Kō no Morofuyu
Encyclopedia
was, together with his cousins Moronao
and Moroyasu
, one of shogun
Ashikaga Takauji
's most important generals during the Nanboku-chō period. He was adopted as a son by Moronao. He was of Mikawa province
, shugo
(governor) of Musashi province
and Kantō kanrei
. Defeated by Uesugi Noriaki during the Kannō Disturbance
, he committed seppuku
in Kai in 1351.
. He fought many battles all over the country, including 1336's attack to Mount Hiei
. In 1338, together with cousin Moroyasu, he went to fight against Southern court
forces in Aonohara, Mino province
, to help contain Kitabatake Akiie
, who was threatening Kyoto. The next year he was made Kantō shitsuji
, counsellor to Ashikaga Yoshiakira
, holding the post until 1944. He proved successful in this role against both the pro-Ashikaga Tadayoshi
Uesugi clan
and against Hitachi province
's Kitabatake Chikafusa
, who was the main military force behind the Southern court. He defeated Chikafusa first in December 1341 and then two years later, finally driving him out of Kantō. He was concurrently also shugo
of Musashi province
from 1341 to 1344.
He was then ordered to return to Kyoto, and in 1347 sent to Ise province
as shugo
, in which role he fought several battles. In 1349 Takauji sent his son Motouji
to the Kantō to take the place of his other son Yoshiakira
, whom he wanted in Kyoto, stabilize the area and protect his interests there. Since Motouji was then just a child, real power was in the hands of the two shitsuji Uesugi Noriaki and Morofuyu himself, men which were politically enemies. In 1350, during the so-called Kannō Disturbance
, a civil war that saw the two Ashikaga brothers fight each other, the differences between the two deepened past the breaking point. He remained with Takauji, while Noriaki defected and went with Tadayoshi. In 1351 he left Motouji in Kamakura to attack Noriaki. Defeated and pursued by his forces, he committed seppuku
at in Kai province
.
Ko no Moronao
was a Japanese samurai of the Nanboku-chō period who was the first to hold the position of Shitsuji . He was appointed by Ashikaga Takauji, the first shogun of the Ashikaga shogunate. As Deputy, he served not only an administrative governmental function, but also as general of the Shogun's armies...
and 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...
, one of 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...
Ashikaga Takauji
Ashikaga Takauji
was the founder and first shogun of the Ashikaga shogunate. His rule began in 1338, beginning the Muromachi period of Japan, and ended with his death in 1358...
's most important generals during the Nanboku-chō period. He was adopted as a son by Moronao. He was of Mikawa province
Mikawa Province
is an old province in the area that today forms the eastern half of Aichi Prefecture. It was sometimes called . Mikawa bordered on Owari, Mino, Shinano, and Tōtōmi Provinces....
, shugo
Shugo
was a title, commonly translated as "Governor," given to certain officials in feudal Japan. They were each appointed by the shogun to oversee one or more of the provinces of Japan...
(governor) of Musashi province
Musashi Province
was a province of Japan, which today comprises Tokyo Prefecture, most of Saitama Prefecture and part of Kanagawa Prefecture. It was sometimes called . The province encompassed Kawasaki and Yokohama...
and Kantō kanrei
Kanrei
or, more rarely, kanryō, was a high political post in feudal Japan; it is usually translated as Shogun's Deputy. After 1349, there were actually two Kanrei, the Kyoto Kanrei and the Kantō Kanrei....
. Defeated by Uesugi Noriaki during the Kannō Disturbance
Kannō disturbance
The , also called Kannō no juran, was a civil war which developed from antagonisms between Shogun Ashikaga Takauji and his brother, Ashikaga Tadayoshi, thus dividing and weakening the early Ashikaga shogunate...
, he 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...
in Kai in 1351.
Career
Like many others men of this period, he begun his career in 1336, at the end of the Kemmu restorationKemmu restoration
The is the name given to both the three year period of Japanese history between the Kamakura period and the Muromachi period, and the political events that took place in it...
. He fought many battles all over the country, including 1336's attack to Mount Hiei
Mount Hiei
is a mountain to the northeast of Kyoto, lying on the border between the Kyoto and Shiga prefectures, Japan.The temple of Enryaku-ji, the first outpost of the Japanese Tiantai sect of Buddhism, was founded atop Mount Hiei by Saichō in 788. Both Nichiren and Honen studied at the temple before...
. In 1338, together with cousin Moroyasu, he went to fight against Southern court
Southern Court
The were a set of four emperors whose legitimate claims were usurped during the Nanboku-chō period spanning from 1336 through 1392. In spite of the legitimacy of its claims to the throne, the Southern Court was permanently replaced in 1392 by the illegitimate Northern Court.-Nanboku-chō overview:...
forces in Aonohara, Mino province
Mino Province
, one of the old provinces of Japan, encompassed part of modern-day Gifu Prefecture. It was sometimes called . Mino Province bordered Echizen, Hida, Ise, Mikawa, Ōmi, Owari, and Shinano Provinces....
, to help contain Kitabatake Akiie
Kitabatake Akiie
was a Japanese court noble, and an important supporter of the Southern Court during the Nanboku-chō Wars. He also held the posts of Commander-in-Chief of the Defense of the North, and Governor of Mutsu Province...
, who was threatening Kyoto. The next year he was made Kantō shitsuji
Kanrei
or, more rarely, kanryō, was a high political post in feudal Japan; it is usually translated as Shogun's Deputy. After 1349, there were actually two Kanrei, the Kyoto Kanrei and the Kantō Kanrei....
, counsellor to Ashikaga Yoshiakira
Ashikaga Yoshiakira
was the 2nd shogun of the Ashikaga shogunate who reigned from 1358 to 1367 during the Muromachi period of Japan. Yoshiakira was the son of the founder and first shogun of the Muromachi shogunate, Ashikaga Takauji....
, holding the post until 1944. He proved successful in this role against both the pro-Ashikaga Tadayoshi
Ashikaga Tadayoshi
was a general of the Northern and Southern Courts period of Japanese history and a close associate of his elder brother Takauji, the first Muromachi shogun. Son of Ashikaga Sadauji and of a daughter of Uesugi Yorishige, the same mother as Takauji, he was a pivotal figure of the chaotic transition...
Uesugi clan
Uesugi clan
The was a Japanese samurai clan, descended from the Fujiwara clan and particularly notable for their power in the Muromachi and Sengoku periods ....
and against Hitachi province
Hitachi Province
was an old province of Japan in the area of Ibaraki Prefecture. It was sometimes called . Hitachi Province bordered on Iwashiro, Iwaki, Shimousa, and Shimotsuke Provinces....
's 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,...
, who was the main military force behind the Southern court. He defeated Chikafusa first in December 1341 and then two years later, finally driving him out of Kantō. He was concurrently also shugo
Shugo
was a title, commonly translated as "Governor," given to certain officials in feudal Japan. They were each appointed by the shogun to oversee one or more of the provinces of Japan...
of Musashi province
Musashi Province
was a province of Japan, which today comprises Tokyo Prefecture, most of Saitama Prefecture and part of Kanagawa Prefecture. It was sometimes called . The province encompassed Kawasaki and Yokohama...
from 1341 to 1344.
He was then ordered to return to Kyoto, and in 1347 sent to Ise province
Ise Province
or was a province of Japan including most of modern Mie Prefecture. Ise bordered Iga, Kii, Mino, Ōmi, Owari, Shima, and Yamato Provinces.The ancient provincial capital was at Suzuka...
as shugo
Shugo
was a title, commonly translated as "Governor," given to certain officials in feudal Japan. They were each appointed by the shogun to oversee one or more of the provinces of Japan...
, in which role he fought several battles. In 1349 Takauji sent his son Motouji
Ashikaga Motouji
-See also:* Kamakura, Kanagawa - The Muromachi and Edo periods* The article Nanboku-chō period...
to the Kantō to take the place of his other son Yoshiakira
Ashikaga Yoshiakira
was the 2nd shogun of the Ashikaga shogunate who reigned from 1358 to 1367 during the Muromachi period of Japan. Yoshiakira was the son of the founder and first shogun of the Muromachi shogunate, Ashikaga Takauji....
, whom he wanted in Kyoto, stabilize the area and protect his interests there. Since Motouji was then just a child, real power was in the hands of the two shitsuji Uesugi Noriaki and Morofuyu himself, men which were politically enemies. In 1350, during the so-called Kannō Disturbance
Kannō disturbance
The , also called Kannō no juran, was a civil war which developed from antagonisms between Shogun Ashikaga Takauji and his brother, Ashikaga Tadayoshi, thus dividing and weakening the early Ashikaga shogunate...
, a civil war that saw the two Ashikaga brothers fight each other, the differences between the two deepened past the breaking point. He remained with Takauji, while Noriaki defected and went with Tadayoshi. In 1351 he left Motouji in Kamakura to attack Noriaki. Defeated and pursued by his forces, he 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...
at in Kai province
Kai Province
, also known as , is an old province in Japan in the area of Yamanashi Prefecture. It lies in central Honshū, west of Tokyo, in a landlocked mountainous region that includes Mount Fuji along its border with Shizuoka Prefecture....
.