Takezaki Suenaga
Encyclopedia
was a retainer of the Higo Province
, Japan
who fought in both the Battle of Bun'ei
and the Battle of Kōan
during the Mongol invasions of Japan
. Suenaga commissioned the Mōko Shūrai Ekotoba
, a pictorial scroll showing his own valor in war, composed in 1293. During the Mongol invasion of 1274, Suenaga fought at Hakata
under Muto Kagesuke. Suenaga sold his horses and saddles in order to finance a trip to Kamakura
in order to report his deeds in battle to the bakufu. In order to receive rewards for valorous deeds from the bakufu, it was necessary for the deeds to be witnessed by others and reported to the bakufu directly. By his own account in the scrolls, Suenaga says, “Other than advancing and having my deeds known, I have nothing else to live for,” showing that, first, he wanted to advance in terms of measurable money and rank, and that, just as importantly, he sought fame and recognition.
Suenaga goes to great lengths to achieve what he views as the honor of the warrior. Although he is under orders from Kagesuke, the commander, to pull back at the very beginning, Suenaga disobeys. Asserting his own identity, he says, “Waiting for the general will cause us to be late to battle. Of all the warriors of the clan, I, Suenaga will be the first to fight from Higo.” Rushing forward on his own, Suenaga encounters Kagesuke himself. Again Suenaga disobeys orders, this time from Kagesuke’s retainer. When he is ordered to dismount from his horse, he refuses, citing his desire to be the first into battle.
Higo Province
Higo Province was an old province of Japan in the area that is today Kumamoto Prefecture on the island of Kyūshū. It was sometimes called , with Hizen Province. Higo bordered on Chikugo, Bungo, Hyūga, Ōsumi, and Satsuma Provinces....
, 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...
who fought in both the Battle of Bun'ei
Battle of Bun'ei
The , also known as the First Battle of Hakata Bay was the first attempt by the Yuan Dynasty founded by the Mongols to invade Japan. After conquering the Tsushima Island and Iki, Kublai Khan's fleet moved on to Japan proper, landing at Hakata Bay, a short distance from Kyūshū's administrative...
and the Battle of Kōan
Battle of Koan
The ', also known as the Second Battle of Hakata Bay, was the second attempt by the Yuan Dynasty founded by the Mongols to invade Japan...
during the Mongol invasions of Japan
Mongol invasions of Japan
The ' of 1274 and 1281 were major military efforts undertaken by Kublai Khan to conquer the Japanese islands after the submission of Goryeo to vassaldom. Despite their ultimate failure, the invasion attempts are of macrohistorical importance, because they set a limit on Mongol expansion, and rank...
. Suenaga commissioned the Mōko Shūrai Ekotoba
Mōko Shūrai Ekotoba
is a set of two Japanese illustrated handscrolls composed between 1275 and 1293. They were commissioned by the samurai Takezaki Suenaga in order to record his battlefield valor and deeds during the Mongol Invasions of Japan....
, a pictorial scroll showing his own valor in war, composed in 1293. During the Mongol invasion of 1274, Suenaga fought at Hakata
Hakata
Hakata may refer to:*Hakata-ku, Fukuoka, a ward in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan.**Hakata ningyō , traditional Japanese clay dolls, originally from Hakata*Hakata Station, a large train station in Fukuoka...
under Muto Kagesuke. Suenaga sold his horses and saddles in order to finance a trip to Kamakura
Kamakura, Kanagawa
is a city located in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, about south-south-west of Tokyo. It used to be also called .Although Kamakura proper is today rather small, it is often described in history books as a former de facto capital of Japan as the seat of the Shogunate and of the Regency during the...
in order to report his deeds in battle to the bakufu. In order to receive rewards for valorous deeds from the bakufu, it was necessary for the deeds to be witnessed by others and reported to the bakufu directly. By his own account in the scrolls, Suenaga says, “Other than advancing and having my deeds known, I have nothing else to live for,” showing that, first, he wanted to advance in terms of measurable money and rank, and that, just as importantly, he sought fame and recognition.
Suenaga goes to great lengths to achieve what he views as the honor of the warrior. Although he is under orders from Kagesuke, the commander, to pull back at the very beginning, Suenaga disobeys. Asserting his own identity, he says, “Waiting for the general will cause us to be late to battle. Of all the warriors of the clan, I, Suenaga will be the first to fight from Higo.” Rushing forward on his own, Suenaga encounters Kagesuke himself. Again Suenaga disobeys orders, this time from Kagesuke’s retainer. When he is ordered to dismount from his horse, he refuses, citing his desire to be the first into battle.
External links
- Mongol Invasion Scrolls Online interactive viewer for Moko Shurai Ekotoba from Bowdoin CollegeBowdoin CollegeBowdoin College , founded in 1794, is an elite private liberal arts college located in the coastal Maine town of Brunswick, Maine. As of 2011, U.S. News and World Report ranks Bowdoin 6th among liberal arts colleges in the United States. At times, it was ranked as high as 4th in the country. It is...
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See also
- Mōko Shūrai EkotobaMōko Shūrai Ekotobais a set of two Japanese illustrated handscrolls composed between 1275 and 1293. They were commissioned by the samurai Takezaki Suenaga in order to record his battlefield valor and deeds during the Mongol Invasions of Japan....
- Battle of Bun'eiBattle of Bun'eiThe , also known as the First Battle of Hakata Bay was the first attempt by the Yuan Dynasty founded by the Mongols to invade Japan. After conquering the Tsushima Island and Iki, Kublai Khan's fleet moved on to Japan proper, landing at Hakata Bay, a short distance from Kyūshū's administrative...
- Battle of KōanBattle of KoanThe ', also known as the Second Battle of Hakata Bay, was the second attempt by the Yuan Dynasty founded by the Mongols to invade Japan...
- Mongol Invasions of JapanMongol invasions of JapanThe ' of 1274 and 1281 were major military efforts undertaken by Kublai Khan to conquer the Japanese islands after the submission of Goryeo to vassaldom. Despite their ultimate failure, the invasion attempts are of macrohistorical importance, because they set a limit on Mongol expansion, and rank...