The 1336 battle of Tatarahama (多々良浜の戦い, ''Tatarahama no tatakai'') was one of many battles constituting the Nanboku-chō Wars in Japan, in which two rival Imperial Courts battled for legitimacy and control of the country. It was decisive in securing control of the island of Kyūshū for the Northern Imperial Court, which was closely connected to the

Ashikaga shogunate The , also known as the , was the feudal military government of Japan during the Muromachi period from 1336 to 1573.Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005)"''Muromachi-jidai''"in ''Japan Encyclopedia'', p. 669. The Ashikaga shogunate was establi ...

Prelude

Early in 1336, a number of Kyūshū clans, anticipating the movements of the shōgun's army against them, made efforts to unite and present a formidable resistance. A number of skirmishes were fought against clans loyal to the shōgun on the island, including a siege of Dazaifu, in which the Shōni clan stronghold was taken. Shōni Sadatsune fled, but was defeated soon afterwards, and committed suicide along with a number of his retainers. Shōgun

Ashikaga Takauji was the founder and first '' shōgun'' of the Ashikaga shogunate."Ashikaga Takauji" in ''The New Encyclopædia Britannica''. Chicago: Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 15th edn., 1992, Vol. 1, p. 625. His rule began in 1338, beginning the Murom ...

, arriving in Munakata, a short distance away, at this time in early April, learned of the siege of Dazaifu and the death of Shōni Sadatsune. Gathering forces, he marched from Munakata on April 15, and journeyed to Tatarahama, fifteen miles (24 km) away, where he met the

Kikuchi clan The of Higo Province was a powerful daimyō family of Higo, Kyūshū. The lineage was renowned for valiant service in defense of the emperor and against foreign invaders. They initially distinguished themselves during the Jürchen invasion of ...

army. This army included Aso, Mihara, and Kuroki, all under the command of Kikuchi Taketoshi.

Battle

The military chronicle ''Baishō-ron'' describes Tatarahama as "a stretch of over three miles (5 km) of dry foreshore, crossed at the south end by a small stream. The precincts of the Hakozaki Hachiman Shrine consist of some five square miles of pine forest. To the south lies the city of Hakata, on the east five or six miles distant is hilly country, and to the west is the open sea stretching as far as China." By the end of the battle, the Kikuchi clan forces had been chased by Ashikaga Tadayoshi to Dazaifu, at which point they fled into the hills. The Aso and

Akizuki clan The Akizuki clan (秋月氏, ''Akizuki-shi'') is a Japanese noble family. In the Sengoku period, the Akizuki clan was led by a samurai lord (大名 ''daimyō'') in the Akizuki domain on the island of Kyūshū. From the Meiji period to the end of ...

commanders committed suicide, and other commanders simply surrendered. Takauji rewarded his commanders for their bravery and service, but offered pardon to his opponents, and to several clans not participating in the battle, who thus joined him in its aftermath. Kyūshū thus became united under the shogunate, and the Northern Imperial Court.

References

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Prelude

Battle

References

See also