Siege of Akasaka
Encyclopedia
The 1331 siege of Akasaka was a battle of the Genkō War
, taking place during the final years of Japan's Kamakura period
, at Shimo Akasaka-jō (下赤坂城, "lower Akasaka fortress") near modern-day Osaka
.
Shimo Akasaka, a mountain fortress, was built that year, and held by Kusunoki Masashige
, a general of Emperor Go-Daigo
's armies. On several occasions throughout the year, forces of the Hōjō
regents attempted to take the fortress. With great ingenuity, Masashige defended the fort. However, after the Hōjō cut the water supply to the fortress, it fell.
Kusunoki then built a second "Akasaka" fortress, a short distance away, dubbing it Kami Akasaka-jō (上赤坂城, "upper Akasaka fortress"). This too was besieged, and fell, in 1333.
Genko War
The —also known as the —was a civil war in Japan which marked the fall of the Kamakura shogunate and end of the power of the Hōjō clan. The war thus preceded the Nanboku-chō period and the rise of the Ashikaga shogunate...
, taking place during the final years of Japan's Kamakura period
Kamakura period
The is a period of Japanese history that marks the governance by the Kamakura Shogunate, officially established in 1192 in Kamakura by the first shogun Minamoto no Yoritomo....
, at Shimo Akasaka-jō (下赤坂城, "lower Akasaka fortress") near modern-day Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
.
Shimo Akasaka, a mountain fortress, was built that year, and held by Kusunoki Masashige
Kusunoki Masashige
was a 14th century samurai who fought for Emperor Go-Daigo in his attempt to wrest rulership of Japan away from the Kamakura shogunate and is remembered as the ideal of samurai loyalty.-Tactician:...
, a general of Emperor Go-Daigo
Emperor Go-Daigo
Emperor Go-Daigo was the 96th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession....
's armies. On several occasions throughout the year, forces of the Hōjō
Hojo clan
See the late Hōjō clan for the Hōjō clan of the Sengoku Period.The in the history of Japan was a family who controlled the hereditary title of shikken of the Kamakura Shogunate. In practice, the family had actual governmental power, many times dictatorial, rather than Kamakura shoguns, or the...
regents attempted to take the fortress. With great ingenuity, Masashige defended the fort. However, after the Hōjō cut the water supply to the fortress, it fell.
Kusunoki then built a second "Akasaka" fortress, a short distance away, dubbing it Kami Akasaka-jō (上赤坂城, "upper Akasaka fortress"). This too was besieged, and fell, in 1333.