The History of~Japan (Part 2: The First Shogunate)

Japan; the mystical land of "The Rising Sun". Behind the facade of the Megalopolis that is Tokyo, lies a land stained in blood of some of the world's mightiest warriors; the Samurai. A land that has a history of military rulers that at times ruled with an iron hand.

This is Part 2 of this 9-Part wiki page series. This is where we cover Japan under the first of the many shongunates that will rule the nation, and the first time Japan will be threatened by a foreign faction; the Mongol Empire.

## The First Shogunate

By 1192, Minamoto Yoritomo has established his shogunate by the permission of the emperor, and his shogunate would remain prominent until his death in 1199, and that is when his wife; "Masako Hojo" would rule until her father; Tokimasa took over as a regent. Despite the shogunate being decentralized, it remained stable for several centuries.

Though, in 1221 it would be challenged by former Emperor Go-Toga, beginning what would be called the "Jokyu War", Go-Toga was hoping to restore the ruling legitimacy of the Emperor, but eventually the Kamakura Shogunate would succeed and forces Go-Toga to exile to Oki Island.

It was also around this time when the Mongols (led by Genghis Kahn) were establishing their continental empire as they conquered the dynasties in both China and Korea, by the late 13th century, the Mongols would set their eyes on Japan. The first Mongol invasion of Japan came in 1274 as they took smaller islands (like Tsushima), and would fight against the Japanese clans who decide to unite and fight against the invading Mongols.

Despite the Mongols' superior numbers and weapons, the Japanese were able to fend off against the invading Mongols (led by Kublai Kahn).

What made the Mongols retreat from Japan was a massive Typhoon. More Mongols were killed by the storm than by Japanese soldiers. In 1281, the Mongols would try again to invade Japan, and (again) would be forced to retreat due to a Typhoon.

What are the chances?

These Typhoons that inadvertently saved Japan from Mongol conquest, would create the now "infamous" name, "Kamikaze" (meaning "Divine Wind").

### Other things

Japan under the Kamakura Shogunate would see prosperity. For one thing, Japan's population would increase thanks in large part to better irrigation practices, the introduction of fertilizer allowing better food production and thus fewer famines. Buddhism also became "mainstream", no longer was it just for the wealthy elite, but everybody in Japan can practice this religion, eventually it would lead to the creation of the Japanese branch of Buddhism; Zen Buddhism.

### A New Shogunate

Japan with the help from Mother Nature successfully defended itself from mongol conquest, unfortunately the price of victory was almost too high to pay as the economy plummeted and the vassals weren't provided compensation, this would be weight heavily on the Kamakura shogunate and it would never recover, especially by the dawn of the 14th century.

Eventually in 1333, the Japanese emperor; Go-Daigo would stage a coup against the Kamakura Shogunate. The shogunate would send a samurai lord; Takauji Ashikaga to stop the emperor, but Ashikaga would side with the emperor and help him overthrow the Kamakura Shogunate, ending the reign of Japan's first emperor.

With the overthrowing of the Kamakura Shogunate, the Emperor began a 3-year long restoration which Takauji would become dissatisfied with and established a shogunate of his own.

That is where we will leave off the history of Japan. In our next part (click here) we will talk about the other Shoguns that ruled in Kamakura's wake, and these shoguns would eventually lead up to the biggest war that Japan has ever seen; The Sengoku Jidai. Until next time, this is JohnnyOTGS signing out.