Muromachi/Warring States Flashcards
Which emperor did Ashikaga overthrow?
Emperor Go-Daigo
Where did Ashikaga move his new capital to?
Kyoto (Muromachi district)
Who were a threat to Ashikaga’s power?
The daimyo in the provinces.
How much power did the daimyo have?
Absolute power over their domains. Specifically:
1. Military decisions
2. The law
3. Policing
4. Taxation
What were key political features of the period? (3 things)
- More decentralisation of government.
- Increased daimyo power.
- Warring States period > end of Muromachi shogunate
What were key social/cultural features of the period? (5 things)
- Increase in Zen Buddhism.
- Increase in theatre.
- Literature
- Tea ceremony.
- Christianity from Europeans.
What is meant by the ‘Warring States’ period?
100 years of daimyo fighting daimyo for position of shogun.
Who were the three ‘‘unifiers of Japan” during the Warring States period?
- Nobunaga
- Hideyoshi
- Tokugawa
How did Nobunaga take over Kyoto and become shogun? (4 things)
- Superior tactics - organised army into divisions.
- Many samurai
- Superior peasant soldiers
- GUNS!! (technology)
Why do we think of Nobunaga as a unifier?
Because he brought more centralisation to the government and controlled 1/3 of Japan at a time of fragmentation.
What were some of the achievements of Hideyoshi? (3 things)
- More centralised government.
- Less rebellion = more peace.
- Improved tax system = better economy.
How did Hideyoshi bring more control into society?
By strengthening the feudal system. He made it stricter, eg. The Great Sword Hunt (he made all peasants give up their weapons). This brought more harmony to Japan (and was based of Confucianism).
How did Tokugawa finally unite all of Japan?
By limiting the power of the daimyos.
