History of Teiko

The history of Teiko includes the history of the islands of Teiko and the Teikonian people, spanning the ancient history of the region to the modern history of Teiko as a federal kingdom nation state.

Jomon Period (10,000 BC)
The question of when man first arrived in Teiko has baffled many historians for there are many models and theory which could have explained such phenomenon. Although there is still no consensus on how people migrated to the islands of Teiko, archaeological findings suggest several waves of migration from various directions – some inland peoples from continental Asia, but also islanders from the south and possibly as far as Polynesia.

The earliest known human settlers arrived by sea around 10,000 BCE at some point after the last ice age. These are known generically as the Jōmon people after the distinctive ‘coiled rope’ style of earthenware vessels found on archaeological sites. There is mounting evidence to suggest that they were connected to the prehistoric Yue populations of southern China, and by extension to a cultural sphere incorporating what is now Indonesia. This is reflected in the Jōmon customs of intentionally extracting teeth, tattooing and also styles of ornamentation.

Principalities of Teiko
By 300 BC, major polities in Teiko has started to appear. Daichi was broken into several principalities, the largest of which is the Principality of Na located in the present day Kaijo. Na, due to its size was recognized by Emperor Guangwu of Han and was given a golden seal in 57 CE. Other recognizable principalities includes Oka, Nada, Izumi, Shima and Saki.

Genko War
Throughout much of the Kamakura shogunate, power was yielded by the Hojo clan whose members held the title of Shikken (regent for the shogun), and passed it on within the clan. The Emperor was little more than a figurehead, holding no real administrative power.

In 1331, Emperor Go-Daigo plotted to seize power and overthrow the Kamakura shogunate. However, he was betrayed by a trusted adviser, Fujiwara Sadafusa. The Emperor fled Kyoto with the Sacred Treasures and sought refuge in a secluded monastery overlooking the Kizu River, called Kasagi. The monastery was attacked by Bakufu troops in the Siege of Kasagi. The emperor managed to escape, but only temporarily, and was subsequently banished to the Tsushima island. The shogunate then enthroned Emperor Kogon.

Emperor Go-Daigo escaped Tsushima in the spring of 1333, two years after his exile, with the help of Mibu Kyoichirou and his family. The Mibu clan which controls most of the northern Saikaido and eastern San’yodo’ supported the Emperor in raising an army in Suo province.

Meanwhile, Ashikaga Takauji, the chief general of the Hojo family, turned against the Hojo and fought for the Emperor in the hopes of being named shogun. Takauji entered Kyoto on 19 June and Go-Daigo entered the Palace at the end of July 1333. Simultaneously, Mibu Kyoichirou led his army on a campaign through Kozuke and Musashi provinces culminating in the Siege of Kamakura, setting fire to the city, and destroying the Kamakura shogunate.

The city aflame, the shogunate fell, and the power of the Hojo with it. Emperor Go-Daigo returned to Kyoto, and claimed power in what came to be known as the Kenmu Restoration.

Kenmu Restoration (1333 - 1336)
When Emperor Go-Daigo ascended to the Chrysanthemum Throne in 1318, he immediately manifested his intention to rule without interference from the military in Kamakura. Historical documents show that, disregarding evidence to the contrary, he and his advisers believed that a revival of the Imperial House was possible, and that the Kamakura's shogunate was the greatest and most obvious of the obstacles.

The fall of the Kamakura shogunate provided Go-Daigo an opportunity to restore to restore civilian rule in the country. Go-Daigo wanted to re-establish his authority over the eastern part of the country without sending a shogun there. As a compromise, he sent his six-year old son Prince Norinaga to Mutsu province and nominated him Governor-General of the Mutsu and Dewa provinces. Ashikaga Takauji who was suspicious of the Emperor’s motive, ordered his brother Tadayoshi to escort Go-Daigo’s second son, Prince Narinaga and installed him as Governor-General of Kozuke province, a strategic location south of Mutsu with himself as deputy and de facto ruler. The appointment of a warrior to an important post was intended to show the Emperor that the samurai class was not ready for a purely civilian rule.

Emperor Go-Daigo realizing Takauji’s motives immediately appointed Prince Morinaga and his brother Norinaga as seii taishogun barring any hopes for Takauji’s ambition to become shogun. The move immediately aroused Ashikaga Takauji’s hostility. Takauji believed the military class had the right to rule and considered himself not a usurper but, since the Ashikaga descended from a branch of the Minamoto clan, rather a restorer of Minamoto power. In response, Takauji having taken control of Rokuhara after the fall of Kamakura extended his authority including issuance of passports and exercising rights that previously belonged to the shogunate’s deputies, Takauji showed what he believed that samurai political power must continue. Takauji’s greatest obstacle was Prince Morinaga and Mibu Kyoichirou, who remained a close ally of Emperor Go-Daigo. Tension between the Emperor and Ashikaga gradually grew, until Takauji had Morinaga arrested on a pretext of corruption and first confined him in Kyoto, then transported him to the City of Kamakura, where the Prince was kept prisoner until late August 1335. The situation in Kamakura continued to be tense, supporters of the ousted Hojo clan continued to stage sporadic revolts. In October 1335, Hojo Tokiyuki, son of last regent Takaaki, tried to re-establish the Kamakura shogunate by force and defeated Takauji’s brother Tadayoshi in Musashi. Under the pretext of a captured prisoner, Tadayoshi ordered the beheading of Prince Morinaga before fleeing eliminating one of Takauji’s greatest obstacle.

As the City of Kamakura fell into chaos and with Morinaga dead, Takauji used it as an opportunity to request Emperor to appoint him as shogun so that he could quell the revolt and help his brother. When his request was denied, Takauji organized his forces and returned to Kamakura without the Emperor's permission, defeating the Hojo. He then installed himself in Kamakura's Nikaido neighborhood. When invited to return to Kyoto, Takauji refused the Emperor’s request and claimed that he felt safer in his newly constructed mansion in Okura, where the first Kamakura shogun Minamoto no Yoritomo’s residence is located.

Kyoto was now aware that Takauji has assumed wide powers without imperial permission. By late 1335, many supporters of the Emperor were ready to go to Kamakura and force Takauji to submit. On 17 November, Tadayoshi issued a message in his brother’s name to join the Ashikaga and destroy Mibu Kyoichirou. The Imperial Court, meanwhile, had done the opposite, ordering samurai from all provinces, to join Kyoichirou and destroy the two Ashikaga. The civil war for power has begun.

Fall of Emperor Go-Daigo
Emperor Go-Daigo was an unpopular leader. There was little support for his reign and his extreme policies only added to his people’s discontent. Early in his campaign to restore civilian rule, Go-Daigo in a desperate attempt to increase popularity, awarded his close supporters and the Buddhist sect with land and titles. However, his failure to protect the validity of these fiefs and rights of the lords only increased discontent of his rule. Furthermore, the Emperor’s obsession to build a new and grand palace in Kyoto which was paid by extracting heavy taxes from the samurai class made him more unpopular.

In 1335, Ashikaga Takauji led a military coup against Emperor Go-Daigo. Takauji resented the Emperor for failing to appoint him as shogun despite supporting the latter which resulted in the expulsion of the Kamakura shogunate. Go-Daigo’s lack of support and abuse of the warrior class was a critical factor. By the end of 1335, the Emperor and the nobility had lost all support of the warrior class.

Mibu Kyoichirou after the Battle of Minatogawa realized that defeat was imminent. Kyoichirou proceeded to make an unorthodox decision. He asked Ashikaga Takauji for a truce, a move that the Emperor was not aware. Kyoichirou agreed to open Kyoto to Takauji’s troops preventing a bloody massacre in return that Emperor Go-Daigo be deposed peacefully. In March 1336, Mibu Kyoichirou returned to Suo and by the following month, Kyoto quickly fell into the hands of Takauji. When Ashikaga's army entered Kyoto, Emperor Go-Daigo resisted, fleeing to Mount Hiei, but seeking reconciliation, he sent the imperial regalia to the Ashikaga side. Takauji enthroned Komyo as Emperor, and officially began his shogunate with the enactment of the Kenmu Law Code. The appointment of Takauji as shogun effectively ended the Kenmu Restoration.

Go-Daigo escaped the capital in January 1337, the regalia that he had handed over to the Ashikaga being counterfeit, and set up the Southern Court among the mountains of Yoshino, beginning the Period of Northern and Southern Courts in which the Northern Dynasty in Kyoto and the Southern Dynasty in Yoshino faced off against each other.

Northern and Southern Court Period
Go-Daigo in exile set up a Southern Court in Nara in defiance to Ashikaga Takauji. Mibu Kyoichirou having learned of Emperor Go-Daigo’s survival and creation of Southern Court visited Nara offering financial support. Go-Daigo while suspicious was left with no choice as support for reign continued to wane. Go-Daigo continued to rule for three more years until his death in 1339.

Rise of the Mibu shogunate
Mibu Kyoichirou, the son of Kyoshitaka was daimyo of Mibu clan whose fief extended from northern Kyushu and western Honshu. Kyoichirou supported Emperor Go-Daigo during the Genko War in hopes of becoming named as shogun. As one of the Emperor’s closest adviser and respected military commander, he was Takauji’s greatest threat and rival for the title of shogun. However, Mibu Kyoichirou’s loyalty to Emperor Go-Daigo had strained his reputation against the public and his fellow samurai.

In 1336, after successfully brokering a truce with the Ashikagas, Kyoichirou returned to his home province of Suo under the pretense of quelling domestic affairs. Although unaware of his betrayal, Kyoichirou’s sudden decision to leave strained his relations with Emperor Go-Daigo and when he offered financial support for the Southern Court in August 1337, Go-Daigo initially refused but reluctantly accepted after Kyoichirou’s persistence. Go-Daigo blamed his ousting of Kyoto to Kyoichirou’s absence.

Mibu Kyoichirou realizing the opportunity to usurp power continued to support weak Emperor Go-Daigo until the latter’s death in 1339. As the two courts continued to exist, Kyoichirou sent letters to surrounding daimyo, Akashi, Kuroko and Sarutobi clans to support the southern court. The Mibu’s strong continued support for Go-Daigo’s claim and legitimacy caught the Ashikaga’s hostility who believed that that the Mibu violated the terms of their truce. In response, Ashikaga Takauji in April 1338 decided to march to Nara in hopes of eliminating the southern court and killing Mibu Kyoichirou in the process.

Takauji facing problems in Kyoto was late to engage Kyoichirou and the southern court in Nara. By the time he had arrived in Nara, the southern court had already relocated to Dazaifu in Kyushu. Enraged, Takauji decided to invade Mibu clan’s fief in Honshu and made it as far as Okayama where their advance was halted by the Sarutobi clan. Returning to Kyoto, Takauji continued to rally support against the Mibu clan and the southern court but would have been delayed due to problems in Kyoto and mounting dissent from his own brother, Tadayoshi.

By the early 1339, Emperor Go-Daigo’s health was failing. In September, he abdicated and his son, Prince Noriyoshi ascended to the throne becoming Emperor Go-Murakami. Kyoichirou saw this an opportunity to finally declare himself shogun. In November, a few days after the death of Emperor Go-Daigo, Kyoichirou coerced Go-Murakami to declare him shogun or be expulsed back to Nara where he would be vulnerable to the Ashikagas. In March 1340, Go-Murakami finally declared Kyoichirou shogun causing unrest in the country. Not only were there two imperial courts but there are now also two shoguns who are both claiming legitimacy.

Battle of Okayama
Having learned of Kyoichirou’s actions, Ashikaga Takauji for the second time tried to raise an army against the southern court and its shogun. Takauji however lacked political experience and while he was nominally shogun, having proved not to be up to the task of ruling the country, Tadayoshi governed in his stead. Tadayoshi who is in favor of prioritizing repairing Kyoto and running trade was against military actions. Tadayoshi believed that the southern court and the Mibu shogunate was too disunited and weak and should not be an immediate threat. The bifurcation of the Ashikaga shogunate between Takauji and Tadayoshi delayed efforts against the Mibu shogunate and the southern court.

As shogun, Kyoichirou exercised authority beyond any shogun that preceded him. Having known to have a bad temper, he publicly executed many of his critics including Nobu Hitotsubashi, a longtime friend and Mibu retainer who he accused of colluding with Go-Murakami. Furthermore, Kyoichirou despite protests of Go-Murakami has also demanded that the imperial regalia be turned over to his authority. A clear indication that Kyoichirou has no respect for the southern court and its nobility.

By December 1841, the southern court has realized that Emperor Go-Murakami has become a total puppet. Kyoichirou continued to consolidate his rule by eliminating any opposition. Tensions continued to rise between the shogun and the emperor and finally in March 1842, Kyoichirou threatened to abolish the southern court in favor of a bakufu court. The threat pushed Go-Murakami to take desperate measures. Unable to accept his condition, Go-Murakami sent a secret letter to Ashikaga Takauji for help. In the letter, he claimed that Kyoichirou is a usurper and despot. Go-Murakami assured that in return for ousting the Mibu from power, he will return the authentic imperial regalia to the northern court.

Takauji who is facing problems with his brother saw the opportunity to legitimize his rule with the imperial regalia. Furthermore, it was a chance to eliminate the Mibu clan expanding the Ashikaga shogunate’s authority to the west. Without consent from his brother, Takauji gathered enough men and marched to Kyushu in July 1842. Unbeknown to Emperor Go-Murakami, Kyoichirou was aware of his treachery and have allowed the letter to be sent. Having known the rift between the Ashikaga brothers, Kyoichirou used the opportunity to isolate the two brothers from each other.

In August 1842, Takauji and his men arrived at Okayama where the soldiers of Mibu Kyoichirou were waiting. Vastly outnumbered, Takauji was quickly defeated and was forced to retreat to Himeji. The Mibu army tried to pursue Takauji and was ready to invade Kyoto but Raikou Shimizu, chief retainer of the Mibu clan advised against pursuing Takauji. Shimizu also advised against invading Kyoto as Mibu clan have yet to fix its internal problems.

The defeat of Takauji in the Battle of Okayama ended any efforts of the Ashikaga shogunate to destroy the southern court and the Mibu shogunate. Shimizu was instrumental in stopping Kyoichirou from marching to Kyoto and preventing the Mibu clan from becoming too big to govern. As such, although Kyoichirou calls himself the legitimate shogun, the Ashikaga Takauji also took pride of such title and remained in control of Kyoto. Kyoichirou would later make his base of government in Hakata, a bustling seaport town in northern Kyushu and the Mibu shogunate would later form the foundations of the State of Teiko.

Social reforms
In 1339, Mibu Kyoichirou was finally named shogun despite Emperor Go-Murakami’s wishes. The defeat of Ashikaga Takauji in the Battle of Okayama in 1342 cemented Kyoichirou’s rule. In 1356, Kyoichirou had Emperor Go-Murakami imprisoned for treachery in which the Emperor later died in mysterious circumstances. In the same year, Kyoichirou abolished the southern imperial court and replaced it with his own bakufu court ending the period of southern and northern courts. Go-Murakami’s children including Prince Yutanari was exiled to Kyoto together with the imperial regalia.

The country underwent massive political and social changes under Kyoichirou, the removal of the imperial court and the exile of the its members cleared any chances for civilian rule. Kyoichirou was aware that having an emperor would mean a rival for authority and power. Having learned from the fall of the Kamakura shogunate, Kyoichirou has grown wary of nobility and have removed all noble titles in the country. In his act of sending the imperial regalia back to Kyoto, Kyoichirou declared his intent to rule his lands separately. Historians considers the Early Hakata Period as an important factor in the formation of the State of Teiko.

Kyoichirou’s main agenda was to remove any form of civil rule and ensure succession. Having amassed support from his surrounding daimyo by assuring them positions in the new bakufu court, Kyoichirou was able to establish a strong military government. Kyoichirou also made strict regulations on traveling inside and outside the fief controlled by the Mibu clan. By October 1842, the Mibu clan and its allies controlled the whole island of Kyushu and the provinces of Suo, Aki, Nagato, and Iwami in the western side of Honshu.

The bakufu court was Kyoichirou’s greatest contribution, it was also his greatest gamble. Traditionally, the imperial court used to be the source of authority and it appointees are generally perceived by the public as the legitimate ruler. Removing the imperial court, Kyoichirou has made himself vulnerable to the public by not having that legitimacy provided by the imperial court. Many opposed the elimination of the imperial court but the bakufu court proved to be effective as a political institution.

Kyoichirou’s rule lasted for more than 28 years and in 1367, he resigned as shogun and passed the position to his son, Kyosaburo. In the nearly three decades of rule, Kyoichirou managed to effectively strengthen the shogunate by quelling revolts. Despite his despotism, he was a strong advocate of meritocracy and rewarded loyal retainers who contributed to the shogunate. Kyoichirou died in 1369, at that time, competition for the shogunatic throne had been completely eradicated.

Kyosaburo succeeded his father in 1367 and despite his title, his father virtually remained in control until 1369. The death of Kyoichirou provided the opportunity for Kyosaburo to govern alone. Kyosaburo like the rest of men in his time was a military man, he served as general under his father during the battles against the Ashikaga shogunate. Kyosaburo, however unlike his father hated wars and his rule as shogun would focus more in improving the nation’s economy.

Sengoku
In 1559, Mibu Kyoshiro became shogun replacing his father Mibu Kyouka. Unlike his conservative father, Mibu Kyoshiro desired to expand the Mibu clan's territory. The first clan that became a victim of his expansionist policies was the Amago clan from Izumo Province. Leading an army of more than 25,000 soldiers, Mibu Kyoshiro marched towards Gassan Toda, the stronghold of the Amago clan led by Amago Haruhisa. Motonari Mori who is serving as vassal for the Mibu clan acted as the front guard.

The conquest of the Amago clan ended abruptly in 1562 when Haruhisa committed suicide in Okayama Castle in Bingo. Having been besieged in both in the west and south, Haruhisa was crushed by the combined Mibu-Mori forces. The conquest of the Amago clan elevated Motonari Mori's status in the Bakufu Court as he was then given two additional castles in Bingo having impressed Kyoshiro.

Decline of the Mibu shogunate
By the start of the 19th century, the country was continued to be plague by economic problems and threats of foreign invasion. Resistance to the Mibu shogunate was becoming clearer and dissent among chief retainers especially Kuroko Toyohisa and Akashi Ishikawa further weakens the shogunate’s power. Mibu Kyouzaki who failed to address the issues died of illness in 1843 leaving his only son, Kyosuke who was 18 years old to rule.

Mibu Kyosuke became shogun in June 1843. As an unexperienced warrior and bureaucrat, Kyosuke lack the charisma and the skills to govern the country. His unpopular decisions to increase taxation to support militarization and the constant rebellions in Iwami and Aki continued to affect his rule. By 1846, Mibu clan has lost control of Iyo in Shikoku and Bingo in Honshu due to rebellion.

In response to the brewing rebellion across the country, Kyosuke made a very unpopular decision by asking for its rival neighboring shogun Tokugawa Ieyoshi to help quell the people but Ieyoshi was unwilling to commit as the Tokugawa shogunate was also in fragile condition. The Mibu shogunate continued to lose control of its fief with most of the provinces in Honshu and Shikoku falling to rebels. Kyosuke tried to regain control of Aki but the Mibu army however was decimated in the poorly planned Battle of Kumano which further angered the public.

Kyosuke popularity continued to drop that his chief strategist, Kuroko Toyohisa advised him to abdicate the shogunatic throne. Offended, Kyosuke ordered Toyohisa to commit seppuku in September 1845, a move that sparked a civil war between Mibu retainers. The Kuroko clan was the first to remove its support for the Mibu shogunate and closed the borders of Satsuma disallowing anyone to leave and enter. Mori clan in Suo followed suit leaving the Mibu clan isolated.

In 16 February 1846, dissenting retainers Kuroko Toyohisa, Himura Kenshin and Seta Soujiro stormed the Kumamoto Castle, Mibu clan’s main base in southeastern Teiko.

Fall of the Mibu shogunate
In 1846, Anti-shogunate forces which called itself Ishin Shishi have begun besieging important shogunate locations such as Rakuzan, Dojimazaki and Aokuro. Kyosuke responded by using the Shinsengumi, a special unit created to protect the shogunate. Okita Souji and Todo Heisuke who were among the greatest supporter of the Mibu shogunate led the unit.

Okita Souji commanded the southeastern Shinsengumi unit which was tasked to prevent anti-shogunate forces to advance to Hakata. He was successful in repelling Kuroko Toyohisa but was unable to stop Kenshin Himura and Seta Soujiro’s advance to the capital. During the Battle of Kurume, he was greatly outnumbered and committed seppuku.

Having learned of Souji’s defeat, it was imminent that the anti-shogunate forces will reach Hakata in less than a week. Kyosuke left Tachibanayama Castle in September and have successfully evaded capture from anti-shogunate forces in three different separate occasions. Kyosuke escaped to the island of Shika, a few miles north of Hakata together with the remaining loyalists to the shogunate. In 12 December 1846, the Shika island was finally cornered by the Ishin Shishi cutting off supply to the island and Kyosuke was left trapped in his stronghold at Honno-ji Temple.

Kyosuke realizing it was impossible to gain victory ordered Heisuke to conduct a secret negotiation with Kuroko Toyohisa. Kyosuke agreed to abdicate the shogunatic throne in return of keeping the members of the Mibu clan and its supporters safe. Toyohisa however did not accept the conditions and ordered Heisuke to be beheaded signifying its stand to eliminate the shogunate and its allies. Heisuke avoided death by beheading but he quickly surrounded and was forced to commit seppuku.

Kyosuke upon hearing Heisuke’s death ordered complete surrender and called his men to leave the temple. In 15 December 1846, Kyosuke lit the temple in fire and committed seppuku ending the more than half a millennium rule of the Mibu shogunate. Kuroko Toyohisa despite not agreeing with Kyosuke’s terms spared the life of the remaining members of the Mibu clan and banished them to Tanegashima island.

Satsuma Period (1846 - 1870)
The overthrow of the shogunate thrusted the country into many political, economic and social reforms. The country lays in ruins after the year of insurrection. Kuroko Toyohisa became the de facto leader of the country and the Kuroko clan became the most prominent and influential political mover in the country. In order to prevent another military government, Toyohisa established the first Iwamoto Congress in 1848 composed of 46 representatives from the prominent samurai clans in the country including Akashi, Ikeda, Kise, Maeda, Takanashi and Yamana.

In April 1848, the Iwamoto Congress convened for the first time. The Iwamoto Congress is considered as the first instrument of democracy in Teiko and in Asia. It is also the first civil government in the country after successive years of military rule. The Iwamoto Congress faced many obstacles. The idea that all members are equal have not been widely accepted by richer clans, the strict and rigid hierarchy of the Mibu shogunate remained ingrained among many samurais leading to the failure of passing many important legislations. By 1850, compromise between clans have led to the birth of an oligarchy where larger clans pay off smaller clans for their vote.

In order to address tis problem, Toyohisa realized that a central figure was necessary and re-established a new version of the bakufu court called Daijo-kan (Great Council of State). The Daijo-kan is considered the predecessor of the modern cabinet of Teiko while the Iwamoto Congress is the predecessor of the modern Teiko Royal Council.

Treaty of Aokise
The Boshin War left the country devastated. The threats of foreign invasion and the fall of China have forced the Teikonian government to enter into a dialogue with Emperor Meiji proposing the unification of Teiko and Japan. In September 1869, the Teikonian delegation led by Masanosuke Akitsu, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, engaged in a dialogue to unify the country. After six months and four diplomatic trips to Edo, the result of the discussion was the Treaty of Aokise where Teiko will be incorporated into Japan as a state of Japan. The agreement will guarantee that Teiko would become part of Japan but it would also retain significant political and economy autonomy.

Periodization
One commonly accepted periodization of Teikonian history: