutoki]] (the son of Yoshitoki), as Ôe Hiromoto and his men remained at the shogunate compound. The Wada and Hôjô forces continued to clash, in fits and starts, here and there, throughout the night, even as rain began to fall around midnight. By the early hours of the morning, the Wada forces found themselves trapped on the beach, with Hôjô forces controlling all the major roads. Shortly before dawn, however (the Hour of the Tiger, 3-5am), Wada's ally [[Yokoyama Tokikane]] appeared with reinforcements. Wada's men now numbered roughly 3,000. Yoshimori, however, held his position, possibly in order to allow his men some respite.

Eventually, as dusk approached, Wada Yoshimori ordered his men to withdraw. They made their way down Wakamiya-ôji, towards the beach, pursued by [[Hojo Yasutoki|Hôjô Yasutoki]] (the son of Yoshitoki), as Ôe Hiromoto and his men remained at the shogunate compound. The Wada and Hôjô forces continued to clash, in fits and starts, here and there, throughout the night, even as rain began to fall around midnight. By the early hours of the morning, the Wada forces found themselves trapped on the beach, with Hôjô forces controlling all the major roads. Shortly before dawn, however (the Hour of the Tiger, 3-5am), Wada's ally [[Yokoyama Tokikane]] appeared with reinforcements. Wada's men now numbered roughly 3,000. Yoshimori, however, held his position, possibly in order to allow his men some respite.

At the Hour of the Snake (9-11am), Hôjô Yoshitoki and Ôe Hiromoto composed, signed, and sealed a document declaring Wada and Yokoyama to be enemies of the state. What had up to this point been a "private" conflict between two warrior houses was now a rebellion against the shogunate. Copies of the document were dispatched to forces in neighboring provinces loyal to the shogunate, and it was also read out loud there on the beach. A very significant portion of Wada & Yokoyama's men defected immediately, declaring themselves for the shogunate.

At the Hour of the Snake (9-11am), Hôjô Yoshitoki and Ôe Hiromoto composed, signed, and sealed a document declaring Wada and Yokoyama to be enemies of the state. What had up to this point been a "private" conflict between two warrior houses was now a rebellion against the shogunate. Copies of the document were dispatched to forces in neighboring provinces loyal to the shogunate, and it was also read out loud there on the beach. A very significant portion of Wada & Yokoyama's men defected immediately, declaring themselves for the shogunate. Wada nevertheless pressed forward, somehow managing to get past the Hôjô forces, and making his way back up Wakamiya-ôji, with the aim of attacking Hôjô Yoshitoki's mansion once again. One of Wada's generals, [[Tsuchiya Yoshikiyo]], was suddenly struck and killed by an arrow from an unknown bow. It seemed to come from the direction of the Tsurugaoka Hachiman Shrine, and a rumor rapidly spread among Wada's men that it was a ''kami kabura'', or a divine arrow, leading to a collapse of order among Wada's force. By that evening (the Hour of the Rooster, 5-7pm), they were in full retreat.

 

 

 

{{stub}}

{{stub}}

==References==

==References==

*Karl Friday, ''Samurai Warfare and the State in Early Medieval Japan'', Routledge (2004), 1-5.

*Karl Friday, ''Samurai Warfare and the State in Early Medieval Japan'', Routledge (2004), 1-5.

[[Category:Kamakura Period]]

[[Category:Kamakura Period]]

[[Category:Events and Incidents]]

[[Category:Events and Incidents]]