Causes of Clan Rivalries
- Power Vacuums
- After the Gempei War and the rise of the Kamakura Shogunate, power often shifted when a shogun or regent died, leading to succession disputes among samurai families.
- Land and Wealth
- Clans fought for shoen (private estates) and control of trade routes, as land ownership meant political and military strength.
- Regional Loyalties
- Samurai served local daimyō more than the central government, which encouraged independent rivalries.
- Weak Central Authority
- The Kamakura government depended on loyalty, not bureaucracy. When loyalty faded, rebellion spread.
- Influence of Regents
- The Hōjō clan, who ruled as regents after Yoritomo’s death, often clashed with other samurai families who resented their control.
Definition
Daimyō
- Regional lords who ruled local areas and commanded their own samurai armies.
Definition
Shoen
- Private estate or manor worked by peasants and controlled by samurai or temples.
Major Conflicts and Internal Divisions
- Hōjō Dominance
- The Hōjō family maintained power as regents, but their strict rule led to resentment among other clans.
- Widespread Rebellions
- Disgruntled samurai and imperial loyalists (supporters of the emperor) staged uprisings, including the Jōkyū War (1221) led by Emperor Go-Toba.
- Failure of Rewards
- After the Mongol invasions (1274, 1281), the government couldn’t pay samurai for their defense efforts, causing widespread frustration.
- Rival Power Centers
- By the 1300s, rival clans like the Ashikaga, Nitta, and Taira remnants were fighting for influence.
- Civil Conflict
- These struggles led to the Genkō War (1331–1333), which ended the Kamakura Shogunate and began a new era of samurai politics.
Case study
The Jōkyū War (1221)
Causes and Events
- The emperor Go-Toba attempted to overthrow the Hōjō regents who controlled the shogunate in Kamakura.
- Many samurai were torn between loyalty to the emperor and loyalty to their Hōjō overlords.
- The Hōjō used their military power and alliances to crush imperial forces near Kyoto.
- The emperor’s supporters were defeated, and Go-Toba was exiled.
- The victory confirmed the Hōjō clan’s dominance over both the samurai and the imperial court.
Results and Significance
- The shogunate became stronger than the emperor, proving military rule’s supremacy in Japan.
- The war discouraged further imperial uprisings for over a century.
- It deepened the divide between Kyoto’s nobles and Kamakura’s samurai.
- The Hōjō used the victory to expand land holdings, rewarding loyal samurai with estates.
- The event symbolized how loyalty to one’s lord became more important than loyalty to the emperor.
Impact on Society and Politics
- Rise of the Ashikaga
- The Ashikaga clan emerged victorious and established a new shogunate (1336), shifting power back to Kyoto.
- End of Kamakura Rule
- The fall of the Hōjō regents marked the end of the first samurai government.
- Decentralization
- Japan entered an age of regional warlords (daimyō) controlling their own territories.
- Economic Strain
- Continuous warfare drained resources and disrupted farming and trade.
- Cultural Change
- Despite violence, this period produced art, poetry, and theater reflecting loyalty, honor, and tragedy, key samurai values.
Definition
Genkō War (1331–1333)
- Civil war that overthrew the Kamakura Shogunate and brought the Ashikaga to power.
Case study
The Genkō War (1331–1333)
Background and Conflict
- Emperor Go-Daigo tried to regain imperial power by rebelling against the Hōjō regents.
- Many samurai clans, such as the Ashikaga and Nitta, joined his cause after years of resentment toward Hōjō rule.
- Battles spread across central Japan; samurai switched sides as the emperor promised land and titles.
- The capital of Kamakura fell in 1333 when Nitta Yoshisada led a successful assault.
- The Hōjō leadership committed suicide, marking the end of the Kamakura Shogunate.
Outcomes and Legacy
- The short-lived Kenmu Restoration (1333–1336) attempted to restore imperial government.
- The Ashikaga clan, once Go-Daigo’s allies, soon turned against him and founded the Ashikaga Shogunate.
- The Genkō War marked the transition from early to medieval Japan, where military rule became permanent.
- Samurai loyalty became more flexible, shifting toward whoever could offer land and rewards.
- This instability led to later civil wars, including the Onin War (1467–1477).
Common Mistake
- Assuming Samurai Unity: Students often think samurai clans worked together, but most acted out of self-interest.
- Overlooking the Emperor’s Role: The imperial court still influenced rebellions, even with limited power.
- Ignoring Economic Factors: Wars were often driven by the desire for land and resources, not just loyalty or pride.
Exam technique
- Compare Conflicts: Link early uprisings like the Jōkyū War to later ones like the Genkō War to show long-term instability.
- Use Clan Names: Refer to Hōjō, Ashikaga, and Nitta specifically for clarity and accuracy.
- Highlight Continuity: Emphasize how the fall of one shogunate led to the rise of another, showing Japan’s cyclical power struggles.
Self review
- Examine the causes of rivalry between samurai clans during the Kamakura period.
- To what extent did internal clan conflicts weaken samurai unity and political stability?
- Assess how the struggles between samurai clans led to the fall of the Kamakura Shogunate.
