#102
102. OKAMOTO SHIGEOKI'S REPORT OF HIS SERVICE AT ARMS,
                                          1352

      (Okamoto docs. ; also KK, VII; SK, XVII; Dai Ni-hon shi-ryo, VI, xv, 638. )
EVENTS in 1351 moved with kaleidoscopic changes. While Takauji was on his way to chastize his
son Tadafuyu in Kyu-shu, Tadayoshi, the former's younger brother, capitulated to the Yoshino
Court, in November 1350; Takauji retraced his steps towerd Kyoto, and in Settsu was met in
battle and severely defeated by Tadayoshi; soon the two brothers composed their difference, and
the Ko were ignominiously killed, in March 1351. It was not long, however, before Tadayoshi fell
out with Takauji's heir Yoshiakira. The sho-gun now, in November, came to terms with the
Southern Court;1 and, as a consequence, his ally in Satsuma, Shimadzu Sadahisa, declared himself
on the same side,2 at the close of the year. The truce between the two Courts was broken within
three months, and Sadahisa naturally reverted to the support of the Nothern side.
   The following report was written during the breif period when Sadahisa and Prince Kanenaga
found themselves on the same side. The writer, Okamoto Shigeoki, had responded to the Prince's
call (No. 101); Kurando Michiyoshi, of the Osaki or Zai-koku-shi family, of Togo, whom Shigeoki
attacked, was enemy of Shimadzu Sadahisa, and Shigeoki's service against him was certified by a
representative of the Prince.
   In the meantime, Ashikaga Tadafuyu, who was vindicated by the fall of the Ko brothers, again
lost support of the Shogunate when Tadayoshi died about the time that the Yoshino Court broke
with the sho-gun. He left Kyu-shu toward the end of 1352.

                            "[I HAVE] examined.       (Sanjo Yasu-sue's3 monogram. )
"Shibuya Kuro Saemon no zho Shigeoki reports his service at arms:
    "That [Shigeoki] attacked the fortress of Togo Kurando, and rendered dis-
tinguished service on the 5th of this month [23 Decmber 1351], is a patent fact,
since he fought under the eyes of the Commander. In order that [Shigeoki's service]
be at once reported, he makes a statement thus.
   "Sho-hei 6 y. 12 m. 23 d. [10 January 1352]."




  1Takauji's letter to Sadahisa, 11 m. 13 d.: SK, XVII; Dai Ni-hon shi-ryo, VI, xv, 585. 
  2Ashikaga Yoshifuyu to Muto, 12 m. 13 d.: Nezhime se-roku, II.
  3Sanjo Yasu-sue, the court-warrior, was sent by the Southern Court as early as April 1337, to
direct the conduct of its supporters in the kuni; he did prolonged service in a spirit singularly self-
effacing.