9.4.3 Conflict in and around Japan The Kamakura sh̄ogunate, established in 1192, marked the dominance of the daimȳo over the emperor. Stability was fragile, as the sh̄ogun’s power depended on the strongest daimȳo clans. Sometimes power passed peacefully, but civil wars often broke out between competing families. During this time, the Minamoto, Fujiwara and Hojo clans shared power until the sh̄ogunate collapsed in 1333. Mongol invasions China posed a major threat during the Kamakura period. Kublai Khan, the Mongol emperor, demanded Japan submit to his rule. When the sh̄ogunate refused, Kublai Khan launched invasions in 1274 and 1281, but both failed due to typhoons that the Japanese called kamikaze (divine winds). While these storms protected Japan, many samurai were left unpaid for their efforts, leading to growing unrest.
SOURCE5 A Japanese painting showing the destruction of the Mongol invasion fleet by ‘divine wind’
The Ashikaga sh̄ogunate In 1333, Emperor Go-Daigo resisted military rule, with help from the Ashikaga clan. The Kamakura sh̄ogunate collapsed, but the Ashikaga soon turned against the emperor and took control. They ruled for 237 years, a time of artistic growth, including developments in theatre, literature and traditions like the tea ceremony. However, the Ashikaga sh̄ogunate eventually fell into chaos as rival daimȳo clans fought for power. The age of the warring states For the first hundred years of their rule, the Ashikaga clan stayed in power by forming alliances with daimȳo families. They relied on the personal skills of the sh̄ogun to keep this support. In 1464, a dispute between two Ashikaga brothers over who would become sh̄ogun caused a civil war from 1467 to 1477.
222 Jacaranda Humanities Alive 8 Victorian Curriculum Third Edition
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