1334 – Go-Daigo attempts to re-establish the imperial authority under an imperial government in Kyoto. He grants the title of Shogun to his son, Prince Morinaga only for a short time and appoints many courtiers as provincial governors; then Narinagaay is appointed Shogun until 1338.
October 1335 – Ashikaga Takauji turns against Go-Daigo and establishes a Shogunate of his own in Kyoto.
1336 – Ashikaga Takauji assumes control of Kyoto and supports Komyo (of the Senior line – Jimyoin) as Emperor until 1348 to legitimise his new power. Go-Daigo and his court followers flee to Yoshino and become the Southern Dynasty while Komyo remains in Kyoto as the Northern Dynasty.
1338 – Ashikaga Takauji assumes the title of Shogun until 1358.
1339 – Go-Murakami becomes Emperor (the Southern Dynasty) until 1368.
1348 – Suko becomes Emperor (The Northern Dynasty) until 1351.
1351 – Go-Kogon becomes Emperor (The Northern Dynasty) until 1371.
1358 – Ashikaga Yoshiakira becomes Shogun until 1367.
1368 – Chokei becomes Emperor (the Southern Dynasty) until 1383. Ashikaga Yoshimitsu becomes the third Ashikaga Shogun, at nine years old. The first 30 years of power are spent in constant warfare defending his power and putting down revolts.
1373 – Goen-yu becomes Emperor (The Northern Dynasty) until1382.
1382 – Go-Komatsu becomes Emperor (The Northern Dynasty) until 1392, when the country is reunited under his rule.
1383 – Go-Kameyama becomes Emperor (the Southern Dynasty) until 1392.
1392 – The Southern Imperial Court capitulates – the Northern and the Southern Dynasties are reunited under Emperor Go-Komatsu’s rule, who ruled until 1412.
1397 – Ashikaga Yoshimitsu builds Kinkakuji temple.
1401 – Ashikaga Yoshimitsu sends a mission to China pledging to stop the pirate traders. They return next year with Ashikaga Yoshimitsu’s investiture as “King of Japan” and subject of the Ming Empire.
1404 – Authorised ships begin official tally trade with China (while pirating continues).
1408 – Ashikaga Yoshimitsu dies. He is succeeded by his son Ashikaga Yoshimochi (1408-1423) and then his grandson Ashikaga Yoshikazu (1423-1425) – neither of them being very powerful. The shogunate power weakens.
1412 – Shoko becomes Emperor until 1428.
1428 – Ashikaga Yoshinori becomes the sixth Ashikaga Shogun and once again asserts the shogunal power.
Go-Hanazono becomes Emperor until 1464.
1441 – The Shogun Ashikaga Yoshinori is assassinated by one of his chief retainers. Ashikaga Yoshikatsu becomes Shogun until 1443.
1443 – Ahikaga Yoshimasa becomes the eighth Shogun.
1644 – Go-Tsuchimikado becomes Emperor until 1500.
1467-1477 – Onin War – it starts as a Shogunal succession dispute between Hosokawa and Yamana houses (both major constable – shugo houses). The war ends with the Ashikaga family hegemony; Kyoto is virtually destroyed, and the country ends up completely decentralised.
1467-1568 – Sengoku Jidai (The Period of Warring States) – from outbreak of Onin War, Oda Nobunaga takes control of Kyoto. The imperial family and the Shogun loses power, but retain titles and positions.
1468 – Monks and courtiers begin flight to countryside.
1473 – Ashikaga Yoshimasa retires and leads a quiet life as lay priest devoting his time to arts and cultural life. Ashikaga Yoshihisa (his son) becomes the ninth Ashikaga Shogun, but his power does not extend outside his home in Yamashiro province.
1475 – Religious uprising in Kaga Province.
1477 – OninWar ends; Kyoto is in ruins.
1480 – Religious uprising in Kyoto; hereafter occur annually across country.
1485 – A provincial uprising in Yamashiro drives out the constable’s (shugo) armies, leaving the province under the control of the government. The uprising is lead by the countrypeople and petty warriors.
1488 – Ikko school uprising drives the constable’s (shugo) armies out of Kaga province.
1489 – Ashikaga Yoshimasa finishes Ginkakuji temple (Silver Pavilion) in Kyoto.
1490 – Ashikaga Yoshimasa dies. Ashikaga Yoshihisa dies during a campaign against the Rokkaku house in Omi province. Ashikaga Yoshitane becomes the tenth Ashikaga Shogun.
1493 – Ashikaga Yoshitane is removed from the office and is exiled by Hosokawa Masamoto. Ashikaga Yoshizumi becomes the eleventh Ashikaga Shogun, although he is 14 years old and Hosokawa’s puppet.
1499 – „Dry-stone garden” of Ryoan-ji completed (Kyoto)
1500 – Go-Kashiwabara becomes Emperor until 1526. The enthronement ceremony is not held until 1521 because of the lack of funds.
Great Fire of Kyoto takes place, which destroys 20,000 homes.
1506 – Religious uprising reignited in Kaga Province.
1508 – Ashikaga Yoshizumi is removed from the office by the houses of Hosokawa and Ouchi. Ashikaga Yoshitane returns to the Shogunal office.
1511 – Religious uprising in Yamashiro Province.
1512 – Famine in Kanto region.
1520 – In bid to end uprisings, shogunate declares moratorium on debt.
1521 – Ashikaga Yoshitane flees from the capital city and goes into exile. Ashikaga Yoshiharu becomes the twelfth Ashikaga Shogun at ten years old. He serves as Hosokawa Takakuni’s puppet.
1526 – Go-Nara becomes Emperor until 1557. The enthronement ceremony is not held until 1536 due to the lack of funds.
1531 – Asakura clan of Echizen overthrown in religious uprising.
1536 – Tenmon Lotus Uprising.
1542 – Portuguese ships arrive at Tanegashima. Firearms and Christianity are introduced in Japan (other theories about first arrival of firearms also exist).
Ikenobo Sen’o transcribes oral teaching on flower arrangement
1543 – The firearms were first introduced in Japan by the Portuguese and were immediately incorporated in the ninjutsu techniques. Because of that, firearms were shunned by the majority of the other classes – most especially the samurai – until the Meiji Restoration.
1546 – Ashikaga Yoshiharu flees from Kyoto. His son, Ashikaga Yoshiteru, becomes the thirteenth Ashikaga Shogun and is under the Hosokawa’s control.
1547 – Saito Dosan destroys Toki clan and takes control of Gifu town.
1549 – St. Francis Xavier lands on Kyushu Island, at Kagoshima, introducing Christian faith.
1551 – The trade with China breaks down. Unrestrained numbers of Japanese ships sail between Japan and China.
1555 – Battle of Kawanakajima tales place.
Japanese pirates prey on the Chinese coast.
1556 – Western-style medicine introduced by Almeida.
Saito Dosan fights his adoptive son, Yoshitatsu, and is defeated.
1557 – Ogimachi becomes Emperor.
1559 – Oda Nobunaga takes control of all Owari Province.
Otomo of Bungo opens the port of Fuchu.
1560 – Oda Nobunaga defeats Imagawa clan’s army at Battle of Okehasama
1563 – Jesuit missionary Luis Frois arrives in Japan; he later writes Historia de Japan, which covers the years 1549-93 ans, though chiefly a history of Jesuit Activities, provides much information about contemporary Japan.
Omura Sumitada becomes the first daimyo to convert to Christianity.
1565 – Ashikaga Yoshiteru is assassinated by one of the agents of Miyoshi house’s. Ashikaga Yoshihide becomes Shogun until 1568.
Christian missionaries are expelled from Kyoto.
1567 – Oda Nobunaga pacifies Mino province and renames Inokuchi Castle, “Gifu”.
The Portuguese ships arrive in Nagasaki.
1568 – Oda Nobunaga occupies Kyoto and installs Ashikaga Yoshiaki as the fifteenth, and the last, Ashikaga Shogun.
Nanban Temple (church) is erected in Kyoto.
1569 – Oda Nobunaga receives Jesuit Lois Frois; gives him the permission to reside in Kyoto.
1571 – Oda Nobunaga destroys Enryakuji temple on Mount Hiei in Kyoto. The start of the cadastral surveys.
First Portuguese merchant ship arrives to trade at Nagasaki.
1573 – Oda Nobunaga ousts Ashikaga Yoshiaki from the Shogunate, who flees in exile to Shikoku Island. This is the end of the Ashikaga Shogunate.
Oda Nobunaga destroys Azai and Asakura clans.
To be continued: Azuchi-Momoyama Period
