The Way to a Sakai Shogunate ---Awakening and Rise of the Miyoshi Family (1)---

 

     It all started from the 1379 Koryaku Military Coup.

     Hosokawa Yoriyuki (1329-1992) was the Regent of the Ashikaga Shogunate (1336-1573) from 1366 mainly under Ashikaga Yoshimitsu (1358-1408), who became the third Shogun in 1369 at the age of 11.  As he entered his adulthood, he wanted to decide and control everything by himself and for himself.

     In 1378, Yoshimitsu preferentially treated Yamana Yoshitada (1337-?9, Yamana Ujikiyo (1344-1392), Shiba Yoshiyuki (1350-1410), and Toki Yoriyasu (1318-1388) in military operations.  In the meanwhile, Ashikaga Ujimitsu (1359-1398), the second Kanto Deputy Shogun, wanted to become a central shogun.  He recognized Yoshimitsu's military operations as chaos, and appointed Uesugi Norimasa (1335-1394) as the general of the Kanto Deputy Shogunate Army to advance to Kyoto.  Norimasa advanced to Izu Province, communicated with Yoshimitsu, and went over to his side.  In return, Yoshimitsu supported Norimasa to become the Regent of the Kanto Deputy Shogunate.  With all those forces in his hands, Yoshimitsu drove Yoriyuki away to Shikoku Island.

     Yoriyuki, however, was able to thrive even in the worst situation.  He built up his rule over Awa Province and his sovereignty over Sanuki and Tosa Provinces.  In 1391, he returned to Kyoto with his brother, Yorimoto (1343-1397), with some other family members left in Shikoku Island.

     Another brother of Yoriyuki, Akiharu (1330-1367), stayed in Awa Province, and started a branch family there: the Awa-Hosokawa Family, which ranked second among the Hosokawa Clan just to the head family in Kyoto, Keicho-Hosokawa Family.

     Miyoshi Yoshinaga (?-1386) and his son, Nagayuki, were just watching those struggles for central power from Miyoshi County, the westernmost hilly county in Awa Province.  The Miyoshi Family were locally-hired officials of the Miyoshi County Government in ancient times.  Many such officials were replaced by samurai who were dispatched by the Kamakura Shogunate in medieval days.  Miyoshi County might have been too poor to attract any Kanto samurai.  The Miyoshi Family survived as a local powerful family.  For them, central powerful families were beyond their reach, or out of their imagination.