Discuss the warrior rule in the Kamakura and Ashikaga Shogunates with specific examples Essay

Most of japans semipolitical history revolved around the warfarerior rule or political rule of warring clans. Throughout the twelve until the nineteenth century, the governance of Japan depended on the outcomes of the continuous struggle between warring groups to take control. At the center of the warrior rule are 2 concepts, the bushi translated as fighting hands and the samurai meaning those who serve. Warriors practiced a code centered on loyalty and no tolerance for defeat.(Jansen, 1995) This made the warrior rule and the change in political attractionship very dynamic. Kamakura unmatchable-man rule The Kamakura absolutism exemplifies the warrior rule in Japan, with a warrior clan controlling governance and the warrior clan descending from the grand families. On one hand, the majestic families maintain and secure political authority by engaging the strongest warriors since the right to lead depended on the business leader to treat the sword and defeat the ruling power and defend ones rule from other warrior groups.On the other hand, the warriors with familial or non-familial ties with the noble families developed loyalty to these families and defended the leadership that they helped establish. This implied the overlap between the noble families and warrior groups. dreadful families with strong warrior leaders often win the battle and those families without strong leaders in war became subservient to those with the ability to lead wars and defend governance.The Kamakura Shogunate is one period of warrior rule preceded by the Genpei war fought by two clans the Minamoto and Taira with both having prominent samurai capabilities. These two clans had similar forces intensiveness that the battle lasted for five years, from 1180 to 1185. The success of the Minamoto warrior clan brought about the Kamakura Shogunate. Minamoto no Yoritomo, the leader of the Minamoto warrior clan is himself of noble birth. His leadership reflected the manner that noble f amilies gained warriors through the ability to lead.Throughout Minamoto no Yoritomos rule, he faced countless fortress from the other samurai clans but his decision to establish the center of government at Kamakura and refrain from extending his control over the northernmost and westernmost regions direct to a longer rule. (Jansen, 1995) Warrior rule depends on territorial control and gaining the territory of one group meant extending ones territory but adding another antagonist likely to make a challenge in the future. By not expanding the territory too much, this became easier to defend and enemies minimized. Ashikaga ShogunateThe Mongols became the strongest opponent of the Kamakura Shogunate so that even if storms dissipated the descend of the invaders, the battle weakened the Shogunate. The exiled Emperor Go-Daigo took favor of the situation to regain his lost power by restoring the Kemmu rule. However, this only lasted one-third years because of the weak legions liveli hood of the emperor. Warrior rule again emerged with the Ashikaga Shogunate led by Takauji. Nevertheless, even the Ashikaga Shogunate was weak in military leadership resulting to the assertion of independent power by the daimyo or regional warrior leaders.The strong suit of a warrior rule lies not only in the number of forces and degree of cohesiveness of loyalty of the forces but too in the strength of the top leadership. With a weak power at the top, warrior rule is move to fall apart. The daimyos not only made decisions independently but also meddled in governance such as in influencing succession. With only backing from one or a limited number of regions, conflict was needed with other regions pushing for the shogun they preferred.All the aspiring shoguns backed-up by the regional military forces had claims over the shogunate based on either or both grandness and known samurai clan lineage. With the inability of the present Shogun to take control, this led to the Onin War, a ten-year war for leadership of the Shogunate by the different daimyos. (Jansen, 1995) The war destroyed Kyoto, claimed thousands of lives, and led to the greater overlap between leadership nobility claims and samurai lineage.ReferenceJansen, M. B. (1995) (ed. ). Warrior rule in Japan. New York Cambridge University Press.