- The fall of the Kamakura Shogunate (1185-1333), the rise of the Ashikaga Shogunate (1336-1573)
How and why did the Kamakura Shogunate fall?
The Kamakura spent many years fighting wars with the Mongols. This resulted in much money being spent. This was a disastrous move for the Kamakura government since the war resulted only in expenditures and no profits. The many loyal men who were fighting for Kamakura, were now waiting for great rewards that the government could not pay. Therefore, All the financial problems and lack of loyalty among the powerful lords were some of the reasons for the fall of the Kamakura government.
By 1333 the power of the Hojo regents had declined to such a low degree that the emperor Go-Daigo was able to restore imperial power and overthrow the Kamakura shoguns.
The rise of the Ashikaga Shogunate
In 1333 Go-Daigo the retired emperor, organized a rebellion against the Hojo. Known as the Kemmu Restoration, the uprising was spearheaded by Ashikaga Takauji, a powerful warrior leader in eastern Japan. Kamakura began to fall to the rebellious forces and the Hojo were removed from power, causing the Kamakura shogunate to an end. For the following next two years, Go-Daigo attempted to restore the authority of the imperial throne. For the next few years, Go-Daigo gained supporters as he travelled to different cities in japan, after being kicked out of other places, Go-Daigo would keep trying to rebel the Ashikaga shogunate by trying to become emperor. For the next 56 years, civil war between the Northern Court (at Kyoto) and the Southern Court (at Yoshino) divided the country. The dispute was finally resolved in 1392, when the third Ashikaga shogun, Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, persuaded the emperor at Yoshino to abdicate and worked out a compromise over the imperial succession.
At the time of the civil war, the Ashikaga shoguns had established their political base in Kyoto, where they could keep an eye on the Northern Court. By the time the war had finally ended, Ashikaga Yoshimitsu had built a splendid Palace of Flowers in the Muromachi section of Kyoto, near the imperial palace. Holding lavish gatherings for emperors, aristocrats, and high-ranking warrior leaders, Yoshimitsu tried to establish the shogunal court at the center of culture as well as of politics. As he started doing this, new art forms such as no drama and Chinese-style ink painting flourished. Yoshimitsu is also remembered as the person who built the Golden Pavilion temple at his elegant retreat in the Kitayama section of Kyoto.
The long civil war between the Northern and Southern courts had contributed to a growing independence of the local warrior class. This was a great opportunity for them to improve their life with things such as property.