[Illustrated] The Jokyu War (1221) | "Retired Emperor vs. Samurai! The Shocking Incident Where the Imperial Court Lost"

Do you know about "the greatest incident in Japanese history where an Emperor or Retired Emperor waged war against samurai and suffered a total defeat"?

That is the "Jokyu War" which occurred in 1221!

Retired Emperor Gotoba firmly believed in the absolute common sense that had persisted since ancient times: "No one can defy an Imperial command (inzen)."
However, the Eastern samurai band, united by the "tearful, famous speech of the Nun Shogun, Hojo Masako," rose up against that absolute authority and crushed the Imperial Court's army in just one month!

"Why was Retired Emperor Gotoba convinced he could win?"
"Why did samurai rule expand across all of Japan because of this incident?"
Let's quickly and enjoyably relearn the hidden side of history through dialogue and illustrations!

1. Why did Retired Emperor Gotoba raise an army? The major miscalculation that "samurai would defect if it were an Imperial command"

After Minamoto no Yoritomo passed away and the Minamoto shoguns of the Kamakura Shogunate died out after three generations (Sanetomo), the super-elite Retired Emperor Gotoba of Kyoto stood up, thinking, "Now is the chance to take back political power from the samurai!"

💬 Student
"Certainly, in history up until then, if you became an 'enemy of the Emperor,' it would have been over in an instant...!"

💬 Teacher
"That's right! Retired Emperor Gotoba was overconfident, thinking, 'If I just issue an Imperial command, the samurai will start fighting among themselves.' However, there was a legendary woman in Kamakura who turned this desperate crisis around."

2. "The favor of Lord Yoritomo is higher than the mountains and deeper than the sea": Hojo Masako's tearful, famous speech

The Imperial command arrived, and the samurai in Kamakura fell into a panic.
That was when Hojo Masako, Yoritomo's wife, stepped forward.

💬 Student
"Wow...! That is such a passionate speech that it gives me goosebumps!"

💬 Teacher
"The samurai were moved to tears and united, saying, 'We will throw away our lives to protect the Shogunate!' Furthermore, thanks to the lightning strategy of Oe no Hiromoto and others, who said, 'Don't just wait to intercept them, attack Kyoto all at once!', "}, {a massive army of 190,000 surged toward Kyoto."

3. The Retired Emperor's total defeat and the establishment of the "Rokuhara Tandai"

Facing the overwhelming Shogunate army approaching Kyoto, the Imperial Court's army was easily and soundly defeated.
It reached an unprecedented conclusion where samurai used force to subdue the Imperial family.

💬 Student
"Exiling an Emperor or Retired Emperor is an incident on a level unthinkable in the past...!"

💬 Teacher
"It is truly a super-major turning point in history! Because of this, the power balance of 'Imperial Court > Shogunate' was completely reversed, and an era of absolute samurai superiority, 'Shogunate > Imperial Court,' was established."

4. Review in just 1 second! "Jokyu War" flow chart

For those concerned about "the trick questions on tests that always target the swapping of 'Hokumen no Bushi' and 'Saikumen no Bushi'," "the confusion between the eras of the Rokuhara Tandai and the Kyoto Shoshidai," or "why the 'Goseibai Shikimoku' had to be created after the Jokyu War."

For such people, we have prepared the following specialized content in the paid area!

① [Prevention of True/False Trickery] Table of swapped characters, samurai organizations, and places of exile in the "Jokyu War"

② [Description & Deep Dive into Education] "Historical Significance of the Jokyu War (Power Balance with the Imperial Court & Control of Western Japan)" Perfect Answer Pattern

③ [Super Frequently Asked] Matrix of the Power Balance Transition between the Imperial Court and the Samurai Government

④ [Download Bonus] "Review in 1 Minute! Jokyu War Pre-Test Check PDF"

Let's master the "Jokyu War," the biggest power shift in Japanese history!