Podcasts about yoritomo

Shogunatet, som existerade från medeltiden till den industriella revolutionen, innebar att den militära ledaren shogunen hade all makt på kejsarens bekostnad. Ursprungligen var "shogun" en titel för militära befälhavare, men när centralmakten försvagades av rivalitet mellan kejsaren, ex-kejsare och Fujiwara-ätten, fick samurajerna ökad makt. På 1100-talet ledde detta till att en militärdiktator tog kontrollen.Shogunatet var anpassningsbart och kunde omforma sig över tid. Tokugawa-shogunatet (1603–1868) blev Japans mest stabila era, men dess fall markerade början på en ny tid. Under ytan på ett till synes stillastående samhälle pågick gradvisa förändringar. Japan var isolerat, styrt av ett strikt klassystem och reglerat enligt samurajernas kod.I podden Historia Nu samtalar programledaren Urban Lindstedt med Ingemar Ottosson, docent i historia vid Lunds universitet, aktuell med boken Shogun: Generalerna som ledde Japan (2025).Shogunatet – eller bakufu – har rötter i Japans tidiga historia. Redan under Yamato-riket på 300-talet formades centralmakt under kinesiskt inflytande. Men på 800-talet började kejsarens makt vackla, vilket öppnade för militära ledare. Titeln "shogun" användes först i krig mot emishi-folket, men dessa generaler styrde inget eget shogunat. Det förändrades 1192 då Minamoto no Yoritomo utnämndes till seii taishōgun och grundade ett verkligt parallellt maktcentrum.Det första shogunatet etablerades i Kamakura (1185–1333), där samurajerna fick en central roll. Makten förflyttades från hovet i Kyoto till krigarnas hierarki, med drag av europeisk feodalism. Alla tre shogunat följde mönstret av dynastisk uppgång och fall. Shogunerna varierade stort i duglighet – från marionetter till historiska gestalter som Yoritomo, Yoshimitsu och Ieyasu.Med tiden förändrades shogunrollen från krigsherre till civil ämbetsman. Den mest stabila perioden inleddes med Tokugawa Ieyasus seger vid Sekigahara 1600, vilket ledde till hans utnämning till shogun 1603. Tokugawa-styret, med säte i Edo, byggde ett samhälle präglat av militär, byråkrati och neokonfucianism. Kejsaren behöll en symbolisk roll, medan verklig makt låg hos shogunen.Samhället styrdes med strikt klassindelning: samurajer, bönder, hantverkare, köpmän. Länsherrar (daimyōer) kontrollerades genom sankin-kōtai – ett system som tvingade deras familjer att bo i Edo, vilket motverkade uppror. Landet isolerades genom sakoku-politiken: endast holländare fick bedriva handel via ön Dejima. Kristendom förbjöds, missionärer avrättades och utländska kontakter begränsades kraftigt.Paradoxalt nog blomstrade kulturen: kabuki, haiku och urban tillväxt i städer som Osaka och Edo. Trots det yttre lugnet började samhället långsamt förändras. Samurajerna, som en gång var krigare, förvandlades till byråkrater utan svärd. Köpmännen, trots sin låga formella status, blev ekonomiskt mäktiga.Bild: Porträtt av Tokugawa Ieyasu (1543–1616), grundare av Tokugawa-shogunatet. Målningen är utförd av konstnären Kanō Tan'yū och finns i huvudtornet på Osaka slott. Källa: Wikipedia Kanō Tan'yū, Public Domain.Musik: ”Japanese Hotchiku Flute” av Velimir Andreev (Psystein), Storyblocks Audio.Lyssna också på Samurajerna dominerade Japan under ett millenium.Klippare: Emanuel Lehtonen Vill du stödja podden och samtidigt höra ännu mer av Historia Nu? Gå med i vårt gille genom att klicka här: https://plus.acast.com/s/historianu-med-urban-lindstedt. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Vi beger oss till Japans 1100-tal och följer etablerandet av en ny instution, shogunatet. Det blir klanfejder mellan Minamoto och Taira, räv och rackarspel när en viss Yoritomo i slutändan segrar och samlar makttunga ämbeten i sin hand. Före sin resa mot makten hade han gift sig med en flicka från den släkt han satt som gisslan hos, hon heter Masako och är från Hojoklanen. Tillsammans armbågar de sig fram i det japanska maktspelet. När Yoritomo avlider fortsätter Masako ränksmideriet på egen hand i ytterligare 25 år. Lyssna på våra avsnitt fritt från reklam: https://plus.acast.com/s/historiepodden. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we recap the story so far: Which key characters remain? Who is in control of the capital - and of the Emperor? And how will Yoritomo achieve his dream of becoming Japan's first Shogun? We'll explore the balance of power in medieval Japan as two great samurai clans - Genji and Heike - prepare to face each other in their final battles for control of the nation.Written and presented by Sean BerminghamMusic and sound effects from Pond 5: www.pond5.comThe First Shogun podcast website: https://firstshogun.buzzsprout.com

An envoy from the capital brings shocking news: The Emperor has been attacked! Yoritomo learns that his reckless cousin Kiso Yoshinaka - the Asahi Shogun - has burned down the Emperor's residence and is threatening to make a truce with the Heike. So he accepts the Emperor's summons and sends his half-brother Yoshitsune to bring his cousin to heel. Meanwhile Kiso and his lover Tomoe Gozen - Japan's most celebrated female samurai -  prepare for what could be their final stand. Written and presented by Sean BerminghamMusic and sound effects from Pond 5: www.pond5.comThe First Shogun podcast website: https://firstshogun.buzzsprout.com

The TV series "Shogun" brings Japanese history to life, but who was the first Shogun? In this season of The First Shogun, Sean Bermingham explores the dramatic rise of the Genji, Japan's most famous samurai clan. We begin the story in 1180, at the start of the Gempei War, an epic 5-year clash between two samurai families that shook medieval Japan and led to the founding of Japan's first Shogunate. Written and presented by Sean Bermingham Music and sound effects from Pond 5: www.pond5.comCharacters mentioned in this episode:Genji clan:Yoritomo - the future First ShogunHojo Masako - Yoritomo's wifeYoshitsune - Yoritomo's half-brotherYoshitomo - Yoritomo's fatherTameyoshi - Yoritomo's grandfatherMitsunaga and Yorimitsu - ancient warriorsSasaki Sadatsuna - samurai retainerHeike clan:Kiyomori - Lord of the HeikeSatake no Yoshimasa - regional warlordThe First Shogun podcast website: https://firstshogun.buzzsprout.com

Shocking news reaches Kamakura from Japan's capital: an unexpected turn of events that has thrown the nation into chaos. Meanwhile, in the highlands of central Japan a new force is rising, and there are tales of a female samurai who cuts down everyone in her path. Yoritomo sets out from Kamakura to meet this new challenge to his authority, and comes face to face for the first time with his most powerful rival: the mysterious Master of the Eastern Mountain.Written and presented by Sean BerminghamMusic and sound effects from Pond 5: www.pond5.comThe First Shogun podcast website: https://firstshogun.buzzsprout.com

Burritt Sabin was born in New York City and came to Japan as a naval officer in 1975. His professional career in Japan started as a journalist, and he quickly moved into writing and historical research. The first book we're going to discuss today is about Yokohama,  one of the first Japanese ports to open to foreign trade in the 1850s. A Historical Guide to Yokohama: Sketches of the Twice-Risen Phoenix is a window into a time when Japan was rapidly opening up to the world. (The book is in English, despite what the Amazon listing says.)The other book we'll talk about is Kamakura: A Contemplative Guide,which highlights the first samurai capital in the 12th century. Shogun Minamoto no Yoritomo chose this city for the seat of his military government, ushering in the Kamakura Period in 1185.Subjects covered in the podcast:1. Townsend Harris and the opening of Japan (Yokohama)2. The meeting of Sun Yat-sen and Miyazaki Toten in Yokohama3. The Hotel New Grand in Yokohama4. The Great Buddha of Kamakura5. Natsume Soseki's and Suzuki Daisetz's sojourn at Kigen-in, Kamakura6. The Kamakura bunshiSabin also discusses his three favorite books on Japan:1. The Death of Old Yokohama in the Earthquake of 1923 by Otis Manchester PooleA gripping account in real time of a man navigating the post-quake hellscape in an attempt to reach his family.2. Aru Shisei no To: Koshikata wa kanashiku mono kiroku (A Waif of the Streets: Record of a Sad Passage) by Hasegawa ShinHasegawa Shin (1884~1963) recounts growing up in poverty in late-19th century Yokohama, teaching himself to read and write and later becoming a leading popular playwright.3. Sugao Kamakura (The True Face of Kamakura) ed. by Osaragi JiroAn insightful collection of essays on Kamakura by writers who have made the city home.Be sure to check out Burritt Sabin's books A Historical Guide to Yokohama: Sketches of the Twice-Risen Phoenix (2002) and Kamakura: A Contemplative Guide (2021), available on Amazon or at your favorite bookstore. The Books on Asia Podcast is sponsored by Stone Bridge Press. Check out their books on Japan at the publisher's website.Amy Chavez, podcast host, is author of Amy's Guide to Best Behavior in Japan and The Widow, the Priest, and the Octopus Hunter: Discovering a Lost Way of Life on a Secluded Japanese Island.Books on AsiaTwitter: @BooksOnAsiaSubscribe to the BOA podcast at https://linktr.ee/booksonasia

As we've reached the halfway point in the rise to power of Yoritomo, in this episode we take a break from the main story to look at some of the main books, films, TV shows, and podcasts that deal with this period of early Japanese history. The episode includes tips and suggestions for anyone who's interested to know more about the Gempei War and the life of Japan's First Shogun...List of sources and media mentioned in this episode:Books and sources:The Tale of the Heike - tr. Helen McCullough (Stanford University Press)The Tale of the Heike - tr. Royall Tyler (Penguin Classics)The Founding of the Kamakura Shogunate / Azuma Kagami - tr. Minoru Shinoda (Columbia University Press)Before Heike and After: Hogen, Heiji, Jokyuki - tr. Royall Tyler (Arthur Nettleton)Yoshitsune (Gikeiki) - tr. Helen McCullough (Stanford University Press)The Gempei War 1180-85 - Stephen Turnbull (Osprey)The Tale of Genji by Murasaki Shikibu tr. Royall Tyler (Penguin Classics)The World of the Shining Prince - Ivan Morris (Vintage)The Heike Story by Eiji Yoshikawa - tr. Fuki Uramatsu (Tuttle)Kwaidan - tr. Lafcadio Hearn (Tuttle)TV shows & Movies:Kwaidan (1964) - dir. Masaki KobayashiRashomon (1950) - dir. Akira KurosawaThe Men Who Tread on the Tiger's Tail (1945) - dir. Akira KurosawaTaira Clan Saga (1955) - dir. Kenji MizoguchiGate of Hell (1953) - dir. Teinosuke KinugasaThe 13 Lords of the Shogun (2022), Taira no Kiyomori (2012), Yoshitsune (2005) - NHKPodcasts:A History of Japan (Justin Hebert)History of Japan (Isaac Meyer)Read Japanese Literature (Alison Fincher)Geeks and GaijinsThe Samurai ArchivesThe First Shogun podcast website: https://firstshogun.buzzsprout.com

Lord Kiyomori has sent a massive army to suppress the Genji uprising in the east led by Minamoto no Yoritomo. But for now Yoritomo has a more immediate threat: outnumbered ten to one, he prepares to confront a force of 3,000 samurai on the slopes of Mount Ishibashi. Yoritomo's response to this attack will pass into legend - and will lead to the war between Genji and Heike that will change Japan's history forever.People featured in this episode:For the Genji:- Minamoto no Yoritomo - Genji heir; future First Shogun of Japan- Masako Hojo - Yoritomo's wife; the future 'Nun Shogun'- Tokimasa Hojo - Masako's father; landowner and samurai- Minamoto no Yoshitsune - Yoritomo's half-brother- Musashibo Benkei - a giant warrior-monk; Yoshitsune's retainer- Miura Yoshizumi - heir to the Miura clan; son of Miura YoshiakiFor the Heike- Taira no Kiyomori - Lord of the Heike- Taira no Koremori - Kiyomori's grandson- Kajiwara Kagetoki - Heike retainer; samurai commanderThe First Shogun podcast website: https://firstshogun.buzzsprout.com

Japan, 1180: The samurai warlord Kiyomori is at the height of his power - he has exiled or executed his opponents, imprisoned the retired Emperor, and has begun his grandest project - the creation of a new capital city in his image. But hundreds of miles to the east, the exiled Yoritomo is planning to strike back against Kiyomori's Heike. He launches a daring night-time raid - one of the earliest Ninja-style stealth attacks in Japan's history - but will it succeed, and how will Kiyomori respond?Main characters in this episode:For the Genji:Minamoto no Yoritomo - Genji heir; the future First ShogunHojo Masako - Yoritomo's wife; daughter of TokimasaHojo Tokimasa - Yoritomo's father-in-lawTakatsuna, Sadatsuna, Moritsuna, Tsunetaka - samurai brothersFor the Heike:Taira no Kiyomori - Heike LordTaira no Kanetaka - Governor of IzuTsutsumi Nobuto - Izu vice-governorOba no Kagechika - veteran samuraiThe First Shogun podcast website: https://firstshogun.buzzsprout.com

An imperial decree urges rebellion against the Heike clan. As the Genji heir Yoritomo considers his response, a veteran Genji living in the capital - Minamoto no Yorimasa - takes matters into his own hands, and leads the first serious challenge to Lord Kiyomori's authority. The uprising will lead to the first pivotal moment of the Gempei War - the legendary Battle of Uji Bridge.Key figures in this episode:Yoritomo - Genji exile, the future First ShogunYorimasa - a veteran Genji warriorLord Kiyomori - Head of the Heike clanMunemori - Kiyomori's heir and eldest surviving sonGo-Shirakawa - the Retired EmperorMochihito - the Retired Emperor's second sonKio - an imperial guard Jomyo Meishu, Ichirai - warrior monksWritten and presented by Sean Bermingham. Music and sound effects from Pond 5: www.pond5.comThe First Shogun podcast website: https://firstshogun.buzzsprout.com

Un Shōgun es un Comandante de los ejércitos japoneses. Recientemente hemos podido ver una serie de nombre Shōgun y me ha parecido interesante sumergirnos en la historia de Japón para ampliar los conocimientos de aquellas épocas de aquél país. Bien para profundizar en la serie o ampliar los conceptos que en la serie se nos dan, o bien para, simplemente conocer la sociedad oriental de aquellos míticos años. El Shōgun en la Historia de Japón El término "shōgun" tiene sus raíces en la historia japonesa y se refiere a un título que era otorgado al comandante militar supremo del país. El shōgun era el líder del gobierno militar y ejercía un poder considerable, a menudo superior al del propio emperador, quien se mantenía como una figura simbólica y religiosa. Este sistema de gobierno, conocido como shogunato, se mantuvo durante varios siglos y fue un pilar fundamental en la estructura feudal de Japón. El origen del shogunato se remonta al siglo XII, con Minamoto no Yoritomo estableciendo el primer shogunato Kamakura en 1192. Este evento marcó el comienzo de un sistema feudal en el que el shōgun no solo era el líder militar sino también el gobernante de facto del país. Durante este tiempo, el emperador delegaba la autoridad civil, militar, diplomática y judicial al shōgun, quien gobernaba en su nombre. A lo largo de la historia de Japón, existieron tres shogunatos principales: el shogunato Kamakura, el shogunato Ashikaga y el shogunato Tokugawa. El shogunato Tokugawa, establecido por Tokugawa Ieyasu en 1603, fue el más duradero y marcó el final del período medieval japonés. Este período se caracterizó por un gobierno centralizado y políticas de aislamiento respecto al resto del mundo, con el shōgun controlando el país mediante la lealtad de los daimyō (señores feudales) y un ejército propio. La posición del shōgun estaba en la cúspide de la jerarquía social y política, ejerciendo un control absoluto sobre el país. A cambio de su lealtad y servicio militar, los vasallos recibían tierras y privilegios, creando una relación feudal entre señor y vasallo que era la base del poder del shōgun. La Restauración Meiji en 1868 fue un punto de inflexión en la historia japonesa, donde el emperador Meiji retomó su papel protagonista en la política del país y la figura del shōgun fue abolida. Este cambio transformó a Japón de un estado feudal a una nación moderna, dejando un legado significativo que aún hoy se puede apreciar en la cultura y sociedad japonesas. El shogunato en Japón fue, por tanto, más que un simple título o una figura militar; fue un sistema de gobierno que definió la estructura política, social y cultural de Japón durante siglos. Su influencia se extendió más allá de las fronteras del país, y su legado continúa siendo un tema de estudio e interés para historiadores y entusiastas de la cultura japonesa. Otros temas en el programa: 34:17 Las gotas de Dios 59:42 Errores del estudio del Universo 1:23:10 Reseña de Fallout No soy el Señor Monstruo - Capítulo 6 Puedes leer más y comentar en mi web, en el enlace directo: https://luisbermejo.com/shogun-zz-podcast-05x38/ Puedes encontrarme y comentar o enviar tu mensaje o preguntar en: WhatsApp: +34 613031122 Paypal: https://paypal.me/Bermejo Bizum: +34613031122 Web: https://luisbermejo.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ZZPodcast/ X (twitters): https://x.com/LuisBermejo y https://x.com/zz_podcast Instagrams: https://www.instagram.com/luisbermejo/ y https://www.instagram.com/zz_podcast/ Canal Telegram: https://t.me/ZZ_Podcast Canal WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va89ttE6buMPHIIure1H Grupo Signal: https://signal.group/#CjQKIHTVyCK430A0dRu_O55cdjRQzmE1qIk36tCdsHHXgYveEhCuPeJhP3PoAqEpKurq_mAc Grupo Whatsapp: https://chat.whatsapp.com/FQadHkgRn00BzSbZzhNviThttps://chat.whatsapp.com/BNHYlv0p0XX7K4YOrOLei0

In this episode we follow the teenager Yoritomo - the future First Shogun of Japan - as he begins his exile on Leech Island in Izu province, where he experiences both love and tragedy in the household of his captor. Meanwhile, back in the Capital, Lord Kiyomori of the Heike continues to secure his position as the country's most powerful landlord. But a secret meeting at a remote mountain villa could present Kiyomori with a serious and unexpected challenge.Key figures in this episode:In Izu Yoritomo - Genji exile, the future First ShogunIto Sukechika - local Heike commander; Yoritomo's captorYaehime - Sukechika's daughterMorinaga - Yoritomo's friend and retainerIn the CapitalLord Kiyomori - Head of the Heike clanShigemori - Kiyomori's eldest sonSukemori - Shigemori's teenage sonLady Ike - a nun; Kiyomori's step-motherGo-Shirakawa - the Retired EmperorSaiko, Shunkan, Narichika, Yasuyori - conspiratorsWritten and presented by Sean Bermingham. Music and sound effects from Pond 5: www.pond5.comThe First Shogun podcast website: https://firstshogun.buzzsprout.com

In this episode Yoritomo - the future First Shogun of Japan - falls in love with Hojo Masako - one of the most famous women in Japan's history. As they celebrate a secret wedding, Yoritomo hears of a strange dream that may be a prophesy of his future. Meanwhile, Kiyomori executes a conspirator with a brutality that shocks even his own supporters, and exiles three men to a volcanic island. But when his daughter - who is expecting to give birth to the Emperor's child -  becomes dangerously ill, he must call on his most dangerous rival to perform an exorcism, in the hope of repelling spirits that threaten to destroy his family. Key figures in this episode:In IzuYoritomo - Genji exile, the future First ShogunHojo Tokimasa - local government officialHojo Masako - Tokimasa's daughterMorinaga, Sadatsuna, Kageyoshi - Yoritomo's friends and retainersIn the CapitalLord Kiyomori - Head of the Heike clanShigemori - Kiyomori's eldest sonKenreimon-in - Kiyomori's daughter; Emperor Takakura's wifeGo-Shirakawa - the Retired EmperorShunkan, Naritsune, Yasuyori - castawaysWritten and presented by Sean Bermingham. Music and sound effects from Pond 5: www.pond5.comThe First Shogun podcast website: https://firstshogun.buzzsprout.com

In this episode we follow the early life of Yoshitsune, the Luke Skywalker of medieval Japan! Saved from execution by his mother's courage, Yoshitsune was exiled at an early age to a remote temple, where, according to legend, he learned swordsmanship and battle strategy from the great Goblin King Sojobo. It was the start of a long journey that will eventually see him reunited with his half-brother, Yoritomo - the future First Shogun of Japan...Key figures in this episode:Yoshitsune - younger half-brother of Yoritomo, the future First ShogunYoshitomo - father of Yoshitsune and YoritomoLady Tokiwa - Yoshitomo's mistress; mother of Yoshitsune Lord Kiyomori - Head of the Heike clanBenkei - a giant monkKichiji - a gold merchantSojobo - Goblin King of the TenguWritten and presented by Sean Bermingham. Music and sound effects from Pond 5: www.pond5.comThe First Shogun podcast website: https://firstshogun.buzzsprout.com

It is now the year 1160 and Yoshitomo, the head of the Genji samurai clan, is preparing an audacious plot to topple the Emperor's chief advisor Shinzei, the man who ordered the deaths of his father and brothers. But can he carry out his plan in time before his deadliest rival, Lord Kiyomori of the Heike Clan, returns to the Capital?Key figures in this episode:The Genji:Yoshitomo - Head of the Genji clanYoritomo - Yoshitomo's12-year-old son; future First ShogunAkugenda - Yoritomo's elder brotherYorimasa - Genji general; Yoritomo's cousinMasakiyo - Yoshitomo's deputyLady Tokiwa - Yoshitomo's mistressThe Heike:Kiyomori - Head of the Heike clanShigemori - Kiyomori's eldest sonYorimori - Kiyomori's younger brotherLady Ike - Kiyomori's step-motherIto Kagetsuna - Heike retainerThe Imperial Court:Nijo - the 17-year-old Emperor of JapanGo-Shirakawa - Retired Emperor; Nijo's fatherShinzei - Go-Shirakawa's chief advisorNobuyori - court noble; Shinzei's rivalWritten and presented by Sean Bermingham. Music and sound effects from Pond 5: www.pond5.comThe First Shogun podcast website: https://firstshogun.buzzsprout.com

It is the year 1156 in the Japanese imperial capital. Two rival Emperors face each other across the Kamo river, each supported by warriors of the Heike and Genji clans.Watching is the nine-year-old Yoritomo. One day he will become Japan's first Shogun. But for now, all he can do is hope that his father has chosen the right side. Key figures in this episode:West of the river:- Go-Shirakawa (reigning Emperor of Japan)- Shinzei (Go-Shirakawa's senior advisor)- Yoshitomo (Genji heir, eldest son of Tameyoshi)- Yoritomo (Yoshitomo's son; future First Shogun)- Kiyomori (Head of the Heike clan)East of the river:- Sutoku (Retired Emperor, Go-Shirakawa's elder brother)- Tameyoshi (Head of the Genji clan; Yoshitomo's father)- Tamatomo (Yoshitomo's younger brother; a giant)- Tadamasa (Heike commander; uncle of Kiyomori)Written and presented by Sean Bermingham. Music and sound effects from Pond 5: www.pond5.comThe First Shogun podcast website: https://firstshogun.buzzsprout.com

The first Shogun - Yoritomo of the Genji - was born more than 800 years ago. In this episode we explore the amazing background of Yoritomo's Genji clan - a real-life medieval mix of Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones. And then we see how his father Yoshitomo prepared to protect the samurai honor, by standing against his own family...Places mentioned in this episode:Rashomon Gate - made famous by Akira Kurosawa's 1950 film - once stood at the southern entrance to the city of Heian (Kyoto). Nothing remains today except a small memorial in a children's playground. You can see what it once looked at the nearby Kyoto JR station, which has a scale model of the original gate. https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/rajomon-gateThe Shogunzuka mound - or Mound of the General - is located in the eastern mountains overlooking Kyoto. It marks the site where the Emperor Kammu first surveyed the valley where he would build the nation's new capital, Kyoto.https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3954_shogunzuka.htmlWritten and presented by Sean Bermingham. Music and sound effects from Pond 5: www.pond5.comThe First Shogun podcast website: https://firstshogun.buzzsprout.com

The TV series "Shogun" brings Japanese history to life, but who was the first Shogun? In the first episode of this new podcast series, Sean Bermingham explores Minamoto no Yoritomo's extraordinary rise to power in medieval Japan, amidst the dramatic backdrop of the Gempei War - an epic clash between two rival samurai clans, the Genji and the Heike. We'll see how the Tale of the Heike was passed down over generations by traveling storytellers - and in a secluded temple cemetery, we'll accompany a brave musician who has an unearthly encounter with samurai spirits from a vanished age...Places mentioned in this episode:Kitano Tenmangu Treasure House, Kyoto - the shrine preserves an ancient sword believed to be the Genji heirloom 'higekiri' : https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20220826/p2a/00m/0et/037000cAkama Shrine, Shimonoseki - shrine dedicated to the boy-Emperor Antoku and the Heike who died at Dan-no-Ura; the setting for the tale of Hoichi the Earless:https://en.japantravel.com/yamaguchi/akama-shrine/17401Music and sound effects from Pond 5: www.pond5.comThe First Shogun podcast website: https://firstshogun.buzzsprout.com

Nichiren Daishonin wrote this letter at Minobu in the intercalary third month of the second year of Kenji (1276) to Nanjō Tokimitsu, who lived in Ueno Village, in Suruga Province. Tokimitsu's father, Nanjō Hyōe Shichirō, had died in 1265, when he was seven years old and his mother was pregnant with his younger brother Shichirō Gorō. The death of his father and, later, of his elder brother forced Tokimitsu to assume the duties of steward of Ueno while still in his teens. He was about eighteen years old when he received this letter from the Daishonin. In the seventh month of 1274, immediately after the Daishonin moved to Minobu, Tokimitsu went to visit him there. Inspired by that reunion—Tokimitsu had met the Daishonin with his parents when he was a child—Tokimitsu devoted himself to faith with renewed earnestness. In the first month of 1275, Nikkō visited the grave of the late Nanjō Hyōe Shichirō on the Daishonin's behalf; from that time on, Tokimitsu looked up to Nikkō and aided him in propagating the Daishonin's teachings. About thirty letters addressed to Nanjō Tokimitsu are extant, no less than eleven written during the two-year period between the Daishonin's retirement to Minobu and the date of the present letter. At the beginning of this letter, the Daishonin praises the sincerity of Tokimitsu's faith, expressed in his offerings of an unlined robe, salt, and oil. Such earnestness, the Daishonin says, ultimately reflects Tokimitsu's father's deep faith in the Lotus Sutra and surely must please the late Nanjō. Next, the Daishonin recounts the tale of Ōhashi no Tarō and his son. According to this story, Ōhashi no Tarō, a general in Kyushu and a descendant of the Taira clan, for some reason incurred the wrath of the shogun Minamoto no Yoritomo and was imprisoned in a cell in Kamakura for twelve years. When his son recited the Lotus Sutra out of his ardent desire to save his father, the power of his recitation moved Yoritomo to stay the execution of and pardon his father. With this story, the Daishonin points out that Tokimitsu's sincere attitude in faith is the highest expression of filial devotion and will surely save his late father. In conclusion, the Daishonin addresses the rumor of an impending attack by the Mongols. He emphasizes that only firm faith in the Lotus Sutra will serve as protection against this threat, and points out that, although he himself earnestly wishes to safeguard his followers, the crucial thing is whether or not they develop their own faith. https://www.nichirenlibrary.org/en/wnd-1/Content/85

Common Sense, How to Exercise It

Common Sense, How to Exercise It by Yoritomo Tashi, complete audiobook with relaxing music. Subscribe for more Chillbooks - audiobooks with background music, get the knowledge while you work, drive or relax!

In the wake of Minamoto Yoritomo's death, the Bakufu appointed his son Yoriie as the new Shogun under the watchful eye of the regent Hojo Tokimasa. However, the oldest son of Yoritomo had ideas of his own about how the nation ought to be governed and whom should do the governing.Support the show

We have learned much about Yoritomo's actions as a leader, but in this episode we will start by examining his family life and later years.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/AHistoryOfJapan)

With the Northern Fujiwara gone, Yoritomo continued to consolidate power and was named to the post of Seii-Tai-Shogun.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/AHistoryOfJapan)

After the Gempei War, Minamoto Yoritomo moved toward creating a permanent parallel government in Kamakura. Retired Emperor Go-Shirakawa, however, continued to interfere until eventually brother was pitted against brother.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/AHistoryOfJapan)

The two Mongol-Yuan invasions of Japan (1274 and 1281) were important events in Japanese history. The two typhoons that destroyed the Mongol fleet, known as "divine wind," (shinpū 神風, better known today as kamikaze) would forever be etched into Japanese historical memory, directly influencing the so-called kamikaze suicide bombers of World War II. Most scholarship on the topic has focused primarily on the military aspect, but before and after the invasions there was also an intense diplomatic effort behind the scenes involving the Mongol-Yuan, Kamakura Japan, and Koryŏ Korea in an attempt to integrate Japan peacefully into the Mongol world order. In this episode, Greg speaks to USC PhD candidate Lina Nie about her dissertation research on this diplomatic effort. Lina will share with us some new perspectives on why the Mongols wanted to engage and ultimately invade Japan, what the diplomatic negotiations can tell us about the interstate order of East Asia during that time, and how her research both complements existing scholarship and adds a new layer in our understanding of the Mongol invasions of Japan. Contributors Lina Nie Lina Nie is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of History at the University of Southern California. She graduated from the Hong Kong University with double majors in Chinese History and Japanese Studies and received her MA from Harvard University. Her research interests are on maritime, diplomatic, military, and cultural exchanges among China, Korea, and Japan. She is also interested in global history and comparative history in a broader geographical context that goes beyond East Asia. Her Japanese article discussing the traditions of Japanese culture won the second runner-up in the annual essay contest held by the Japanese Consulate General in New England in 2017. Greg Sattler Gregory Sattler is a Ph.D. student in the Department of History at the University of California, Los Angeles. His research focuses on sea merchants in East Asia from the ninth to thirteenth centuries, with a particular consideration of their place in society, their trade networks, and their relationships with government officials. Gregory has recently published an article titled “The Ideological Underpinnings of Private Trade in East Asia, ca. 800–1127” (Journal of Asian Humanities at Kyushu University 6) and he is currently working on two additional manuscripts. He has received degrees in Taiwan and Japan, and is a proficient speaker of both Chinese and Japanese. Credits Episode no. 10 Release date: April 3, 2022 Recording location: Los Angeles, CA Transcript Bibliography courtesy of Lina Nie Images Cover Image: The famous battle scene depicting the samurai Takezaki Suenaga escaping the Mongol forces. (Image Source) Map of the two Mongol invasions. (Image Source) A 1266 letter Khubilai sent to Japan. (Image Source) Japanese samurai boarding a Yuan ship during the 1281 invasion. (Image Source) References Andrade, Tonio. The Gunpowder Age: China, Military Innovation, and the Rise of the West in World History. New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 2016. Conlan, Thomas. In Little Need of Divine Intervention: Takezaki Suenaga's Scrolls of the Mongol Invasions of Japan. Ithaca: Cornell University, 2001.  Fukuokashi maizō bunka zai 福岡市埋蔵文化財年報. Ed. Fukuokaken Kyoiku Iinkai福岡県教育委員会, vol. 274, 2019. Kamakura ibun鎌倉遺文. Ed. Takeuchi Rizō竹内理三. Tokyo: Tōkyōdō Shuppan, 2008. Cambridge History of Japan: Medieval Japan (vol. 3), eds. John Hall, Marius Jansen, Madoka Kanai, and Denis Twitchett. Cambridge: Cambridge University, 1990. Kim Gu 金坵. Chipojip 止浦集. Han'guk munjip ch'onggan 韓國文集叢刊. Seoul: Minjok Munhwa Ch'ujinhoe, 1991. Kuraki kaitei iseki hakkutsu chōsa gaihō 倉木崎海底遺跡発掘調査概報. Ed. Ukenson Kyoiku Iinkai宇検村教育委員会. 1993. Mass, Jeffery. Yoritomo and the Founding of the Kamakura Bakufu. Stanford: Stanford University Press 1995. Robinson, David. Empire's Twilight: Northeast Asia Under the Mongols. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Yenching Monograph, 2009. Cambridge History of China vol.6: Alien Regimes and Border States, eds. Herbert Franke and Denis Twitchett. Cambridge: Cambridge University, 1994. Rossabi, Morris. Khubilai Khan: His Life and Times. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2009. Shultz, Edward. Generals and Scholars: Military Rule in Medieval Korea. Honolulu: University of Hwaii Press. 2000. Wang, Sixiang. “What Tang Taizong Could Not Do: The Korean Surrender of 1259 and the Imperial Tradition.” T'oung Pao (2018), pp.338-383. Yamauchi Shinji 山内晋次. Nichisō bōeki to iō no michi 日宋貿易と「硫黄の道」.Tokyo: Yamakawa Shuppansha, 2009. 

Kiso Yoshinaka, cousin to Yoritomo, was a rising star of the Minamoto clan who was feared on the battlefield and respected by his peers. So where did it all go wrong for this talented samurai general?Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/AHistoryOfJapan)

Japanese Myths, How Yoritomo was Saved by Two Doves. IG: Everythingsjustphine --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/phines-jackson-jr7/support

Show Notes This week, we review and analyze Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ (機動戦士ガンダムΖΖ) episode 44 - “Emary's Glory” (エマリー散華), discuss our first impressions, and provide commentary and research on the Japanese ballad form enka, and Thom's continuing research on the Tale of the Heike and it's influence on Double Zeta. This episode includes Epilogue (Instrumental Version) by Josh Woodward, licensed under a CC-BY license. - Books and articles Thom referenced: 平家物語 (The Tale of the Heike), trans. Royall Tyler. Penguin (2012). Sources of Japanese Tradition volume one, compiled by Wm. Theodore de Bary, Donald Keene, George Tanabe, and Paul Varley. Columbia UP (1958, 2nd ed., 2001). The History of the Renaissance World: From the Rediscovery of Aristotle to the Conquest of Constantinople, Susan Wise Bauer, W. W. Norton (2013). The Cambridge History of Japan volume two, ed. by Delmer M. Brown, John Whitney Hall, Donald H. Shively, William H. McCullough, Marius B. Jansen, Kōzō Yamamura, Peter Duus. Cambridge UP (1988) The Future and the Past: A Translation and Study of the Gukansho, an Interpretative History of Japan written in 1219, Delmer Brown and Ichiro Ishida. University of California Press (2021). A Brief History of the Samurai, Jonathan Clements. Little, Brown Book Group (2013). The Samurai: A Military History, Stephen Turnbull (1977). - Brittanica entry for Minamoto no Yoritomo. - Article covering the development of the Heian era's elite warrior class: "Bushi: A brief history." - English translation of an order from the Emperor Kammu abolishing the levy system and calling on local magistrates to furnish guards from their families. - Book about enka: Yano, Christine Reiko. Tears of Longing: Nostalgia and the Nation in Japanese Popular Song. Harvard Univ. Press, 2010. - Wikipedia page about yojijukugo (四字熟語), 4-character idioms and phrases, including some common ones and their translations (異体同心 / いたいどうしん / itaidoushin among them). Mobile Suit Breakdown is written, recorded, and produced within Lenapehoking, the ancestral and unceded homeland of the Lenape, or Delaware, people. Before European settlers forced them to move west, the Lenape lived in New York City, New Jersey, and portions of New York State, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Connecticut. Lenapehoking is still the homeland of the Lenape diaspora, which includes communities living in Oklahoma, Wisconsin, and Ontario. You can learn more about Lenapehoking, the Lenape people, and ongoing efforts to honor the relationship between the land and indigenous peoples by visiting the websites of the Delaware Tribe and the Manhattan-based Lenape Center. Listeners in the Americas and Oceania can learn more about the indigenous people of your area at https://native-land.ca/. We would like to thank The Lenape Center for guiding us in creating this living land acknowledgment. You can subscribe to Mobile Suit Breakdown for free! on fine Podcast services everywhere and on YouTube, visit our website GundamPodcast.com, follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, or email your questions, comments, and complaints to gundampodcast@gmail.com. Mobile Suit Breakdown wouldn't exist without the support of our fans and Patrons! You can join our Patreon to support the podcast and enjoy bonus episodes, extra out-takes, behind-the-scenes photos and video, MSB gear, and much more! The intro music is WASP by Misha Dioxin, and the outro is Long Way Home by Spinning Ratio, both licensed under Creative Commons CC BY 4.0 licenses. The recap music for Season 3 is New York City (instrumental) by spinningmerkaba, licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license.. All music used in the podcast has been edited to fit the text. Mobile Suit Breakdown provides critical commentary and is protected by the Fair Use clause of the United States Copyright law. Gundam content is copyright and/or trademark of Sunrise Inc., Bandai, Sotsu Agency, or its original creator. Mobile Suit Breakdown is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Sunrise, Bandai, Sotsu, or any of their subsidiaries, employees, or associates and makes no claim to own Gundam or any of the copyrights or trademarks related to it. Copyrighted content used in Mobile Suit Breakdown is used in accordance with the Fair Use clause of the United States Copyright law. Any queries should be directed to gundampodcast@gmail.com Find out more at http://gundampodcast.com

In closing this petition written by Nichiren for Shijo Kingo, Nichiren uses the opportunity to restate Yoritomo's steadfast support for Lotus Sutra teaching as taught by Nichiren and urges lord Ema to consider shifting his own allegiances to Nichiren in order to attain his own buddhahood.

As we continue into Shijo Kingo's petition to his lord Ema, we see an example of Nichiren's scholarship as expressed through both Sammi-bo and Shijo Kingo to address lord Ema's understanding of Nichiren and the causal relationship between he and his retinue and retainers as well as the situation in Japan.

Shoju, Shakubuku, what or how do these forms of teaching look like in the world. Sammi-bo takes on a 'bad' teacher; a teacher that goes for popularity rather than authentic truth in teaching Shakyamuni's Buddhism.

Written By: Robert Denton III Read By: Jeanne Kalvar with additional voices by Robert Croy Edited By: Robert Croy Wherein Tadaka meets Akuma's mortal body, Yoritomo meets Daidojo Uji, Tsukune excels as a beginner demon killer, and the Scorpion becomes the ward of the Dragon. Follow at: Check out the site here Facebook Page Twitter Find it on Spotify, iTunes, GooglePlay Email at ttiycast@gmail.com Join us on the l5R Discord Shosuro Croy: Robert Croy Become a Patron and support the show! Find out more at https://the-table-is-yours.pinecast.co This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

Árið er 1183 og ekki bara ríkir borgarastyrjöld í Japan heldur líka stríð milli hjónanna Yoritomo og Masako. Í þessum þætti er fjallað um kvenkyns samúræja, sem sjaldan rötuðu í sögubækur en fornleifarannsóknir benda til að gætu hafa verið mun algengari en við ímyndum okkur í dag, og við kynnumst tveimur slíkum stríðskonum sem voru samtímakonur Masako, þeim Tomoe og Hangaku.

This week on Royally Screwed, we're talking about the first Shogun of Japan, Minamoto no Yoritomo, and his grand quest of vengeance that ends with him as the most powerful man in Japan.Subscribe for more episodes as they come.Twitter: @DenimCreekProSubscribe to the Channel on YouTubeMusic: Intro/Outro: “Life O' the Lavish” - Jules Gala, "Neroli" - Ennio Máno, "Reconcile" - Peter Sandberg, "The Crossroads" - Lindsey Abraham, "Dayfreak" - White Bones, "A Snowflake's Tale" - Howard Harper-BarnesCopyright2021, Denim Creek Productions

Written By: Robert Denton III Read By: Trevor Cuba Edited By: Robert Croy Wherein Togashi Yokuni, Dragon Clan Champion, arrives to help the Crab and Mantis deal with Akuma's pressing Shadowland Horde; Yoritomo holds a full flank all by himself; and Tsuki makes an irreversible decision. Follow at: Check out the site here Facebook Page Twitter Find it on Spotify, iTunes, GooglePlay Email at ttiycast@gmail.com Join us on the l5R Discord Shosuro Croy: Robert Croy Become a Patron and support the show! Find out more at https://the-table-is-yours.pinecast.co This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

Written By: Robert Denton III Read By: Max Williams Edited By: Robert Croy Wherein Hida Sukune uses the forces he access to to stop the Shadowland onslaught. It's mostly Minor Clans and we learn Yoritomo thinks he as strong as twenty men. Follow at: Check out the site here Facebook Page Twitter Find it on Spotify, iTunes, GooglePlay Email at ttiycast@gmail.com Join us on the l5R Discord Shosuro Croy: Robert Croy Become a Patron and support the show! Find out more at https://the-table-is-yours.pinecast.co This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

Known to history as the Shogun Nun, Hōjō Masako's rise to power in Medieval Japan tends to be overshadowed by her husband and Japan's first official Shogun, Minamoto no Yoritomo. Yet, long after her husband died and she shaved her head in the style of Japanese widows of the time, Masako remained a formidable and ruthless figure in the Kamakura shogunate. Thanks to this Difficult Damsel, the Hōjō Clan would go on to rule the shogunate 100 years after her death. Also in this episode, Rachel and Kat start their own Therapy Treehouse. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Written By: Keith Ryan Kappel Narrated By: Houston Miller Read By: Robert Croy, Jeanne Kalvar, and Liara Stavlo Wherein the INCREDIBLE Byoki recounts how he and his cousin Yoritomo (with company) retrieved the BEAUTIFUL Heart of the Mountain. The tsunami that followed couldn't have made landfall? Could it? Follow at: Check out the site here Facebook Page Twitter Find it on Spotify, iTunes, GooglePlay Email at ttiycast@gmail.com Join us on the l5R Discord Shosuro Croy: Robert Croy Become a Patron and support the show! Find out more at https://the-table-is-yours.pinecast.co This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

For the release of the new Sucker Punch video game, Ghost of Tsushima, which depicts a lone samurai defending a Japanese island from Mongol invaders, we’re going to change up our presentation for a few episodes.  This will be the first in a three part series looking at the Mongol invasions of Japan, a slight jump ahead in the timeline of our episodes so far, going from the reign of Great Khan Mongke to that of his younger brother, Kublai Khan. This first episode will provide greater context to the game, discussing the cause of the first Mongol invasion of Japan in 1274, the actual battle for Tsushima island and the fighting in Hakata Bay.  Our following episode will detail the story of Takezaki Suenaga, a samurai who fought against both invasions and later produced a brilliant set of scrolls depicting his exploits. The final episode will cover the oft-overlooked consequences of the invasion on both Japan and Kublai Khan’s empire, as well as its historical legacy: altogether, we hope to provide an accurate and well rounded view of the historical events surrounding the game utilizing both primary sources and scholarly literature. I’m your host David, and this is Kings and Generals: Ages of Conquest.       Japan first came to Mongol attention through Japanese raids against the Korean peninsula. Called wakō, piracy against the Korean coastline had existed for centuries, but picked up again in the 1220s during Korean weakness caused by the Khitan and Mongol invasions, covered in our previous episodes. The island of Tsushima, situated between Korea and Japan, was a prominent base for these pirates making the short trip over the straits to strike undefended settlements. These attacks were not court sanctioned, a crime of individual opportunity rather an organized effort. By the time the Korean leadership finally submitted in 1259 the raids had largely ceased, but it meant the existence of Japan was known to the Mongols. The new King of Korea in 1260, King Wonjong, had a good relationship with the new Mongol Emperor, Kublai. We will return to Mongke’s reign after these episodes, but for those of you who do not know, Mongke Khan died on campaign in China in August 1259. Two of his younger brothers, Kublai and Ariq Boke, both declared themselves Khaan in the months following. Known as the Toluid Civil War, Kublai based in China was able to overcome his brother based in Mongolia by 1264. Consequences were immense: Mongol imperial unity was shattered as the Mongol ruled Khanates across western Asia began their own conflicts, the Hulegu-Berke war between the Ilkhanate and Golden Horde. Kublai had defeated Ariq, but lost the empire. His authority beyond the western borders of China was only nominal, and the Khanates were effectively independent states from that point on, though contact remained between them. Kublai, by necessity, was forced to focus his continued conquests on China and the surrounding territories.      Kublai’s main target was the Song Dynasty, which ruled southern China. A huge economic power with a massive population, the Song war was a difficult task. The Mongols needed to resort to indirect strategies to help bypass the frontier: in the 1250s, Kublai had conquered the Kingdom of Dali, in China’s modern Yunnan province, to open a front on the southwest of the Song. The Japanese, who had trade ties with the Song, were another direction Kublai could exert his influence. Forcing the Japanese to cut trade with the Song would help weaken the Song economy, and so aid Kublai’s overall war with them. Further, like his brother Mongke, Kublai firmly believed in the eventuality that all of the world was to come under Mongol rule. Bringing in the submission of the Japanese was merely Kublai enacting heaven’s will. He had one other concern that his predecessors did not. Despite controlling Mongolia, the core of Kublai’s realm was China, and tied himself to Chinese imperial tradition for legitimacy there. In classic Chinese tradition he declared his own dynasty in 1271, the Yuan Dynasty, marking himself as heir to the Chinese empires of Han, Tang and successor to the dying Song Dynasty. In the days of the mighty Tang Dynasty, ruling from 618-907 CE, Japan had diplomatic, economic and religious ties with China, and the Tang Emperors considered the Japanese their vassals. These ties petered out before the end of the Tang, and only during the years of the southern Song was there even trade between them. For Kublai, to vassalize Japan would help to legitimize him to the Chinese, bringing Japan ‘back into the fold,’ so to speak. With these various interests in mind, in 1266 he ordered a first set of envoys to travel to Japan via Korea.       Kublai addressed the letter to the King of Japan, and it's here we can discuss a rather unique feature of Japanese government of the time. Firstly, Japan’s official ruler was not the ‘King,’ but the Emperor, at that time Emperor Kameyama, the 90th emperor of Japan. However, since the end of the Genpei War in 1185, the emperor was a figurehead, with real power held by the Shogun. Known as the Kamakura Bakufu, based in the city of Kamakura, the Shogunate was founded by the fearsome Minamoto no Yoritomo, military rulers exercising real authority with the imperial court relegated to ceremonial and religious roles. However, on Yoritomo’s death in 1199, he was succeeded by his young son as shogun. The boy too young to rule, real power was held by the family of Yoritomo's widow, the Hojo clan. Sidelining and replacing shoguns as necessary, for well over a century, Japan was ruled by the regent of the regent, called the shikken. In 1268, the 17 year old Hojo Tokimune became shikken, the de facto ruler, of Japan.       Though Kublai’s envoys in 1266 turned back before they reached Japan, he was not discouraged. Envoys were sent again in 1268, taken aboard Korean vessels specifically instructed not to return without handing off Kublai’s letter. The letter was not as demanding as earlier Mongol missives of the century, but still referred to Kublai as master of the universe, and informed the Japanese that they should open contact with him, for, as Kublai’s wrote at the end of the letter, “Nobody would wish to resort to arms.” It was a tough position for the Japanese, as they knew next to nothing of the Mongols. What they did know, they had learned from merchants or Buddhist Monks from the Song Dynasty, at war with the Mongols since 1234. Having not engaged in actual overseas diplomacy since the 9th century, there was no experience within the court or the Bakufu on how to react. So, the chosen Japanese response was to simply dismiss the envoys with no official response, per the order of the shikken. Ghosting the most powerful monarch on the planet is not a terribly easy thing to do, however.       Later that same year, Kublai ordered the Koreans to build 1,000 warships and conscript 10,000 men, for use against the Song Dynasty or Japan. Later in 1268, he sent a third embassy, which in the first months of 1269, stopped on the island of Tsushima and turned back, but not without first capturing two local fishermen. Brought all the way back to Kublai’s imperial capital of Dadu, modern day Beijing, they were wined and dined by the mightiest man under heaven. Showing off his splendour and unimaginable power, the Khan of Khans told the fishermen he only wanted to have his envoys reach Japan, and to have his name remembered for all time. Was that so much to ask? The fishermen were escorted back to Japan late in 1269 to bring word of Kublai’s desires and his great power, and were promptly ignored by the Bakufu. The ongoing insolence of the Japanese was not something Kublai could ignore.        A diplomatic solution was still preferable, as the war with the Song Dynasty was still ongoing and in 1269 revolt broke out in Korea due to the onerous demands for materials and men. As we discussed in the previous episode, Korea had suffered under near continuous Mongol attacks from 1231 until 1259, and the population struggled to meet the latest demands. It took until the middle of 1271 for the rebellion to be crushed, but by then some Koreans had brought word to Japan of Mongol preparations. Since 1268, some coastal defenses had started to be rallied, but news of the proximity of the danger caused quite the start in the Bakufu. No aid was sent to Korea despite the requests of the defectors, but more warriors began to be mobilized to the island of Kyushu, the westernmost of the five main islands of Japan and most likely site of attack. Mongol envoys returned in 1271 after Korea was pacified, now with a direct threat of invasion if the Japanese failed to reply.  The envoy returned to Korea empty handed by the end of the year, and after trips back to Japan in 1272 and 1273, he finally came to Kublai with news of his failure. The envoy had spent some time in Japan while trying to get the court’s response, so at least he brought the Khan intelligence on the people, land and defences. This was enough for Kublai. Sending more envoys would only make him look toothless. His armies had just taken the major Song Dynasty stronghold of Xiangyang in 1273, the key to southern China. With the Song poised to fall, Kublai could spare forces to punish Japan.        The final preparation for the invasions were carried out over 1274, and departed from southern Korea that November. It was not a massive army, some 15,000 Mongol, Northern Chinese, Khitan and Jurchen troops, 6-8,000 Korean troops, another 7,000 Korean sailors aboard some 8-900 ships. Prince Khindu served as overall commander, with Mongol, Chinese and Korean generals and admirals. The Mongols had little naval experience beyond fighting on rivers in South China, so were reliant on the knowhow of the Koreans for this aspect. Once they made landfall, the Mongols would take care of the rest. The Mongols had overcome every foe they had faced in the 13th century: Kublai imagined a swift victory against the insignificant island of Japan, for Eternal Blue Heaven mandated nothing less. Late on the 4th of November, 1274, the fleet was spotted off the coast of Tsushima.        The island of Tsushima was controlled by the Sō clan, whose head, Sō Sukekuni, was the deputy shugo, military governor. Per the tradition held in the Japanese chronicle, the Hachiman Gudokun, on Tsushima there was a major shrine to Hachiman, the Japanese god of war. The day of the Mongol approach, a fire broke out at the shrine, a bad omen. Once the fire was extinguished, white doves gathered on the shrine’s roof. As doves were the messengers of Hachiman, Sukekuni saw it must have been a warning from Hachiman: surely, he would not have set his own shrine on fire? Indeed, later that day Sukekuni was alerted that a fleet was seen approaching the island. His garrison was mobilized, some 80 Samurai and their retainers who he led to the beach of Komoda; there, they awaited the dawn and the Mongols.        Sukekuni sent a small vessel out as the Mongols neared the beach to inquire as to their intentions. His envoys were rebuffed and the landing ships neared the beaches, forcing Sukekuni to draw his small force up for battle. While famous for their swordsmanship, the 13th century Samurai was primarily a horse archer like the Mongols. With their long, asymmetrical yumi, the iconic bow of the Samurai, their skill and accuracy with the arrow made them deadly. However, the desire for individual glory and distinction in combat preempted them from utilizing the complex unit tactics, repeated hit and runs, skirmishing and feigned retreats which made Mongol horse archery so tactically powerful. When the ships landed under the command of the general Ho-tun, the first troops sent up the beach were likely those considered expendable- i.e, anyone not Mongolian. Poorly armoured Chinese were rushed off the ships and met with Japanese arrows. They suffered under this withering fire, but the Chinese and Koreans did their job, holding up large wicker shields to soak up arrows while the Mongols had time to disembark and prepare their own horses. Sukekuni’s position was overrun, despite withdrawing to the treeline to face the Mongols in close combat where the Samurai were deadly. One of Sukekuni’s comrades took down several advancing soldiers and a Mongol officer, and standing on the body he shouted threats at the Mongols, daring them to face him in battle. The Mongols responded with arrows, piercing the man’s chest armour and ending his boasts. Sukekuni led one final charge against the Mongols before the last of his men were cut down. The Mongols overran Tsushima from November 5th until the 13th, destroying towns, farmland and annihilating the last strands of resistance. The women of the Sō family committed suicide so as to not fall into Mongol hands. The next island to face the fleet, Iki, was greeted by a gruesome sight. Attested in both Japanese and Yuan Dynasty sources, prisoners, mainly women, had wire threaded through their palms and were strung across the prows of the ships in a horrific necklace.       The island of Iki too fell within a day. Several small islands and the Matsuura peninsula were taken after only token resistance as the fleet neared  the northwestern corner of Kyushu and Hakata Bay, the island’s largest natural harbour. It made an ideal landing point for any large army. Hojo Tokimune knew this, and here had collected his warriors. The defensive force was mainly drawn of men from Kyushu, though the mobilization had been extended to parts of western Honshu, the largest Japanese island, in 1274. Exact figures for the Japanese force are uncertain, but were outnumbered. 4-6,000 is a common estimate, against over 20,000 of the Yuan fleet- though the main source for the Mongol side, the Yuan shi, states 102,000 Japanese were arrayed against them.        Landing on the soft sand beaches of Hakata Bay on November 19th, the Chinese and Korean infantry protected by their large shields and long spears disembarked; following were Mongols, Turks, Khitans and Jurchen leading their horses out and mounting them. Traditionally, the Japanese began battle by sending arrows with holes dug through the head, creating a whistling sound as they went through the air. The Mongols, who used such things often for communication in battle, laughed. The beating of drums and gongs signalled Mongol orders; unused to such noise, the Japanese horses panicked. Samurai riding forward to challenge worthy opponents to single combat were met with arrows, and those who tried to ride individually through the thickly pressed enemy line were cut down.. The Japanese sources accused the Mongols of using poisoned arrows, which sickened the men struck by them. Bombs, made of paper or iron and filled with Chinese gunpowder, were lobbed into the Japanese who had never experienced such things- the flash, the noise and smoke injured, disoriented and frightened them.       The Mongols, advancing or retreating as ordered and in unison, were an unnerving sight to Samurai used to smaller, individually led combat. Over the course of the day the Japanese were pushed from the beach and their defensive line was broken through. Fires were set on the nearby town of Hakata, which spread quickly. Another force broke out and tried to make camp at Akasaka, but were repulsed. Once past the initial surprise of the assault, the Japanese archers made a good show of themselves. Every samurai trained since a young age with a bow, and the accuracy and power of their bows took even the Mongols by surprise. Small Mongol parties isolated from the main force were picked off, and one of the top Yuan commanders, Liu Fuxiang, was struck in the face by a Japanese arrow and had his horse stolen. The gravely injured commander was rushed back to the ships. Japanese resistance had proven stiffer than anticipated, and the overconfident Yuan forces had suffered losses for this. Divisions and language barriers in the leadership hamstrung them, and uncertain of moving further inland in unknown territory without reinforcement, by nightfall it was decided to call a retreat.        The Yuan forces returned to their ships and set out for Korea, at which point we get to the most well known aspect of the invasions. Very few contemporary Japanese sources mention divine favour or wind in regards to the withdrawal, at most, stating strong winds pushed the armada back to Korea. One of the main Japanese sources, the Hachiman Gudokun, states the defenders were surprised to find the fleet gone in the morning, only a single ship having run aground. In sources from the Mongol point of view though, we have the most dramatic presentation. The Yuan shi, compiled in the 1370s from Mongol documents, describes the Mongols having crushed the Japanese and needing to withdraw for they had ran out of arrows. On the way back, they were struck by an almighty storm, losing many ships in the ocean. This emphasis by the Mongols is obvious: by blaming a freak weather accident, the retreat was easier explained, rather than give credit to the Japanese fighting harder than the Mongols had expected. Whatever the fact of the storm was, the first of the so-called kamikazes, the Yuan fleet had begun to withdraw before it struck. In the words of historian Thomas Conlan, the Japanese were “in little need of divine intervention.”       Neither side saw this as inconclusive though. The Japanese anticipated a Mongol return, and further preparations were made, such as building a wall for dozens of kilometres along Hakata Bay and preparing to quickly mobilize samurai if needed. For Kublai, this had been but a small force, a taste of what he could throw against Japan. He sent envoys again in 1275 to the bakufu, who were killed by the Japanese, ensuring the Khaan would need to send an armed force once more. Once Kublai completed the conquest of the Song Dynasty in 1279, he turned his attention to a massive invasion to subdue Japan once and for all.    But the second invasion is a topic for another day. Our next episode will come out this Friday, looking at the story of Takezaki Suenaga, a historical samurai who fought in both invasions and later compiled an excellent set of scrolls presenting his exploits. Through him, we’ll get a chance to talk in-depth on the Japanese defence, tactics and more. If that isn’t enough, we’ll have another episode coming out after that discussing the impact of the invasions on Japan and the Mongol Empire. But that’s not all: check out Kings and Generals on Youtube for a video this Thursday on the battles for Tsushima and Iki islands, the direct inspiration for the game. As well, the narrator for Kings and Generals will actually be playing Ghost of Tsushima on a livestream this weekend. Our writer for this series will be there as well, so prepare any questions you have for him and he’ll do his best to answer. If you’d like to help us continue bringing you content, please consider subscribing to our Patreon at www.patreon/kingsandgenerals.com. I’m your host David, and we will catch you on the next one. 

Had you to guess a kingdom to offer decades of resistance to the Mongols at the height of their power, Korea might not have been high on your list. Situated close to Mongol dominated North China and first coming to Mongol attention at the start of the 1220s, it took until the beginning of the 1260s for the peninsula to be firmly under Mongol rule. Today’s episode will detail the long and devastating Mongol war in Korea and the final subjugation during the reign of Great Khan Mongke. I’m your host David, and this is Kings and Generals: Ages of Conquest.   By the 13th century the Korean peninsula had been ruled by the house of Wang since 918. Their kingdom was called Koryo [also written Goryeo (Gor-yeo)], a shortened form of the name of the more ancient Korean Kingdom of Kokuryeo (kok-ur-yeo) [also written Goguryeo] which fell in 668 CE. Both terms are the origin of the modern name for the peninsula. Smaller in scale than the empire of Kokuryeo, the 13th century Koryo kingdom’s territory did not extend much past the Yalu river. Staunch Buddhists, the Kingdom of Koryo was a major player in regional trade and commerce, and a centre of art and culture, and was a proud state. Successfully resisting invasions by the Khitan Liao and Jurchen Jin, Koryo entered into tributary relationships with both but maintained its internal autonomy, and unique worldview where the Korean King was essentially also son of Heaven, alongside the Chinese monarch who traditionally held the title. Similar to the contemporary Song Dynasty, military roles were subservient to the civilian classes and excluded from powerful civil positions. Despite the military being key to repulsing the Jurchen invasion of the 1120s, they gained no recognition, or promotions, for their efforts. Conditions worsened over the 12th century when revolts needed the military to be crushed. During the reign of King Uijong from 1146-1170, matters came to a head. More interested in visiting Buddhist temples than governing, under Uijong, corruption peaked. Government institutions were controlled by aristocratic families competing with the central government, the court was divided among factional lines and critics were exiled. These grievances fed into existing frustrations of the military leaders, ultimately culminating in a coup by the general Chong Chungbu in 1170. The King was dethroned in favour of a brother, and military leaders assumed most of the top offices. This was the beginning of a century of military dictatorship in Korea, its kings reduced to puppets. It was a system remarkably similar to the shogunate established at nearly the same time by Minamoto no Yoritomo in Japan, wherein the Japanese Emperor still head his title and conducted ceremonial roles, but real power was held by the shogun- though after Yoritomo’s death in 1199, real power was held by regents, the shikken of the Hojo clan.    Chungbu struggled to exercise his authority and could not fix the problems facing Koryo; revolts across the country continued and Chungbu was ousted by rivals in 1178, followed in turn by a succession of generals vying for power. It was not until 1196 when the general Ch’oe Ch’unghon assassinated the military dictator. A skilled and brave warrior, Ch’oe Ch’unghon was also a patriot, and saw the years of failed military rule as a disaster for his career, and for Koryo. Ch’oe was adept at political maneuvering. After assassinating the current dictator, he met the King and explained his actions. Gaining royal approval, his authority was established quickly. With support of the Korean King- whom Ch’oe Ch’unghon soon replaced- as well as key military figures, Ch’oe rooted out rivals, skillfully threw bones to military officers, civil leaders and literati, and revitalized the dynasty. Authority was extended through existing dynastic institutions, reformed to weed out corruption but ensured loyal men were in control of those institutions. Marriage ties cemented political alliances, and Ch’oe Ch’unghon essentially established his own dynasty alongside the royal dynasty. He was careful to ensure that alternate power bases to his own were undermined: government military forces weakened while he built up his own private army. Knowing how to champion Zen Buddhism and Confucianism, Ch’oe Ch’unghon masterfully manipulated his public image and public works. Allowing the King to focus on ceremonial and religious roles, Ch’oe’s tight lease on government meant that, over the first decade of the thirteenth century, he felt his position on HIS peninsula to be quite secure.   But like so many others, Ch’oe Ch’unghon’s plans were upset by a little someone named Chinggis Khan. The Great Khan’s invasion of the Jin Empire began in 1211, during which the Korean ambassador to the Jin was killed in the fighting. We have little information on what the Koreans and Ch’oe Ch’unghon thought of the rapid Mongol conquest of the Jin. During these centuries, the Korean kingdoms were always concerned with their northern border with Manchuria, where the Manchurian tribesmen, be they Khitan or Jurchen, invariably proved dangerous foes, crossing to raid in small parties or conquer with full armies. As Jin Dynastic authority collapsed in their Manchurian homeland, the Koreans watched the north uneasily. There, aside from the ongoing warfare, two new states were formed: the first was a Khitan Kingdom in central Manchuria, a “restored” Liao Dynasty made subject to the Mongols in 1212. The second was in Eastern Manchuria and Russia’s Primorsky Krai, founded by the Jin defector Puxian Wannu in 1215, which soon submitted to the Mongols. The latter is often called the Kingdom of Ta-chen, Tung-chen or the Eastern Xia. The frontiers north of Korea were unstable, and Ch’oe Ch’unghon expected trouble would spill over his borders sooner or later.   In 1216 as many as 90,000 rebel Khitans displaced by Jin forces overran Wannu’s southern territory. A few months later, Mongols accompanied by loyal Khitans chased these rebel Khitans from Wannu’s borders. The rebels’ requests to Koryo for aid were denied, and stuck between the Mongols and Korea, the Khitans chose Korea. In autumn 1216 the Khitans blazed through the Korean border defences. Skilled horse archers, the Khitans drove deep into Korea, menacing the capital, modern Kaesong. Korean military resistance contained them to the northern half of the country. Aside from a brief foray back over the border to gain reinforcements in autumn 1217, the Khitans spent most of 1217 and 1218 pillaging and plundering in the northeast.    Unexpectedly, in winter 1218 10,000 Mongols under the command of Qacin and Jala, with 20,000 troops provided by Wannu, arrived in Korea. The Mongols sent a simple message to the Koreans: they would crush the rebel Khitans, requested troops and provisions from the Koreans to assist with this, and then would enter into the same tributary relationship the Koreans had with Liao and Jin. After a brief delay in answering the Koreans acquiesced, sending 1,000 picked troops and 1,000 bushels of rice. The rebels Khitans were crushed, and Korea began sending tribute to the Mongols in 1219.    Korea’s first Mongol experience was relatively peaceful. Though forced to send tribute, their cities had not suffered. Ch’oe Ch’unghon’s advancing age, failing health, and desire to pass his rule onto his son stopped him from taking any provocative actions. A keen observer, he had judged the danger of this new foe, expecting the relationship would differ little from Liao or Jin tribute demands. Ch’oe Ch’unghon died in late 1219, and was succeeded by his oldest son, Ch’oe U. A military man like his father, an effective administrator and decisive leader, though not quite as cautious, Ch’oe U helmed Koryo for the next two decades. Ch’oe U found Mongol demands were downright rapacious, especially for otter skins, highly desired for their water resistant properties. For a people who lived their entire lives outdoors, an otter-skin cap was a valuable product. The chief Mongol envoy to Korea, Ja’uyu (Chao-ku-yu), was said to have abandoned the rest of the tribute at the border and just kept the otter skins!   As we’ve noted in episodes past, when Chinggis Khan marched west against the Khwarezmian Empire in 1219 his general Mukhali was left to maintain pressure on the Jin Dynasty. With Mukhali’s death in 1223, the reduced Mongol military presence in north China and with Chinggis still in Central Asia, the political situation across the region changed dramatically. The end of hostilities between the Jin, Xi Xia and Song Dynasties around 1225 we’ve dealt with already, but changes occurred even in Manchuria and Korea. There, Puxian Wannu renewed his independence and asked for alliance with Koryo. The Koreans declined, but made their own moves. In 1225 the chief Mongol envoy to Korea, the aforementioned Ja’uyu (Chao-ku-yu), mysteriously disappeared while transporting the annual tribute north. The Koreans insisted it was bandits, but the Mongols put the blame square on Koryo.    Ogedai Khaan was enthroned in 1229 and immediately set about bringing the region to heel. The Jin Dynasty took his personal attention and was destroyed by 1234. Both Puxian Wannu and the Koreans were also to be punished. Initially the new Khaan demanded Korea aid in an attack against Wannu. With the failure of the Koreans to comply, Ogedai ordered an invasion of the peninsula, the first of six Mongol invasions. Led by Sartaq-Qorchi, the army crossed the Yalu River in autumn 1231. The attack was overwhelming; the government armies were annihilated in the field and the capital surrounded. There was some notable resistance at a few fortified cities, none more famous than the defence of Kuju. Famed for a victory over the Khitans in 1018, in late 1231 through early 1232 under the command of Pak So, the city withstood weeks of constant Mongol assault. The most famous event occurred early in the siege. The southern wall of the city was defended by Kim Kyongson and a skilled unit of pyolch’o, translated as Defense Command Patrol, Extraordinary Watches or Night Patrol. These were local troops from outside the regular army, an elite militia specializing in guerilla warfare. Sending most of the unit inside the city, Kim Kyongson led a group of 12 picked men before the south gate. Telling them “not to think of their lives and accept death as their fate,” Kim and his men withstood four or five Mongol charges. Taking an arrow to the arm, Kim and his forces stood proudly and girded the city to further resistance;  Attacks were launched on the walls day and night: carts of dry grass and wood were pushed to the gates to burn them, only to be destroyed by Korean catapults; a tower built before the walls to protect sappers was destroyed when the Koreans dug holes through their own walls to pour molten iron onto it. 15 large catapults were driven off by the Korean counter artillery; scaling ladders were toppled by Korean polearms. Bundles of sticks soaked allegedly in human fat, set aflame and hurled into the city could not be put out with water, but were smothered with mud and earth. Another catapult team through constant barrage made 50 breaches in the walls, which the defenders filled back in as the holes were made. After a month of terrible destruction but no success, the Mongol siege was lifted, deciding the city was protected by heaven.   Kuju city and other select settlements outlasted the central government. Military ruler Ch’oe U came to terms with the Mongols in January 1232, and was so frustrated that Kuju had continued to resist that he wanted to have its commanders, Pak So and Kim Kyongson, executed fearing Mongol retaliation. Here the Mongols are said to have interceded, saying: “Although he went contrary to our orders, he is a loyal subject of yours. We are not going to kill him now that you have already pledged peace with us. Would it be proper to kill the loyal subjects of all your cities?”   Still, Koryo had submitted to Sartaq-qorchi in the first month of 1232. The tribute demands were massive. 20,000 horses, 20,000 otter skins, slaves, royal hostages and clothing for 1 million men were demanded, alongside gold, silver and other treasures. The demands were impossible to meet; within a few months the Koreans had procured barely 1,000 otter skins. 72 Mongol darughachin were appointed to oversee Koryo, and Sartaq withdrew his forces, considering the peninsula conquered.    The Koreans were less keen to comply, however. The demands were onerous; while they sent much in gifts, they were unwilling to send royal hostages. Ch’oe U organized sambyolch’o units, a sort of paramilitary police force of the house of Ch’oe. By the end of spring 1232, Ch’oe held a meeting of his top ministers to decide the course of action. In June and July, the plan was struck. Ch’oe U, the King and the court moved from the capital at Kaesong to Kanghwa island offshore, making it the new administrative centre of Korea, protected by the experienced Korean navy. Mongol officials in Korea were murdered and the peninsula was in open revolt. Sartaq returned in fall 1232, blazing a trail of destruction across the northern half of the country until he was killed during a siege by a Buddhist monk turned archer, Kim Yunhu. On Sartaq’s death, the Mongol army withdrew.   The Mongols were not done with Korea. The defection of one Korean commander, Hong Pogwon, gave them control of Korea stretching north from Pyongyang, which Hong was made the overseer of. In early 1233 a Mongol envoy came with a list of grievances and demands, among them that Koreans had to fight against Puxian Wannu- though this came to naught, as Wannu’s kingdom, and the connection between his head and his neck, were removed from the scene later that year by armies under Ogedai’s son Guyuk. After the fall of the Jin Dynasty in 1234, a quriltai was held in Mongolia in 1235 to determine the next campaigns. Attacks were ordered against the Song Dynasty, Guyuk, Subutai and Batu were sent on the great western campaign, and another army, this time under Tangut Ba’atar, was sent to Korea.    Tangut Ba’atar’s invasion in summer 1235 was hugely destructive; with the assistance of Hong Pogwon by winter 1236, he had penetrated some 470 kilometres into Korea. The Koreans were unable to field armies against them, and alternative strategies were developed to respond. Just as the court had fled to Kanghwa Island, most of the population outside of fortified settlements was ordered to flee to coastal islands or mountain refuges, where they could escape Mongol riders. Offensives were limited to guerilla warfare, pyolch’o units launching surprise night raids, ambushes through mountain passes and striking small parties. Hitting quick and hard and making use of their excellent knowledge of local terrain, these small units were actually more mobile than the Mongols. It was a frustrating way of war for the Mongols, and when the Mongols got frustrated, the devastation only increased. Fortified settlements were left to fend for themselves, and when they did fall, the destruction was horrific. The countryside was ravaged, the death toll horrendous. The guerilla tactics could harass but not stop the Mongols, who in turn, unable to strike directly at the royal court or military dictator, could not immediately bring the country to submission. Korean defections to the Mongols were enormous; and in many respects the Ch’oe rulers had chosen a strategy to bring the most damage to their people.   By winter 1238, the Korean court was willing to come to talks with the Mongols to halt the destruction.  Tangut Ba’atar withdrew his forces with talks ongoing and it seemed the Koreans would pledge eternal submission. As the Koreans feared, the Mongolian idea of negotiated settlement was a bit different from their own. Alongside the expected tribute demands, the Mongols required a census, the court could no longer stay on Kanghwa Island, and the Korean King, at that time Kojong, had to present himself to the Mongol court. For the military ruler Ch’oe U, this presented an issue. His legitimacy rested on him being the one to control the King; Mongol demands would remove him from power. Peace on the terms the Mongols wanted could not be accepted as long as the Ch’oes wanted to remain in control. For two years the Koreans made excuses on not sending the King, Ch’oe U trying to find some room to maneuver. Finally, a ploy was decided on: a distant relation of the King was made up to be the Crown Prince, and thus Wang Sun was sent to Karakorum in 1241. The Mongols found out about the deception…. Some 14 years later. By then, he was a loyal member of the Mongol court and even married a daughter of Great Khan Mongke.   With the royal hostage sent in 1241 and resumption of tribute, Ch’oe U achieved a six year truce. The Mongols still wanted the royal court to return to the mainland though, and their envoys grew ever more insistent on the matter. Ch’oe U spent the next six years preparing defenses, building elaborate fortifications on Kanghwa Island and readying militia units.  Buddhist projects were consecrated to secure heavenly favours; the most famous was the recarving of the Tripitaka, the Buddhist scriptures, begun in 1237. Often called the Tripitaka Koreana, this was a massive project, over 80,000 wooden printing blocks carved, requiring thousands of scholars and 12 years to complete.   Guyuk was elected as Great Khan in 1246, and decided the Koreans had stalled long enough on returning the court to the mainland.  In Autumn 1247 an army under the general Amukhan and Hong Pogwon invaded. Official orders were sent for the countryside to be abandoned for coastal islands and mountain fortresses; guerilla attacks were launched; the northern half of the peninsula was desolated. The death of Guyuk in summer 1248 and Ch’oe U in winter 1249 brought a relative calm. Ch’oe U was succeeded by his son, Ch’oe Hang, who proved not the equal of his father or grandfather. More arrogant and hasty than his father, he struggled to maneuver the complicated politics of Koryo and Mongol attacks. Within a few months there was an attempted coup against him, and his reaction alienated major allies, at a time when they couldn’t afford to lose a single one.   In 1251 Mongke was confirmed as Great Khan; driven by the need to complete the conquests, the continued independence of Koryo was not something he could abide. Again, envoys demanded the Korean King visit the Mongol court and abandon Kanghwa island. Again, excuses were made.  King Kojong was too old and sickly for such a trip, but they could discuss the possibility of considering sending the Crown Prince. At the same time, the Koreans prepared for the expected invasion. At the quriltai in 1252 wherein Kublai was ordered against Dali and Hulegu against the Caliph in Baghdad, forces were organized to attack Korea. Prince Yeku invaded in August 1253 alongside Amukhan and Hong Pogwon. Envoys preceded him stating he was there to find out if King Kojong was as sick as he said he was. He had six days to comply and meet Mongol representatives on the mainland. Kojong actually met with Mongol envoys on the straits across from Kanghwa island, and achieved precisely nothing. Mongol forces rode and burned across the peninsula, inland settlements were abandoned for coastal and mountain defenses. Pyolch’o raids attacked Mongol parties, and Mongols destroyed the cities which fell to them. Yeku was held up and fell ill during the long siege of Ch’ungju, ably defended by Kim Yunhu, the same Buddhist Monk who had killed Sartaq some 20 years prior. Ultimately, Mongke recalled Yeku before the end of the year due to his feuding with another prince. Amukhan and Hong Pogwon continued the campaign for a few more weeks, organizing a brief effort at amphibious warfare: seven captured Korean ships landed troops on Kal Island in early 1254, to no great result. Amukhan pulled the troops back in spring, returning in August with reinforcements under Jalayirtai Qorchi.   Jalayirtai brought a variation on the Mongol demands for submission. Now ministers and people had to shave their heads in the Mongol style: leaving only a tuft on the forehead between the eyes, and over the ears to be braided into loops. He also demanded Ch’oe Hang and King Kojong come to the mainland. Predictably, Ch’oe Hang was unwilling to do so. Early in summer 1255 Jalayitrai and Amukhan fell back to the northern border; by then, aside from years of destruction and abandonment of farmland, the peninsula was also in the midst of an ongoing drought. We are told in the first year of Jalayirtai’s command in Korea an estimated 206,8000 persons were taken captive. The suffering was horrific. Jalayirtai’s forces attacked again in autumn 1255, beginning a ship building program. Frustrated with continued resistance from the Korean court, the Mongols were considering assaulting the well defended Kanghwa Island. A sense of Jalayirtai’s frustration is evident in his response to Korean envoys in mid-1256. The envoys came asking for peace and Mongol withdrawal, to which Jalayirtai, incensed with pyolch’o attacks in the night, snapped “if you desire peace and friendship, then why do you kill our soldiers in great numbers?”   Jalayirtai’s movement of troops back north in autumn 1256 was no respite: in spring 1257, famine gripped even Kanghwa island. As Jalayirtai returned in the spring, it must have been apparent that the Ch’oes were hanging by a thread. Ch’oe Hang soon died, succeeded by his son Ch’oe Ui, who proved a very poor choice. His attempts to win favour by grants of food to the populace and court did not offset bad advisers enriching themselves and his own poor decisions. Alienating just about everyone in the court, the pressure of the situation finally led to a coup. Officers led by Kim Injun assaulted Ch’oe’s palace in May 1258. Ch’oe Ui tried to escape over the walls, but was too fat to get himself over. Caught by the assassins, Ch’oe Ui’s death ended six decades of Ch’oe military rule in Korea. Gaining the support of the elderly Kojong and handing out the wealth of the Ch’oe’s, Kim Injun made himself the new military governor. However, his position was much weaker than the Ch’oe’s had been, and still refused to submit to the Mongols. Mongol envoys who arrived in summer 1258 brought threats that they would storm Kanghwa Island, and in August Jalayirtai received further reinforcements under the command of Yesuder. Refusal to supply either the Crown Prince or the King was met with unchecked destruction across the Korean peninsula. If the Royal court would not come to then, then the Mongols would impose direct rule.  No matter how bloody the pyolch’o attacks were, they could not stop the Mongols.   Resistance broke in 1259. Revolts against military rule began across the country, towns and cities surrendered on the arrival of the Mongols rather than continue fighting. With food supplies exhausted, their military forces ground nearly to dust, in the spring of 1259 a peace deal was reached. The Crown Prince, Wang Chon, was to travel to the Mongol court as a royal hostage, the court move back to the mainland, and the defences of Kanghwa be demolished. Kim Injun was not removed but his power was considerably lesser to that of the Ch’oes. Organized Koryo resistance to the Mongol Empire was over. In May 1259, Prince Wang Chon set out for the imperial court, which met a hiccup when Mongke died in August 1259. Wang Chon decided to head for the court of Mongke’s younger brother in China, Kublai. There, he became the first foreign ruler to officially recognize Kublai as the next Great Khan of the Empire. In turn, Kublai provided Wang Chon an armed escort to return to Korea and be installed as the new king, as the venerable Kojong had died in July 1259. Kojong had reigned through the entire Mongol-Korean war, and it was fitting he died only weeks after it ended.   Wang Chon, known better by his temple name, Wonjong, proved a loyal vassal to Kublai Khan, marrying his son and eventual successor to one of Kublai’s daughters. Military rule in Korea ended in 1270 after a series of assassinations, and the Korean court finally returned to the mainland. With that, Koryo was a fully incorporated client kingdom. The King ruled in earnest, though with Mongol backing; when briefly ousted by a coup, Kublai’s forces came in and reinstalled him. Yet Mongol demands upon Korea did not grow any less burdensome; rather,. Wonjong had to mobilize the Koreans for another war, this time fighting alongside the Mongols. Koreans ships, food supplies and men were needed by Kublai Khan against the island of Japan, which had spurned his demands for submission. Korea was to be a launchpad for the first Mongol Invasion of Japan of 1274. To coincide with the release of the new SuckerPunch game Ghost of Tsushima which covers that very same invasion, we will have a few special episodes discussing this area, so be sure to subscribe to the Kings and Generals Podcast. To help us keep bringing you content, consider supporting us on Patreon, at (inset patreon link here). I’m your host David, and we’ll catch you on the next one.

[This episode] First Shogun Who Founded a Military Government - MINAMOTO no Yoritomo (1147 - 1199) 武家政治を始めた最初の将軍 ― 源頼朝（1147～1199） >> Magazine subscription is here!

Written by: Annie VanderMeer MitsodaRead By: Max WilliamsEdited By: Robert CroyWherein, after being turned away by Kakita Yoshi, Yasuki Taka is kidnapped. Determined to not let a little thing like abduction get in the way of a good deal, Taka and Yoritomo, Mantis Clan champion, bargain.Follow at:Check out the site hereFacebook PageTwitterFind it on Spotify, iTunes, GooglePlayEmail at ttiycast@gmail.comJoin us on the l5R DiscordShosuro Croy: Robert CroySubmit a one time at donation Any and all contributions go towards helping the show continue or increase its content and quality.Find out more at https://the-table-is-yours.pinecast.coThis podcast is powered by Pinecast.

8. Clan Wars Part 8: Monks, Mantis, and McGuffins Amelia and Jude are exasperated by new characters, passing references, and just how swole Yoritomo is. They are perfectly okay with Ishikawa being just the best boy. Recorded: 03/25/2019 About Us: The Podcast Twitter: @G5RPodcast (https://twitter.com/G5Rpodcast) Instagram: @G5RPodcast https://instagram.com/G5RPodcast/ Website: http://garbageofthefiverings.com/ The Hosts Amelia Antrim: @gingerreckoning (https://twitter.com/gingerreckoning) Character Creation Cast (https://twitter.com/creationcast) Jude Vais: @eremiticjude (https://twitter.com/eremiticjude) Athrabeth (https://twitter.com/athrabeth_cast) Music Mountain Emperor Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

On this time you will hear a story that comes right out of the horror novels. It involves possession at a national park! We play chapter 19 of our novel Anything You Can Do. Does Bart have what it takes to face the Nipe? Tom is back and this time we hear about Grandma’s food and a neighbor's boat.   Featured Story - Chapter 19  of Anything You Can Do… This is a classic science fiction story written by Randall Garrett and published in 1963. An alien crash lands on Earth, and for ten years terrorizes the planet. Earth’s only hope is Bart Stanton, a medically-engineered superman, designed for the sole purpose of confronting the Nipe. In this episode, we have the beginning of the end to our story Anything You Can Do by Randall Garrett. Bart sits down with Doctor Yoritomo to discuss the actions of the Nipe and discover the truth about its races development hundreds of millions of years in the making. Program Note: Ron’s Amazing Stories is produced and hosted by Ronald Hood: Email: Blog Page: Facebook: Twitter: Helpful Links: - Help the podcast by taking this survey. - Use this link to submit your stories to the show. - Looking for the first 100 episodes of the podcast?

Today the guys discuss the Mantis Clan (Yoritomo!) in all it's glory, from their origins in the Crab Clan (Yoritomo!), through their loss of name (Yoritomo!) with the Emperor, to their current situation and place in the story (Yoritomo!). And we talk about Yoritomo too. Segment break audio was extracted from Ripples by Kevin MacLeod. Ripples Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Award-winning author, Pamela S. Turner discusses two new books, Crow Smarts: Inside the Brain of the Worlds Smartest Bird (HMH Books for Young Readers, 2016), and Samurai Rising: The Epic Life of Minamoto Yoshitsune (Charlesbridge, 2016). In Crow Smarts, Turner introduces scientist Dr. Gavin Hunt and provides a fascinating account of how his team in New Caledonia is investigating the mysteries of crow smarts, exploring the questions: How do New Caledonian crows learn to use and make tools? Is it possible that crows are improving their tool technology and passing the improvements on to the next generation–an achievement long thought unique to humans? Where is this tool use driving the crow brain, and what can crows teach us about the evolution of intelligence? Then, in Samurai Rising, Turner takes readers back to twelfth-century Japan to recount the dramatic story of Minamoto Yoshitsune, the child exile and teenage runaway, whose military genius made him a legendary samurai warrior and whose story has been told in books, manga, film, kabuki theater, and incorporated into a number of video and online games. At first, Yoshitsune had little going for him. Exiled to a monastery, he had no money, no allies, and no martial training. He wasn’t big or strong or good-looking. His only assets were brains, ambition, and a dream. But childhood dreams can change history. At the age of fifteen, Yoshitsune escaped. Blow by painful blow, he learned the art of the sword. Fall after bruising fall, he mastered mounted archery. He joined his half brother Yoritomo in an uprising against the most powerful samurai in Japan. This is the story of insane courage and daring feats, bitter rivalry and fatal love. Based on one of the great works of Japanese history and literature, Samurai Rising takes a clear-eyed, very modern look at the way of the samurai–and at the man who became the most famous samurai of all. Learn more at: http://www.pamelasturner.com Susan Raab is president of Raab Associates, an internationally recognized agency that specializes in marketing literature, products and initiatives that help improve the lives of young people. Clients have included National Geographic, Scholastic, the International Board on Books for Young People, and bestselling authors and illustrators. Susan is marketing advisor for the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI). She’s also a journalist reporting on publishing, education and human rights. Her work as a broadcast correspondent has been hosted by the University of Connecticut, and by the University of Florida’s Recess Radio, a program syndicated to 500 public radio stations. Her many interviews, including with Art Spiegelman, Jon Scieszka, Norton Juster, Laurie Halse Anderson and many others talking about art and literature can be heard here. Follow Susan at: https://twitter.com/sraab18 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Marky Star of the Japan This! Blog and podcast talks about the origin of locations within Setagaya in Tokyo, and their ties to legends of the Samurai.  Support the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/samuraiarchives Japan This! Blog http://markystar.wordpress.com/ Japan This! on Youtube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYai-W4sWqMBWbpUE-ZQKPg/videos Marky Star on twitter: https://twitter.com/JapanThis Support this podcast: Shop Amazon.com, suport the podcast: http://amzn.to/wnDX2j Samurai Archives Bookstore: http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20 Samurai Archives Shop (T-Shirts, etc) http://www.cafepress.com/samuraiarchives Contact Us: Twitter @SamuraiArchives https://twitter.com/#!/samuraiarchives Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Samurai-Archives/104533213984 Samurai Archives Podcast on Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/samuraipodcast/ Samurai Archives podcast blog: http://www.samuraipodcast.com Samurai Archives Forum: http://www.japanhistoryforum.com

This week, we let slip the dogs of war as Japan plunges into a new phase of conflict. Though Prince Mochihito will not make it out of 1180, the rebellion he starts will catch on in eastern Japan. Young Minamoto no Yoritomo, with some prodding from his new father-in-law/captor, will rise up to assume his birthright as leader of the Minamoto (but not without some controversy).

This week, we're going to take a look at the man credited with one of the greatest epochal changes in Japanese history: the shift from imperial to samurai government in the late 12th century. It's time for the life and legacy of Minamoto no Yoritomo!

This week, we will be covering the fall of the Heian system, the massive Genpei War between the Minamoto and Taira families, and the rise of the first shogunal government (called a bakufu) under the auspices of the brutal Minamoto no Yoritomo. 

In part 8 of our Introduction to Japanese History podcast, we examine the early Kamakura period. Once Minamoto Yoritomo became Shogun, he began using the authority given to him by the emperor to solidify his power. Over the course of the next 20 years the Minamoto would usurp much of the power of the imperial court, only to be replaced completely by a line of puppet shoguns controlled by the Hojo Regents. Mentioned in this podcast: Brownlee, John. Crisis as Reinforcement of the Imperial Institution. The Case of the Jokyu Incident, 1221 Monumenta Nipponica, Vol. 30, No. 2 (Summer, 1975), pp. 193-201 http://www.jstor.org/pss/2383842 Mass, Jeffrey (Ed). Court and Bakufu in Japan: Essays in Kamakura History Stanford University Press (January 1, 1995) http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/0804724733 Mass, Jeffrey. Yoritomo and the Founding of the First Bakufu: The Origins of Dual Government in Japan Stanford University Press; 1 edition (January 1, 2000) http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/0804735913 Mass, Jeffrey. Lordship and Inheritance in Early Medieval Japan: A Study of the Kamakura Soryo System ACLS Humanities E-Book (August 1, 2008) http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/1597405981 Thomas D. Conlan, Karl F. Friday. Currents in Medieval Japanese History: Essays in Honor of Jeffrey P. Mass Figueroa Press (September 1, 2009) http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/1932800522 Support this podcast: Shop Amazon.com, suport the podcast: http://amzn.to/wnDX2j Samurai Archives Bookstore: http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20 Samurai Archives Shop (T-Shirts, etc) http://www.cafepress.com/samuraiarchives Contact Us: Twitter @SamuraiArchives https://twitter.com/#!/samuraiarchives Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Samurai-Archives/104533213984 Samurai Archives podcast blog: http://www.samuraipodcast.com Samurai Archives Forum: http://www.japanhistoryforum.com

The names of Yoshitsune and Yoritomo of the Minamoto clan are legendary in Japanese history.  But how did they seize power from the Taira?  And how and why did they move the de facto capital to Kamakura and usher in a new age in Japanese governance.

Taira Kiyomori  spared the lives of Yoritomo and Yoshitsune - two young children at the time - in order, allegedly, to sleep with their mother. Ewwwww.  But this is a cracking tale of revenge, bravery and betrayal.