oute to Kyoto to take the
tonsure, and Moronao and Moroyasu were both killed.

YEAR-PERIODS AND COURTS

Three years before the death of Moronao, that is to say, in 1348, the
sovereign of the Northern Court, Komyo, abdicated in favour of Suko.
Ever since 1332 there had been a dual year-period, outcome of the
divided Imperialism, and history was thus not a little complicated.
It will be convenient here to tabulate, side by side, the lines of
the two dynasties:

SOUTHERN COURT NORTHERN COURT

96th Sovereign, Go-Daigo 1318-1339 Kogon 1332-1335

97th " Go-Murakami 1339-1368 Komyo 1335-1348

98th " Chokei 1368-1372 Suko 1348-1352

99th " Go-Kameyama 1372-1392 Go-Kogon 1352-1371

Go-Enyu 1371-1382

100th " Go-Komatsu 1392-1412 Go-Komatsu 1382-1412

It is observable that the average duration of a Southern sovereign's
reign was eighteen years, whereas that of a Northern sovereign was
only thirteen years.

DEATH OF TADAYOSHI

The peace concluded between the Ashikaga chief and his brother,
Tadayoshi, was of brief duration; their respective partisans
distrusted one another too much. The Nikki, the Hosokawa, the Doki,
and the Sasaki, all followed Takauji, but the Ishido, the Uesugi, and
the Momonoi adhered to Tadayoshi. At last the situation became so
strained that Tadayoshi withdrew to Echizen and from thence made his
way to Kamakura. In these circumstances, Takauji desired to take the
field himself, but since to do so would have exposed Kyoto to danger
from the south, he attempted to delude the Court at Yoshino into
crediting his loyalty and his willingness to dethrone Suko by way of
preliminary to welcoming the return of Go-Murakami to Kyoto.

Takauji's professions were now appraised at their true value,
however. The Court at Yoshino commissioned him to punish his
rebellious brother, but took steps, as will presently be seen, to
turn the resulting situation to its own advantage. Takauji now placed
himself at the head of a strong army, and moving eastward, marched to
Kamakura practically unopposed. Tadayoshi escaped to Izu, where he
took poison, or was given it. Takauji remained in the Kwanto during
the greater part of two years (1352-1353). The task of restoring
order and re-establishing the Ashikaga supremacy demanded all his
ability and resources. "In th