e Kwanto alone, during these two years,
more battles were fought--some of considerable magnitude--than during
the thirty years between 1455 and 1485 in England."*

*Murdoch's History of Japan.

THE SOUTHERN COURT IN KYOTO

In this state of affairs the Southern Court found its opportunity. In
accepting Takauji's overtures, Kitabatake Chikafusa, who directed the
politics and strategy of the Southern Court, had designed to dethrone
Suko, to adopt the year name, Shohei, solely, and to establish an
administrative council in Kyoto under his own presidency. He knew
well that Takauji's surrender had not been sincere, but he counted on
an access of strength from the partisans of Tadayoshi, and he looked
for some occasion capable of being turned to advantage. Yoshiakira,
who ruled Kyoto in the absence of his father, Takauji, made no
difficulty about dethroning Suko and requesting the return of the
Southern sovereign, Go-Murakami. Neither did he hesitate to hand over
the false insignia which had been given by Go-Daigo to the Northern
Court. In February, 1352, Go-Murakami paid a visit to Otoko-yama on
the southeast of Kyoto, and ordered a number of officials, under
Kitabatake Chikafusa and Kusunoki Masanori, to enter the capital and
conduct affairs. But his Majesty did not trust his own person into
the city. He waited until his plans were mature, and then a strong
force of Southern troops was launched against Kyoto, while a powerful
army of Kwanto bushi, led by the Nitta brothers, Yoshioki and
Yoshimune, as well as by Wakiya Yoshiharu, marched into Musashi and
defeated Takauji on the Kotesashi moor.

The invaders actually got possession of Kamakura, but the superior
strategy of the Ashikaga chief ultimately reversed the situation.
Yoshimune had to fly to Echigo with a petty remnant of followers, and
Yoshioki and Yoshiharu, evacuating Kamakura, took refuge in the
Kawamura fortress. Meanwhile, in Kyoto, things had fared in a
somewhat similar manner. The Southern generals carried everything
before them at the outset, and Yoshiakira had to fly to Omi. But,
after a brief period of quiet, the Northern troops rallied and
expelled the Southern. Yoshiakira found himself again supreme. A
strange dilemma presented itself, however. There was no sovereign.
The retired sovereigns, Kogon, Komyo, and Suko, had all been carried
to a place well within the Southern lines, and even the false regalia
were not available. Nevertheless, Yoshiakira, r