Month: May 2022

The Reign of the Mongols

Season 7, Episode 11: The Reign of the Mongols
A statue of Ogedei Khan in Gachuurt, Mongolia. Source: Enerelt at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
One of the early Mongol invasions of Korea. Source: Qiushufang, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
A map of the Mongol Empire’s war against the Song Dynasty. Source: SS, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The division of the Mongol Empire. The Yuan Dynasty, Chagatai Khanate, Golden Horde, and Ilkhanate were all successor states to the largest empire ever made. Source: derivative work: Wengier (talk)Asia_in_1345.svg: Teaandcrumpets, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
A portrait of Kublai Khan, the Yuan Dynasty Emperor of China who tried to conquer Japan. Source: Public Domain
A time-lapse of the Mongol Empire, overlaid upon modern national borders. Source: User:Astrokey44, modified by Sting, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons

The Rise of the Mongols

Season 7, Episode 10: The Rise of the Mongols
Part of the Onon River where it is believed young Temujin grew up. Source: Fan111, CC BY-SA 3.0,
A portrait of Genghis Khan, made many years after his death. Source: Public Domain
A map of the Mongol Empire in 1207. Source: Khiruge, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
This map shows the movements of both Genghis Khan and his various Generals throughout the early part of the 1200s. Source: derivative work Bkkbrad / *File:Gengis Khan empire-fr.svg: historicair 17:01, 8 October 2007 (UTC), CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
The Mongol Empire in 1227, at the end of Genghis Khan’s life. Big as it was, his successors would manage to expand its borders even further. Source: Public Domain
A monument dedicated to Genghis Khan in modern-day Mongolia. Source: Fanghong, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The Mausoleum of Genghis Khan in present-day Mongolia. While this buidling is quite lovely, the actual resting place of Genghis Khan is not known. Source: Fanghong, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Kamakura Buddhism

Season 7, Episode 9: Kamakura Buddhism
A statue of the Buddha Amida currently housed in the Tokyo National Museum. Source: Public Domain
The famous Kamakura Buddha Daibutsu statue, which is depicting Buddha Amida. Source: Dirk Beyer, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
A portrait of Honen, who founded the Jodo-shu school. Source: Public Domain
A painting of Honen preaching to the crowds in Heian-kyo. Notice that several different social classes are present. Source: Public Domain
A statue of Shinran (founder of Jodo-shinshu) in modern-day Kyoto. Source: User:Gakuro, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
A drawing of Myoe, one of the monks who opposed Pure Land teachings. Source: Public Domain
Hogan-ji Temple in modern-day Kyoto, the largest Jodo-Shinshu temple in the world. Source: 663highland, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
A portrait of Eisai, who founded the Rinzai school of Zen Buddhism. Source: Public Domain
A statue of Ippen, who founded the Jishu (Time Sect) school. Source: Utudanuki, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
A portrait of Nichiren, who founded the Nichiren sect. Source: Public Domain
A dramatic depiction of Nichiren’s exile. Source: Public Domain

Pax Kamakura

A portrait of Hojo Tsunetoki, author unknown. Source: Public Domain
A painting of Hojo Tokiyori, who is remembered as one of the most brilliant of the Hojo Regents. Source: Public Domain
The signature of Hojo Tokiyori, which would have appeared on official documents. Source: Public Domain
A drawing of Hojo Nagatoki, who ruled in the shadow of the retired Tokiyori. Source: Public Domain
Hojo Masamura, who served as the Shogun’s Regent after Nagatoki retired. He was the half-brother of Hojo Yasutoki. Source: Public Domain

The Reign of Hojo Yasutoki

Season 7, Episode 7: The Reign of Hojo Yasutoki
The tomb of Hojo Masako at Jufukuji Temple in Kamakura.
A drawing of Hojo Yasutoki, the third Shikken of the Kamakura Shogunate. Artist: Kurihara Nobumitsu. Source: Public Domain
Kujo Yoritsune, the fourth Shogun of the Kamakura Shogunate and the first Shogun not descended from Minamoto Yoritomo. Source: Public Domain
The signature of Kujo Yoritsune, which would have appeared on some official Shogunate documents. Source: Public Domain

The Jōkyū War

Season 7, Episode 6: The Jōkyū War
A portrait of Emperor Tsuchimikado, who stayed out of the plotting that led to the Jōkyū War. Source: Public Domain
A portrait of Emperor Juntoku, who arranged his own abdication so that he could be more involved in the plot against Kamakura. Source: Public Domain
The Kondo (Main Hall) of Toji Temple, where the imperial partisan holdouts likely took shelter and prepared to commit ritual suicide. Source: Michael Gunther, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The Oki Islands (red), where Retired Emperor Go-Toba was exiled after the Jōkyū War. Source: Ash_Crow, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Sado Island (red), where Retired Emperor Juntoku was exiled after the Jōkyū War. Source: Ash_Crow, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Tosa Province (red) where Retired Emperor Tsuchimikado was exiled after the Jōkyū War. Source: Ash_Crow, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Nun Shogun

Season 7, Episode 5: The Nun Shogun
A portait drawing of Hojo Masako by artist Kikuchi Yosai. Public Domain
The steps to the Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine. The large Ginko tree encircled by a rope on the left side marks the approximate location of Minamoto Sanetomo’s death. Source: No machine-readable author provided. Abrahami assumed (based on copyright claims)., CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
A closer view of the Ginko tree. Some later accounts claimed that Kugyo hid behind this tree before he murdered his uncle, but this is considered an invention of later storytellers. Source: Chris 73 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
A monument honoring Minamoto Sanetomo in the Jufuku-in cemetary in Kamakura. Source: Public Domain

Meet the New Regents

Season 7, Episode 4: Meet the New Regents
The second Kamakura Shogun, Minamoto Yoriie. Although he holds a sword, the office of Shogun had been transformed into a civil government position. Artist unknown. Source: 建仁寺, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
The grave marker of Minamoto Yoriie on the grounds of Shuzenji Temple in Izu. Source: No machine-readable author provided. Geomr~commonswiki assumed (based on copyright claims)., CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
A portrait of Minamoto Sanetomo, the third Kamakura Shogun. Although he appears here arrayed in full battle gear, Sanetomo never led troops in battle and likely never wore armor outside ceremonial occasions. Artist: Yashima Gakutei. Source: Yashima Gakutei (八島岳亭; c. 1786 – 1868), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Another portrait of Sanetomo, here arrayed in his civilian robes which would have more closely matched his day-to-day appearance. Artist: Goshin. Source: Hannah, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
A statue of Hatakeyama Shigetada, the son-in-law of Hojo Tokimasa who was executed for supposed treason against the Shogunate. Source: Koda6029, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
A portrait of Hojo Yoshitoki, who took over as Shikken (regent) after his father, Hojo Tokimasa, was forced into retirement. Source: wilkinson777が撮影, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Minamoto Yoritomo – The Man of the Hour

Season 7, Episode 3: Minamoto Yoritomo – The Man of the Hour
A painting of Hojo Tokimasa. Note the bearskin boots, tachi sword, and bow. Artist: Utagawa Yoshitora Source: Public Domain
The area known as Fujino, where the Fuji no Makigari took place. Note the vast expanse of forest that covers the feet of Mount Fuji looming above. Source: Alpsdake, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
An illustrated page from the Soga Monogatari (The Tale of the Soga Brothers). In this panel, they are enacting their revenge by killing Kudo Suketsune. Artist: Utagawa Hiroshige. Source: Public Domain
An illustration of the aftermath of the Soga brothers’ assassination. In the background, the base of Mount Fuji can be seen. Artist: Utagawa Yoshitora. Source: Public Domain
Soga Tokimune being held back by Gosho Goromaru. Artist: Tsukioka Yoshitoshi. Source: Public Domain
A collage of images from the Fuji no Makigari procession of the Yokkaichi Festival, celebrated in Mie Prefecture. Children dressed as samurai shoot arrows into a papier-mache wild boar. Source: Hamadakko, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons