* Image is for illustrative purposes only.Prince Moriyoshi (Morinaga)
護良親王
Seii Taishōgun / Head Abbot of Tendai
Description
Life
Born in 1308 as the third son of Emperor Go-Daigo, he entered the priesthood at a young age and rose to become head abbot (zasu) of the Tendai sect, known by the title Daitō no Miya. As momentum for overthrowing the Kamakura shogunate grew, he returned to secular life and became one of the leading figures of the anti-shogunate movement.
Military Campaigns
During the Genkō War, he led forces across the Kinai region, including Yoshino and Totsukawa, fighting shogunate troops and playing a major role in the shogunate's downfall. When the Kenmu Restoration was established, he was appointed Seii Taishōgun and Minister of War, becoming the nominal head of the warrior class.
Conflict and Death
Rivalry with Ashikaga Takauji deepened, and his relationship with his father Emperor Go-Daigo also deteriorated. In 1334 he was captured and imprisoned in Kamakura. The following year, amid the chaos of the Nakasendai Rebellion led by Hōjō Tokiyuki, he was killed on the orders of Ashikaga Tadayoshi by Fuchibe Yoshihiro.
Later Reputation
His life is recounted in detail in the Taiheiki chronicle, and he is widely remembered as a tragic prince who contributed decisively to the shogunate's overthrow yet met a violent end. He is enshrined as the deity of Kamakura-gū (Daitō-no-Miya) Shrine and remains a symbol of the turbulent Nanboku-chō period.