#83
83.ASHIKAGA TAKAUJI'S INVESTITURE AND RECOGNITIONS OF
                                     MERITS, 1336

THE breif four months between March and July, 1336, witnessed perhaps the most complete revo-
lution that has ever been seen in an equal space of time in Japanese history. On 1 March, Nitta
Yoshisada's army enterd Kyoto, and in half a month the rebel Ashikaga Takauji beat a precipi-
tate flight for Kyu-shu. There a disquieting situation awaited him: the three powerful barons,
Shoni, Otomo, and Shimadzu, respectively, of the northern, middle, and southern provinces of the
island, supported Takauji with a loyalty which was most ressuring; but arrayed against them were
warriors whose constituencies were, if smaller, nearly as rich and as widely distributed. At the de-
cisive battle on the Tadara beach, near Hakata, on 14 April, the rebel forces inflicted upon their
enemy a crushing defeat. In a month, Takauji's army, now greatly augmented, was already on its
way toward the Capital. The imperial forces that met him and gave battle near Kobe were repulsed
and scattered with heavy losses. On 8 July, Takauji entered Kyoto in triumph, the unfortunate
emperor Go-Daigo having already fled to Mt. Hi-ei. Soon Takauji set up the emperor Kwomyo,
and induced Go-Daigo to come to Kyoto and confined him. The latter was rescued by his sup-
porters and taken to the strategic Mt. Yoshino, on 23 January, 1337; henceforth the imperial house
was divided against itself for fifty-seven years.
  The rewards and the promises of rewards to members of the Shibuya which are contained in
the following documents were granted by Takauji for services which they had rendered him during
his sojourn in Kyu-shu and possibly also on his march to Kyoto. The documents A, C, and E
bear his monograms. A is of special interest, as it was signed the day before he embarked on his
victorious expedition from Hakata toward the Capital. The executive order B is signed by Takauji's
lieutenant Ko no Moronao, and addressed to the former's new deputy in Kyu-shu, Isshiki Noriuji,
stationed at Hakata. The endorsement D is signed by Shimadzu Sadahisa. the shu-go of Satsuma,
under whose jurisdiction lived the holder of the prized promise.




#83-A
                                                  A
  (A copy in Okamoto docs.; also KK, VII; SK, XIII; and Dai Ni-hon shi-ryo , VI, iii, 273.)
                                      "[Takauji's] monogram.
"ORDERED to Shibuya Kawachi nyu-do1
   "That at once [he] shall hold the ji-to shiki of Mitsune west go, Hizen kuni.
"To the [shiki] aforesaid is this man, as reward for his merit, appointed. He shall
hold it in accordance with precedents. [It is ordered] thus.
  "Ken-mu 3 y. 4 m. 2 d. [13 May 1336]. "




#83-B
                                                   B
                (The same as above, but Dai Ni-hon shi-ryo , VI, iv, 296.)
    "The ji-to shiki of Mitsune west go, Higo2 kuni, which [has been granted to]
Shibuya Kawachi nyu-do So-Shin according to his petition, [shall be] seized2a to him
in accordance with the order. In pursuance of the command, it is conveyed thus.
   "Ken-mu 4 y. 7 m. 13 d. [10 August 1337]. Musashi no gon-no-kami, monogram.
    "Kunai Sho-u-taro nyu-do3dono. "




#83-C
                                                    C
    (A copy in Iriki-in docs.; also KK, II; SK, XIII; and Dai Ni-hon shi-ryo, VI, iii, 711.)
[Added note]:-"Revised."
                                    "[Takauji's] monogram
P237
   "That the loyal acts at arms of Shibuya Shin-hei-zhi-goro Shigekatsu4  are excel-
lent5 and will be rewarded, is stated thus.
  "Ken-mu 3 y. 8 m. 17 d. [22 September 1336]."

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#83-D D (Iriki-in docs.; also as above.) [Endorsed on the reverse side of C] :- "The original of this document [should be] brought up to Kyoto, but since there are apprehensions of a long journey, says Shibuya Shin-hei-zhi nyu-do Jo-Yen,6 he wishes my endorsement on the reverse side of the revised copy to serve as proof for the future; therefore it is so executed. "Ryaku-o 4 y. 2 m. 22 d. [10 March 1341]. Shami."7

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#83-E E (Okamoto docs.; KK, VII.) "(Takauji's monogram. ) "That the loyal acts at arms of Shibuya Kuro Shigeoki8 are excellent5 and will be rewarded, is stated thus, "Ken-mu 3 y. 9 m. 3 d. [8 October 1336]."


1Shibuya Kawachi no gon-no-kami Shigemune nyu-do So-Shin, lord of Taki. 2A miscopy of Hizen. 2aSada shi tsuku, act of ensaisinement. 3Isshiki Noriuji. 4The fifth lord of Iriki. 5Shin-myo, literally, divinely excellent; currently used only by a superior person in praise of an inferior. 6Shigemoto, the adopting father of Shigekatsu. 7Shigemadzu Sadahisa nyu-do Do-Kan, the shu-go. 8Of the Okaomoto branch.