Career
Masatsura was one of the primary military leaders who revived the Southern Court in the 1340s. The Kusunoki family, and Masatsura in particular, fought to gain power and support for the Emperor. In 1347, Masatsura led an attack on bakufu (shogunate) sympathizers in Kii Province and ended up attracting supporters from Kii, as well as Izumi and Settsu Provinces.
When the Shogun"s Northern Court sent Hosokawa Akiuji to stop him, Masatsura met Hosokawa and defeated him at Sakainoura.
After several more campaigns against the bakufu, Masatsura was killed in the Battle of Shijō Nawate, in February 1348 at the age of 22. Before he died, he composed a death poem on the Nyoirin-ji temple door in Yoshino, the location of Go-Daigo"s tomb: 帰へらじと 兼ねて思へば 梓弓 亡き数に入る 名をぞとどむる kaeraji to kanete omoeba azusayumi nakikazu ni iru na wo zotodomuru I could not return, I presume So I will keep my name Among those who are dead with bows.