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Il periodo Kamakura Kamakura period (1185-1333)

The conquest of political power in Japan by Minamoto no Yoritomo , following the victory over the Taira clan in Genpei War (1180-1185), marked the final step in Japan to feudalism. In fact, since 1185, sees the emergence of a new center of power, an alternative to the imperial court and with a feudal political structure itself. This is known as "Kamakura bakufu" , a military government based on the close relationship lord-vassal that elapsed between the Minamoto clan and some families in the Kanto, that in the previous campaign against The Taira had adhered to the cause of Yoritomo: in exchange for their unconditional loyalty and personal with Minamoto, these families obtained administrative positions ( Jito ) and military ( shugo ) in various courts in the country and the right of ownership over land confiscated from enemies and to knights of dubious loyalty.

In this way, Yoritomo could count, as well as a strong economic base personnel, even on a large control network, made up of trustworthy men ( the gokenin ) scattered throughout Japan. Moreover, he enjoyed a vast political power, guaranteed and legitimized by the same imperial court in Kyoto, which recognized il nuovo governo di Kamakura, conferendo a Yoritomo la carica di sotsuibushi (capo della polizia militare) nel 1185, quelle di soshugo (capo dei governatori militari) e di sojito (capo degli intendenti terrieri militari) nel 1190 e, infine, quella in assoluto più alta di shogun nel 1192. Allo stesso tempo, Yoritomo e i suoi sucessori si impegnavano a riconoscere l'istituzione imperiale quale unica fonte di legittimazione del potere politico e a convivere con essa in una sorta di "governo duale" , anche se, di fatto, la Corte di Kyoto andava via via perdendo competenze e proprietà terriere a favore del governo militare instaurato da Yoritomo.

However, the Kamakura bakufu, though at first it was found quite effective, was sorely tested by two major crises that struck him during his century and a half of life and that marked, albeit indirectly, in the end. The first of these crises was determined from the disappearance of the lineage of shogun Minamoto . In fact, after the death of Yoritomo, in 1199, the direct descendants of the latter could not handle the inheritance and were quickly replaced from Hojo. This famaiglia in the past guardian of Yoritomo could then take over the government of Japan under the guidance of Hojo Masako (1157-1225), Yoritomo's wife, and his father Tokimasa Hojo (1138-1215), who in 1203 assumed the post of first shikken , or regent of shogun. From now on, the Hojo were able to governre from behind the scenes of the Kamakura bakufu, while the post of shogun came to assume a symbolic value.

The other major crises of this period was instead represented by a serious external threat: attempted invasion of the Mongols in 1274 and 1281 . Indeed, while Japan was experiencing a period of peace and internal stability under the leadership of the Hojo, the Asian continent, at the end of the thirteenth century, the Mongol leaders were creating the largest empire in world history. After conquering Korea and smothered the recent outbreaks of resistance in China, the Mongol emperor Kublai QAN view of the Kamakura bakufu rejected by the request for submission to his authority, sent a naval expedition to Japan, which reached the northern shores of Kyushu in 1274. However, even before that there were decisive battle, a typhoon caused damage to the enemy fleet igenti forcing it to retreat. A similar thing happened in 1281: Mongol invasion of a new, more powerful than the first, was once again thwarted by a typhoon warning.

Although the threat of foreign occupation had been foiled by the "providential" typhoon, named not by chance kamikaze (divine wind), the massive preparations for defense to cope with the two Mongol invasions (and any subsequent attacks) had recorded a lot about the finances of the bakufu, as well as on human energies of the Japanese. Moreover, the war against inavsori had not left any loot to the winners in common. All this fueled the strong discontent of those who had incurred expenses, sacrifices and significant losses for the defense of the country, among other things without receiving compensation from the bakufu, which had proved so impotent and inefficient. This climate of general hostility to the Hojo in turn was fueled by resentment that many riders proviciali fed to the long reign of this family, it would have then determined the end of the Kamakura bakufu and at the same time, the beginning of a new shogunate Based in Muromachi and placed under the leadership of a new clan emerging: that of the Ashikaga .