was a samurai of the
Hōjō clan
The was a Japanese samurai family who controlled the hereditary title of '' shikken'' (regent) of the Kamakura shogunate between 1203 and 1333. Despite the title, in practice the family wielded actual political power in Japan during this perio ...
who fought both for and against the Imperial Court. His father was
Hōjō Takatoki
was the last '' Tokusō'' and ruling Shikken (regent) of Japan's Kamakura shogunate; the rulers that followed were his puppets. A member of the Hōjō clan, he was the son of Hōjō Sadatoki, and was preceded as ''shikken'' by Hōjō Mototo ...
, a
Shogunal Regent and ''de facto'' ruler of the
Kamakura shogunate
The was the feudal military government of Japan during the Kamakura period from 1185 to 1333. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005)"''Kamakura-jidai''"in ''Japan Encyclopedia'', p. 459.
The Kamakura shogunate was established by Minamoto no Yori ...
.
Biography
Tokiyuki had fought against both the Imperial forces and those of the Ashikaga in order to save the Kamakura shogunate, of which his clan had been the ''de facto'' ruler for over a century. After the 1333
siege of Kamakura, his father's suicide and the almost complete destruction of his family, he escaped to
Shinano Province
or is an old province of Japan that is now Nagano Prefecture.
Shinano bordered Echigo, Etchū, Hida, Kai, Kōzuke, Mikawa, Mino, Musashi, Suruga, and Tōtōmi Provinces. The ancient capital was located near modern-day Matsumoto, whi ...
and the home of
Suwa Yorishige, where he gathered an army with which to return and try to regain power. He re-entered
Kamakura
, officially , is a city of Kanagawa Prefecture in Japan. It is located in the Kanto region on the island of Honshu. The city has an estimated population of 172,929 (1 September 2020) and a population density of 4,359 people per km2 over the tota ...
in 1335, forcing
Ashikaga Tadayoshi
"Ashikaga Tadayoshi" in ''Encyclopædia Britannica, The New Encyclopædia Britannica''. Chicago: Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 15th edn., 1992, Vol. 1, p. 624. was a general of the Nanboku-chō period, Northern and Southern Courts period (1337 ...
to flee before he was forced to flee himself by Tadayoshi's elder brother and future ''
shōgun
, officially , was the title of the military rulers of Japan during most of the period spanning from 1185 to 1868. Nominally appointed by the Emperor, shoguns were usually the de facto rulers of the country, except during parts of the Kamak ...
''
Ashikaga Takauji
also known as Minamoto no Takauji was the founder and first ''shōgun'' of the Ashikaga shogunate."Ashikaga Takauji" in ''Encyclopædia Britannica, The New Encyclopædia Britannica''. Chicago: Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 15th edn., 1992, Vol. ...
.
Shortly after his defeat, Tokiyuki asked to be pardoned by
Emperor Go-Daigo, and formally entered into the service of the
Southern Court
The were a set of four emperors ( Emperor Go-Daigo and his line) whose claims to sovereignty during the Nanboku-chō period spanning from 1336 through 1392 were usurped by the Northern Court. This period ended with the Southern Court definitivel ...
(then rival of
Ashikaga shogunate and
Northern Court
The , also known as the Ashikaga Pretenders or Northern Pretenders, were a set of six pretenders to the throne of Japan during the Nanboku-chō period from 1336 through 1392. Even though the present Imperial House of Japan is descended from the ...
), fighting under the command of
Kitabatake Akiie
was a Japanese court noble, and an important supporter of the Southern Court during the Nanboku-chō Wars. He also held the posts of Commander-in-Chief of the Defense of the North, and Governor of Mutsu Province. His father was Imperial ad ...
, and later
Prince Munenaga. He also aided in the 1352 recapture of Kamakura, led by
Nitta Yoshioki. However, when routed Nitta was pursued by Ashikaga Takauji and sought refuge in
Echigo Province
was an old provinces of Japan, old province in north-central Japan, on the shores of the Sea of Japan. It bordered on Uzen Province, Uzen, Iwashiro Province, Iwashiro, Kōzuke Province, Kōzuke, Shinano Province, Shinano, and Etchū Province, ...
, Tokiyuki fled to
Sagami Province
was a Provinces of Japan, province of Japan located in what is today the central and western Kanagawa Prefecture.Louis-Frédéric, Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "''Kanagawa''" at . Sagami Province bordered the provinces of Izu Province, Izu ...
, where he was discovered and beheaded by forces loyal to the Ashikaga.
In popular culture
Hōjō Tokiyuki is the protagonist of ''
The Elusive Samurai'', a manga series that started in January 2021. He is portrayed as a young boy who is talented in fleeing and hiding.
See also
*
Yokoi Yayū. The Yokoi clan is believed to descend from Hōjō Tokiyuki.
*''
The Elusive Samurai'' - A
manga
are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga conform to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century, and the form has a long history in earlier Japanese art. The term is used in Japan to refer to both comics ...
series loosely based on the tales of Hōjō Tokiyuki.
*
Later Hōjō clan
The was one of the most powerful samurai families in Japan in the Sengoku period and held domains primarily in the Kantō region. Their last name was simply , but were called "Later Hōjō" to differentiate between the earlier Hōjō clan who h ...
References
Further reading
*
*
Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric (2002). "Japan Encyclopedia". Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press.
*
Papinot, Edmond. (1910). ''Historical and geographical dictionary of Japan''. Tokyo: Librarie Sansaisha.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hojo, Tokiyuki
Tokiyuki
Year of birth unknown
1353 deaths
Recipients of Japanese royal pardons
People executed by Japan by decapitation