The Kamakura Shogunate
The Kamakura Shogunate was a feudal military totalitarianism ruled by the shoguns in the Minamoto family from 1185 to 1333 AD. They maintained power throughout the Kamakura Period.
Prior to the organization of the Kamakura shogunate, the then ruling emperors and their viceroy held the civil power. The military relations were taken care of by the patronage of the civil government.
On the other hand, following the defeat of the Taira clan in the Genpeie Minamoto gained power in 1185 and so became tyrant of Japan. He affirmed the dominance of the military aspect of the government. He received the title of shogun in 1192. The Japanese states became self- governed under the Daimyo.
After the death of Yoritomo, his widowed wife Hojo Masako took the power from his Minamoto clan to her own Hojo clan. The Minamoto continued being the informal power holding shoguns, but the Hojo remained the real power holder. They ruled buy using a shogun and a emperor working for them. The emperor made an attempt in reversing the situation in the 1221 rebellion, also known as he Jokyo Incident, but did not succeed. Thus the shogunate’s power was pulled away. That did not crush their spirits, the Imperial court tried once again in 1331 and succeeded. With out the help of Kamakura’s most power general, Ashikaga Takauji siding with the emperor, they would have never succeeded. The shogunate of Kamakura ended in 1333 with the crash of the Hojo clan. The prevail was temporal, as Ashikaga Takauji took over the title of shogun himself and established the Ashikaga Shogunate.
