Kamakura shogunate

Japan’s first military government, established by Minamoto no Yoritomo in 1192 and based in Kamakura. It ruled through shoguns and, increasingly, Hōjō regents until its fall in 1333.

Shogun: A military ruler of Japan whose authority was formally granted by the emperor. The shogun was the government’s nominal head, though Hōjō regents often wielded power.
Minamoto no Yoritomo: The warrior leader who founded the Kamakura shogunate and became its first shogun. His victories and appointments established the new military government.
Mongol invasions of Japan: Two attempted Mongol invasions of Japan in 1274 and 1281, both repelled after major storms and Japanese resistance. The defense strained the shogunate, which could not reward warriors with conquered land.
Minamoto no Sanetomo: The third Kamakura shogun, a poet who ruled from 1203 until his assassination in 1219. His death ended the direct line of Minamoto shoguns descended from Yoritomo.
Shikken: The regent who governed the Kamakura shogunate on behalf of its shogun. The Hōjō shikken became the shogunate’s effective rulers.
Genpei War: A conflict from 1180 to 1185 between the Taira and Minamoto clans for control of Japan. The Minamoto victory created the conditions for Yoritomo’s government.
Tokusei Edict: A medieval Japanese decree that canceled debts or reversed certain land transfers. The 1297 edict attempted to relieve indebted gokenin and address mounting unrest.
Hōjō Masako: The wife of Minamoto no Yoritomo and a powerful political figure in the early Kamakura shogunate. She helped preserve the regime and became known as the “nun shogun.”
Gokenin: A warrior vassal who held a direct relationship with the shogun or shogunate. Gokenin supplied military service in return for protection and rewards.
Taira clan: A powerful Japanese warrior clan that rivaled the Minamoto and dominated the imperial court before 1185. Its defeat ended the political order that the Kamakura government replaced.

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