Battle of Shijo Nawate
Encyclopedia
The 1348 Battle of Shijōnawate (四條畷の戦い) was a battle of the Nanboku-chō
period of Japanese history, and took place in Yoshinoko, Japan
. It was fought between the armies of the Northern and Southern Emperors of Japan. The Southern army, led by Kusunoki Masatsura
was attacked at Yoshino
, the temporary palace of the Imperial residence. Feeling too weak to defend the residence, Masatsura marched out with his whole force to meet his assailants. Kitabatake Chikafusa
, meanwhile, led his force towards Izumi, diverting some of the attackers away from the palace.
Kusunoki engaged the enemy commander Kō no Moroyasu
in single combat, and, it is said, was about to take Kō's head when he was struck by an arrow; Kusunoki then committed seppuku
. The battle ended in a Northern Court victory, but the Southern Court fled Yoshino, leaving little for their enemies to capture.
Nanboku-cho
The , spanning from 1336 to 1392, was a period that occurred during the formative years of the Muromachi bakufu of Japan's history.During this period, there existed a Northern Imperial Court, established by Ashikaga Takauji in Kyoto, and a Southern Imperial Court, established by Emperor Go-Daigo in...
period of Japanese history, and took place in Yoshinoko, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. It was fought between the armies of the Northern and Southern Emperors of Japan. The Southern army, led by Kusunoki Masatsura
Kusunoki Masatsura
, along with his father Masashige and brother Masanori, was a supporter of the Southern Imperial Court during Japan's Nanbokucho Wars.Masatsura was one of the primary military leaders who revived the Southern Court in the 1340s...
was attacked at Yoshino
Yoshino, Nara
is a town located in Yoshino District, Nara Prefecture, Japan.As of September 1, 2007, the town had an estimated population of 9397 and a density of 97.93 persons per km². The total area was 95.65 km².-Geography:...
, the temporary palace of the Imperial residence. Feeling too weak to defend the residence, Masatsura marched out with his whole force to meet his assailants. Kitabatake Chikafusa
Kitabatake Chikafusa
was a Japanese court noble and writer of the 14th century who supported the Southern Court in the Nanboku-cho period, serving as advisor to five Emperors. Some of his greatest and most famous work was performed during the reign of Emperor Go-Daigo, under whom he proposed a series of reforms,...
, meanwhile, led his force towards Izumi, diverting some of the attackers away from the palace.
Kusunoki engaged the enemy commander Kō no Moroyasu
Ko no Moroyasu
, along with his brother Moronao and his cousin Morofuyu, was one of the leading generals of Shogun Ashikaga Takauji during the Nanbokucho War.In 1335 he was sent west from Kamakura, the capital, at the head of a large army. The goal was to secure the shogun's control over the region, and prepare...
in single combat, and, it is said, was about to take Kō's head when he was struck by an arrow; Kusunoki then committed seppuku
Seppuku
is a form of Japanese ritual suicide by disembowelment. Seppuku was originally reserved only for samurai. Part of the samurai bushido honor code, seppuku was either used voluntarily by samurai to die with honor rather than fall into the hands of their enemies , or as a form of capital punishment...
. The battle ended in a Northern Court victory, but the Southern Court fled Yoshino, leaving little for their enemies to capture.