Ashikaga Motouji

Japanese: 足利基氏 - あしかがもとうじ

[Birth] Kokoku 1 = Rekio 3 (1340)
[Died] 26 April 1367 (Shohei 22) (Teiji 6). Military commander during the Kamakura and Nanbokucho period. First Kamakura kubō (1349-67). Third son of Takauji (second son according to Sonpi Bunmyaku), commonly known as Kamakura Saburo. Mother was Hojo (Akahashi) Noriko. Since the establishment of the Muromachi Shogunate, Takauji's son Yoshiakira had been in Kamakura and had been in charge of managing the Kanto region, but due to a conflict between Takauji and his younger brother Tadayoshi, in 1349 (Shohei 4) (Teiwa 5), Yoshiakira went to Kyoto by order of Takauji, and Motouji was sent to Kamakura in his place. Assisted by his steward Uesugi Noriaki and Taka Munefuyu, he was appointed Sadai no Kami in 1351 (Kan'ō 2), came of age the following year, and became Sadai no Kami (Left Horse Captain). In Shōhei 14 (Enbun 4) (59), he became the head of the Left Guards, and in Shōhei 19 (Teiji 3) (64), he was promoted to Junior Third Rank. During this time, in Shōhei 13 (Enbun 3) (1358), he defeated Nitta Yoshioki, a supporter of the Southern Court, and in Shōhei 16 (Kōan 1) (61), he attacked his vassal Hatakeyama Kunikiyo, who had become tyrannical, in Izu, defeating him the following year. In Shōhei 18 (Teiji 2) (63), he welcomed his trusted Uesugi Noriaki as Kanrei of the Kanto region, and then defeated Utsunomiya Ujitsuna, a famous clan leader in Shimotsuke, and devoted himself to the pacification of the Kanto region, solidifying the foundation of the Kamakura shogunate. From then on, the head of the Kamakura shogunate was hereditary to Motouji's descendants. In accordance with his will, he was buried at Zuisen-ji Temple in Kamakura. His posthumous name was Zuisen-ji Gyokugen Do-in.

Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica Concise Encyclopedia About Encyclopaedia Britannica Concise Encyclopedia Information

Japanese:

[生]興国1＝暦応3(1340)
[没]正平22＝貞治6(1367).4.26. 鎌倉
南北朝時代の武将。初代鎌倉公方 (1349～67) 。尊氏の3男 (『尊卑分脈』では次男) で，通称は鎌倉三郎。母は北条 (赤橋) 登子。室町幕府創設以来，鎌倉には尊氏の子義詮がいて，関東の経営にあたっていたが，尊氏とその弟直義との抗争が起ったため，正平4＝貞和5 (1349) 年，尊氏の命令で義詮は京都に上り，代って基氏が鎌倉に下された。執事上杉憲顕と高師冬の補佐を受け，正平6＝観応2 (51) 年判始，翌年元服，左馬頭となる。正平 14＝延文4 (59) 年左兵衛督，正平 19＝貞治3 (64) 年従三位。この間，正平 13＝延文3 (1358) 年南朝方新田義興を滅ぼし，正平 16＝康安1 (61) 年には，専横化した家臣畠山国清を伊豆に攻めて，翌年これを下した。正平 18＝貞治2 (63) 年には，信頼する上杉憲顕を迎えて関東管領とし，次いで下野の名族宇都宮氏綱を討つなど，関東平定に力を注ぎ，鎌倉府の基礎を固めた。以後鎌倉府の首長は，基氏の子孫が世襲。遺命により鎌倉の瑞泉寺に葬る。法号は瑞泉寺玉厳道昕。

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