| The province of HARIMA had been given the
AKAMATSU for NORIMURA's service to Emperor GO-DAIGO in securing
KYOTO from the HOJO (See KUSUNOKI and GO-DAIGO,
under BIZEN KAGEMITSU).
At the Imperial restoration, HARIMA was
given to the great KUSUNOKI MASASHIGE, which reduced the AKAMATSU to SAYO
Castle and caused NORIMURA to join rebel, ASHIKAGA TAKAUJI against GO-DAIGO
and his Southern Cause.
NORIMURA tied up NITTA YOSHISADA while TAKAUJI
headed south to regroup. They then joined the field at MINATO-GAWA, crushing
MASASHIGE's Imperial forces and pushing the KUSUNOKI back to KAWACHI -
as NORIMURA had sworn. His son, AKAMATSU NORISUKE would become Governor
in HARIMA and later BIZEN.
A minister under the ASHIKAGA SHOGUN, YOSHIMITSU,
the 3rd AKAMATSU, short statured and humorously labeled, SAN-SHAKU
NYUDO "The Three-foot Priest" YOSHINORI, found their holdings increased
further when the domains of the YAMANA, owners of one-sixth of Japan, were
divided in 1391. The AKAMTASU received MIMASAKA and some of INABA and TAJIMA.
AKAMATSU MITSUSUKE became the rightful
inheritor succeeding his father, YOSHINORI.
Ahh, but the tapestry weaves a circular
pattern...
It seems another great-grandchild of old
NORIMURA, one MOCHISADA of another line, decided to manipulate the
AKAMATSU lands to himself.
Avaricious collusion with SHOGUN, ASHIKAGA
YOSHIMOCHI led to an ordered assault by the easily persuaded YAMANA TOKINORI
and HOSOKAWA MOCHIMOTO.
Everyone else rightfully rallied for MITSUSUKE.
Politics what they were, the SHOGUN backed
off - saving face by having MOCHISADA slit his belly.
YOSHIMOCHI died the following year to be
succeeded by ASHIKAGA YOSHINORI. In time, the departed MOCHISADAs' son,
SADAMURA
found in this new SHOGUN, YOSHINORI, a receptive ear for his father's old
scheme.
Hearing this secret, MITSUSUKE was presented
his fate. He knew the gambit and its result before the start.
At a lavish feast, he assassinated the SHOGUN
ASHIKAGA YOSHINORI, and fled to the ancient AKAMATSU fortress, "The White
Banner Castle" SHIRAHATA.
Besieged by the HOSOKAWA, the TAKEDA, the
YAMANA and, of course, the ever vengeful SADAMURA, MITSUSUKE died with
his son in their old keep - KA-KICHI 1441.
HARIMA then came under the renewed power
of the YAMANA.
But MITSUSUKE had a nephew - AKAMATSU
MASANORI, who returned to HARIMA in the O-NIN 1467 Times of War with
his uncle's revenge...
MASANORI also made swords - see the following |
