Chokyo-Entoku Wars (長享・延徳の乱)

The Chokyo-Entoku Wars were campaigns conducted by the Muromachi bakufu (Japanese feudal government headed by a shogun) twice in 1487 and in 1491 in the late Muromachi period against Omi no kuni shugo (the provincial constable of Omi Province) Takayori ROKKAKU, and it is also referred to as Rokkaku Seibatsu (suppression). In addition, the first campaign was also called Magari no Jin because a position was taken up in Magari, Kurita County, Omi Province (Ritto City, Shiga Prefecture).

Summary

After Onin-Bunmei Wars came to an end, Shugo (provincial constables) and Kokujin (local lords) have extended their power in various places by wresting territories of temples and shrines and so on. Omi shugo (the Governor of Omi Province) the Rokkaku clan, who had belonged to the West squad led by Sozen (Mochitoyo) YAMANA in Onin-Bunmei Wars, also wrested shoen (private estates) in the province and territories of the trusted vassals of the Shogun Yoshihisa, thereby explicitly showing a rebellious attitude towards the bakufu (Japanese feudal government headed by a shogun). Therefore, the bakufu intended to recover its dignity and subjugate the Rokkaku clan.

Magari no Jin
In 1487, the ninth Shogun Yoshihisa ASHIKAGA decided to subjugate Takayori ROKKAKU, and headed an army mainly consisted of hokoshu (the shogunal military guard) directly under him to go into the battle in Sakamoto in Omi Province, and in September, the Shogun ordered the Shogunal Deputy Masamoto HOSOKAWA, Wakasa no kuni shugo (the provincial constable of Wakasa Province) Kuninobu TAKEDA and Kaga no kuni shugo (the provincial constable of Kaga Province) Masachika TOGASHI to Omi Province and attacked Takayori.

Takayori temporarily abandoned Kannonji-jo Castle, and conducted a guerrilla warfare in a mountainous area in Koga County. Yoshihisa himself also went to the front, but the war bemace deadlocked.

The following year, Masachika TOGASHI, on whom the army of bakufu was depending returned to his hometown due to the Kaga Ikko ikki (an uprising of Ikko sect followers in Kaga Province) intensified, and in addition, an incident occurred in which he was killed in the ikki. Yoshihisa showed his determination to subjugate Hongan-ji Temple and the forces of uprising as well, but he was forced to abandon it because Masamoto HOSOKAWA also disagreed with him for the reason that the suppression of the Rokkaku clan was ongoing.

Sadakage ASAKURA (the ninth family head) who became Echizen no kuni shugo (the Governor of Echizen Province) and Mino no kuni shugo (the Governor of Mino Province) Shigeyori TOKI did not move for fear that they would become the next targets, although they had geographically better conditions than Kaga Province to join the camp.

Although Sadakage ASAKURA himself stayed in his province, he dispatched Kagefuyu ASAKURA of his family to Sakamoto in Omi Province, thereby showing his minimally cooperative attitude. However, Shigeyori TOKI raised an army in Mino Province, and in addition he stayed in the mountains to intimidate the army of bakufu. After all, in 1489, Yoshihisa who had changed his name to Yoshihiro died at the front at Magari in Omi Province, and therefore the suppression by bakufu was suspended and Takayori was temporarily discharged.

The second campaign against the Rokkaku clan
Yoshitane ASHIKAGA who succeeded to Yoshihisa also started to suppress Takayori again in 1491. The army of bakufu abandoned the suppression because Takayori escaped from Koga County to Ise Province. The army of bakufu withdrew from Omi Province.

Result
Due to the failure in two campaigns for the suppression, and the Meio Coup in 1493 where Masamoto HOSOKAWA forced the Shogun Yoshiki to abdicate, the authority of the bakufu significantly reduced. The former Shogun Yoshiki, who was rehabilitated, was preoccupied with the activity for reinstatement.

Afterwards, the Kinai region (provinces surrounding Kyoto and Nara) came to be involved in wars (such as Funaokayama-gassen [battle of Mt. Funaoka]) originating from a struggle over the position of shogunate.

[Original Japanese]