(1324 – May 5, 1338) was one of the sons of Japanese Emperor Go-Daigo. He became involved in the Nanboku-chō wars between the true Imperial line and the

Ashikaga clan The was a Japanese samurai Japanese clans, clan and dynasty which established the Ashikaga shogunate and ruled History of Japan, Japan from roughly 1333 to 1573. The Ashikaga were descended from a branch of the Minamoto clan, deriving originall ...

. In 1336, Tsunenaga was sent along with his brother Takanaga to be escorted by

Nitta Yoshisada also known as Minamoto no Yoshisada was a samurai lord of the Nanboku-chō period Japan. He was the head of the Nitta clan in the early fourteenth century, and supported the Southern Court of Emperor Go-Daigo in the Nanboku-chō period. He famo ...

Echizen Province was a Provinces of Japan, province of Japan in the area that is today the northern portion of Fukui Prefecture in the Hokuriku region of Japan. Echizen bordered on Kaga Province, Kaga, Wakasa Province, Wakasa, Hida Province, Hida, and Ōmi Provin ...

where, it was hoped, they could escape the attacks of the Ashikaga. According to the epic ''

Taiheiki The (Chronicle of Great Peace) is a medieval Japanese historical epic (see '' gunki monogatari'') written in the late 14th century and covers the period from 1319 to 1367. It deals primarily with the Nanboku-chō, the period of war between the ...

'', Tsunenaga was secretly made heir-apparent before he left, but no other documents confirm this. In fact, in November of that year, his brother Narinaga was officially named Crown Prince. Fleeing the Ashikaga, Nitta brought the Princes away from Yoshino, where the Southern Court of Go-Daigo was based, towards Tsuruga in Echizen. They eventually made it to the castle of Kanagasaki. In January 1337 the castle came under siege, and by April those inside were reduced to eating horseflesh to survive before the gates were stormed. Tsunenaga escaped from the castle, but was captured and killed soon afterwards.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tsunenaga 1324 births 1338 deaths Sons of Japanese emperors Japanese royalty who died as children

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References