Siege of Chihaya
Encyclopedia
The 1333 siege of Chihaya took place during the final year of Japan's Kamakura period
. It was one of several battles of the Genkō War
, in which Emperor Go-Daigo
sought to eliminate the power of the Hōjō clan
regents. Chihaya-jō
(千早城, Chihaya fortress) was built atop Mt. Kongō, in Kawachi province
, in 1332. Successfully defended the following year, by the Imperial forces led by Kusunoki Masashige
, it would eventually fall to the Ashikaga shogunate
in 1390.
Kusunoki Masashige's defense of this fortress became a very classic siege in Japanese history. This was because both the Imperial garrison and the besieging force of the Hōjō demonstrated high levels of siegecraft. Kusunoki's success here made up for his loss two years earlier at the siege of Akasaka
, where surrender was forced by the denial of water supplies. Unlike at Akasaka, however, Kusunoki made sure that Chihaya could stand effectively against many attacks, which included the Hōjō's usage of movable bridges and fire. Kusunoki also employed many strategies such as dummy troops, and surprise raids.
The fortress' position near the summit of the mountain further aided in its defense, allowing Kusunoki's inferior numbers to not be a hindrance in such limited space. His forces employed their superior knowledge of the ridges and ravines of the area to great effect, ending in a successful defense and the enemy's retreat.
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....
. It was one of several battles of the Genkō War
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...
, in which Emperor Go-Daigo
Emperor Go-Daigo
Emperor Go-Daigo was the 96th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession....
sought to eliminate the power of the Hōjō clan
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. Chihaya-jō
Chihaya Castle
was a Japanese castle, constructed in 1332 by Kusunoki Masashige. Consisting primarily of wooden and earthworks defenses, Chihaya stands as a keen example of fortress design of Japan's Nanboku-chō period...
(千早城, Chihaya fortress) was built atop Mt. Kongō, in Kawachi province
Kawachi Province
was a province of Japan in the eastern part of modern Osaka Prefecture. It originally held the southwestern area that was split off into Izumi Province...
, in 1332. Successfully defended the following year, by the Imperial forces led 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:...
, it would eventually fall to the Ashikaga shogunate
Ashikaga shogunate
The , also known as the , was a Japanese feudal military regime, ruled by the shoguns of the Ashikaga clan.This period is also known as the Muromachi period and gets its name from Muromachi Street of Kyoto where the third shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu established his residence...
in 1390.
Kusunoki Masashige's defense of this fortress became a very classic siege in Japanese history. This was because both the Imperial garrison and the besieging force of the Hōjō demonstrated high levels of siegecraft. Kusunoki's success here made up for his loss two years earlier at the siege of Akasaka
Siege of Akasaka
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 near modern-day Osaka....
, where surrender was forced by the denial of water supplies. Unlike at Akasaka, however, Kusunoki made sure that Chihaya could stand effectively against many attacks, which included the Hōjō's usage of movable bridges and fire. Kusunoki also employed many strategies such as dummy troops, and surprise raids.
The fortress' position near the summit of the mountain further aided in its defense, allowing Kusunoki's inferior numbers to not be a hindrance in such limited space. His forces employed their superior knowledge of the ridges and ravines of the area to great effect, ending in a successful defense and the enemy's retreat.