The Muromachi Shogunate, founded by Ashikaga Takauji, inherited the institutions of the Kamakura Shogunate while developing its own organization. Its greatest features were its base in Kyoto and its council system led by powerful military governors.
Basic Knowledge
The center of the Muromachi Shogunate was the Hana no Gosho, a residence built by the third shogun Yoshimitsu, in Muromachi in Kyoto's present-day Kamigyo Ward. This was the source of the name "Muromachi Shogunate."
The highest central office was the kanrei, which assisted the shogun and corresponded to the Kamakura Shogunate's regent. The kanrei was chosen in rotation from the three families of Hosokawa, Shiba, and Hatakeyama, known as the Three Kanrei Families.
Below them was the head of the Samurai-dokoro, responsible for policing and criminal matters in Kyoto, called the shoshi. This official was selected from the four families of Akamatsu, Isshiki, Yamana, and Kyogoku, known as the Four Offices. The Three Kanrei Families and Four Offices together were called the Three Kanrei and Four Offices.
The shogunate established the Kamakura府 to govern the Kanto region. Its head was the Kamakura Kubo, inherited by members of the Ashikaga clan, and the assistant was the Kanto Kanrei, inherited by the Uesugi clan. The shogunate also established the Kyushu Tandai, Oshu Tandai, and Ushu Tandai.
Central Shogun → Kanrei (Hosokawa, Shiba, Hatakeyama = Three Kanrei Families)
Samurai-dokoro Shoshi (Akamatsu, Isshiki, Yamana, Kyogoku = Four Offices)
Kanto Kamakura府 (Kamakura Kubo + Kanto Kanrei of the Uesugi clan)
Kyushu Kyushu Tandai
Tohoku Oshu Tandai and Ushu Tandai
Further Study (Background and Effects)
The structural weakness of the Muromachi Shogunate was that the shogun's power depended on a coalition of powerful military governors. While the Kamakura Shogunate had a relationship of "shogun > gokenin," the Muromachi Shogunate was closer to "shogun ≒ powerful military governors." Whenever the shogun weakened, political conditions quickly became unstable.
The Kamakura府 was especially the greatest risk to the Muromachi Shogunate. The Kamakura Kubo belonged to a branch of the Ashikaga clan and often came into conflict with the shogun's family in Kyoto. In the 15th century, the sixth shogun Ashikaga Yoshinori destroyed Kamakura Kubo Ashikaga Mochiuji in the Eikyo War (1438-1439). Later, the Kyotoku War (1454-) left the Kanto region in a state of war for more than half a century, helping set the stage for the Onin War.
- Origin of the name Muromachi Shogunate = Hana no Gosho in Kyoto's Muromachi district
- Kanrei = assistant to the shogun, selected from the Three Kanrei Families
- Shoshi of the Samurai-dokoro = selected from the Four Offices
- Kamakura府 = governed the Kanto region; the Kamakura Kubo was a member of the Ashikaga clan
- Kanto Kanrei = inherited by the Uesugi clan and assisted the Kamakura Kubo
- Kyushu Tandai, Oshu Tandai, and Ushu Tandai = regional branch institutions
- Weakness of the Muromachi Shogunate = dependence on powerful military governors and weak shogunal authority
Points to Note (Easily Confused)
① Kanrei was an office of the Muromachi Shogunate, while regent was an office of the Kamakura Shogunate.
② The Kanto Kanrei of the Uesugi clan and the kanrei of the Three Kanrei Families were different offices.
③ The Three Kanrei and Four Offices consisted of the three Kanrei families plus the four Office families.
④ Do not confuse the Kamakura Kubo with the shogun of the Kamakura Shogunate. The Kamakura Kubo was a member of the Ashikaga clan who governed the Kanto region during the Muromachi period.
Practice
- What was the name of the office that assisted the shogun in the Muromachi Shogunate?
- Name the three families that formed the Three Kanrei Families.
- What institution did the Muromachi Shogunate establish to govern the Kanto region?