This intriguing question was posed on the Nichiren Shu board:

To me that sounds like Nichiren, at least at that point in his life, was writing letters to people not to convince them of the truth of the teachings of the Lotus Sutra, but rather to annoy them so that he would be executed and become a martyr. Am I missing something?

Rev. Ryuei offers up and awesome response, in part:

Was Nichiren a megalomaniac? Did he have a martyr complex? Was he an intolerant fanatic? Was he a saint and the incarnation of a bodhisattva greater than all the celestial bodhisattvas of the provisional teachings? This is all subjective speculation and guesswork.

Yes, but fascinating speculation and guesswork.... Check it out.