f the exiled prince, was named Hojo Tokimasa. He was a
man of ability and was much esteemed and trusted by his son-in-law.
After the death of Yoritomo and the accession of his son, Tokimasa
became chief of the council of state, and brought up the young shogun in
idleness and dissipation, wielding the power in his name. When the boy
reached manhood and began to show ambition to rule, Tokimasa had him
exiled to a temple and soon after assassinated. His brother, then twelve
years old, succeeded as shogun. He cared nothing for power, but much for
enjoyment, and the Hojo let him live his life of pleasure while they
held the control of affairs. In the end he was murdered by the son of
the slain shogun, who was in his turn killed by a soldier, and thus the
family of Yoritomo became extinct.

From that time forward the Hojo continued preeminent. They were able
men, and governed the country well. The shoguns were chosen by them from
the Minamoto clan, boys being selected, some of them but two or three
years old, who were deposed as soon as they showed a desire to rule. The
same was the case with the mikados, who were also creatures of the Hojo
clan. One of them who had been deposed raised an army and fought for his
throne. He was defeated and exiled to a distant monastery. Others were
deposed, and neither mikados nor shoguns were permitted to reign except
as puppets in the hands of the powerful regents of the realm.

None of the Hojo ever claimed the office of shogun. They were content to
serve as the power behind the throne. As time went on, the usual result
of such a state of affairs showed itself. The able men of the Hojo
family were followed by weak and vicious ones. Their tyranny and
misgovernment grew unbearable. They gave themselves up to luxury and
debauchery, oppressed the people by taxes to obtain means for their
costly pleasures, and crushed beneath their oppressive rule the emperor,
the shogun, and the people alike. Their cup of vice and tyranny at
length overflowed. The day of retribution was at hand.

The son of the mikado Go-Daigo was the first to rebel. His plans were
discovered by spies, and his father ordered him to retire to a
monastery, in which, however, he continued to plot revenge. Go-Daigo
himself next struck for the power of which he possessed but the name.
Securing the aid of the Buddhist priests, he fortified Kasagi, a
stronghold in Yamato. He failed in his effort. In the following year
(1331) an arm