Akamatsu Mitsusuke
Encyclopedia
was a leading head over the clan of Akamatsu
during the early years of the Sengoku Period
of Feudal Japan.
Fearing that Ashikaga Yoshinori
, the 6th shogun
of the Ashikaga shogunate
was aiming to tear up the domain of the Akamatsu, its head Akamatsu Mitsusuke took the step of feigning mental illness, leaving proxy control in the hands of his son Noriyasu. The Shōgun, however feared, was a worthy guest and early in 1441 it was the turn of Noriyasu to entertain Yoshinori and his retinue, and a night of drinks and Nō performances ensued until chaos broke out and the horses were released from the back of the residence. To Yoshinori’s shocked samurai it was clear that Yoshinori had been fatally tricked by Mitsusuke. Two Akamatsu men grabbed Yoshinori roughly, held him in a kneeling position, and a third, Azumi Yukihide, delivered the coup de grace. Setting his residence alight, Mitsusuke left with his samurai and the head of the once-feared Shōgun. As the Emperor watched the flames from the palace, the Bakufu sat on its hands as Kanrei Hosokawa Mochiyuki (1400-1442) pondered how to react. No one would miss Yoshinori and his horrendous tempers but as Kanrei he needed to take the lead and punish the Akamatsu. After weeks however, Akamatsu Mitsusuke grew bored waiting in Harima province (in the West of Honshū) so he challenged the Bakufu to send a punitive force. Eventually Yamana Sōzen (1404-1473) led the assault, supported by Awaji samurai at sea, and forced the Akamatsu to Kinoyama where Mitsusuke was forced to make his last stand, and the reputation of the Bakufu was temporarily salvaged.
Akamatsu clan
The was a Japanese samurai family of direct descent from Minamoto no Morifusa. They were prominent shugo-daimyō in Harima during the Sengoku period.-Select members of the clan:* Akamatsu Norimura .* Akamatsu Norisuke ....
during the early years of the Sengoku Period
Sengoku period
The or Warring States period in Japanese history was a time of social upheaval, political intrigue, and nearly constant military conflict that lasted roughly from the middle of the 15th century to the beginning of the 17th century. The name "Sengoku" was adopted by Japanese historians in reference...
of Feudal Japan.
Fearing that Ashikaga Yoshinori
Ashikaga Yoshinori
was the 6th shogun of the Ashikaga shogunate who reigned from 1429 to 1441 during the Muromachi period of Japan. Yoshinori was the son of the third shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu.-Shogunal succession:...
, the 6th shogun
Shogun
A was one of the hereditary military dictators of Japan from 1192 to 1867. In this period, the shoguns, or their shikken regents , were the de facto rulers of Japan though they were nominally appointed by the emperor...
of 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...
was aiming to tear up the domain of the Akamatsu, its head Akamatsu Mitsusuke took the step of feigning mental illness, leaving proxy control in the hands of his son Noriyasu. The Shōgun, however feared, was a worthy guest and early in 1441 it was the turn of Noriyasu to entertain Yoshinori and his retinue, and a night of drinks and Nō performances ensued until chaos broke out and the horses were released from the back of the residence. To Yoshinori’s shocked samurai it was clear that Yoshinori had been fatally tricked by Mitsusuke. Two Akamatsu men grabbed Yoshinori roughly, held him in a kneeling position, and a third, Azumi Yukihide, delivered the coup de grace. Setting his residence alight, Mitsusuke left with his samurai and the head of the once-feared Shōgun. As the Emperor watched the flames from the palace, the Bakufu sat on its hands as Kanrei Hosokawa Mochiyuki (1400-1442) pondered how to react. No one would miss Yoshinori and his horrendous tempers but as Kanrei he needed to take the lead and punish the Akamatsu. After weeks however, Akamatsu Mitsusuke grew bored waiting in Harima province (in the West of Honshū) so he challenged the Bakufu to send a punitive force. Eventually Yamana Sōzen (1404-1473) led the assault, supported by Awaji samurai at sea, and forced the Akamatsu to Kinoyama where Mitsusuke was forced to make his last stand, and the reputation of the Bakufu was temporarily salvaged.