* Image is for illustrative purposes only.Kusunoki Masanori
楠木正儀
Kusunoki Clan Head and Supreme Commander of the Southern Court
Description
Life and Origins
Kusunoki Masanori (c. 1330–1389) was a warrior of the Nanboku-cho period, the third son of Kusunoki Masashige, the loyal retainer of Emperor Go-Daigo who died at the Battle of Minatogawa. After his father's death in 1336 and the deaths of his brothers Masatsura and Masatoki at the Battle of Shijo Nawate in 1348, Masanori assumed leadership of the Kusunoki clan and the role of supreme commander of the Southern Court.
Campaigns for Kyoto
Operating from his base in Kawachi, Izumi, and Settsu provinces, Masanori led the Southern Court forces in four separate campaigns to capture Kyoto (1352, 1355, 1359, 1361), achieving notable success in the last campaign by briefly bringing Emperor Go-Murakami to the capital.
Surrender and Legacy
In 1369, following political conflicts within the Southern Court, Masanori surrendered to the Ashikaga shogunate. Long criticized as a traitor in pre-war historiography, he is now re-evaluated as a consistent advocate for peaceful reunification between the two courts, contributing to the eventual unification of 1392.
Notable Swords
- Tachi (Kusunoki clan heirloom)
Related Warriors
高師直
Nanboku-chō periodKō no Moronao
Shitsuji (Steward) of the Ashikaga Shogunate, Close Aide to Ashikaga Takauji
中条兵庫頭
Northern and Southern Courts PeriodChūjō Hyōgo-no-kami
Founder of Chūjō-ryū Swordsmanship, Short Sword Master of the Northern and Southern Courts Era
北畠親房
Nanbokuchō PeriodKitabatake Chikafusa
Pillar of the Southern Court, Author of Jinnō Shōtōki
大内義弘
Nanbokucho periodŌuchi Yoshihiro