最上義光歴史館
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The Death of Mitsukane
After the battle of Mount Kashiwagi, Lord Yoshiaki summoned Ujiie Owari no Kami and Irago Sōgyū. “We are fortunate indeed that the battle has ended and Terumune has withdrawn,” his lordship said, “but is this not the ideal opportunity for us to press on towards Kaminoyama and put an end to Mitsukane? The Kaminoyama force was badly routed at the battle of Mount Kashiwagi, and the loss of Terumune has them disheartened. They have lost their nerve, and it should be easy enough to take them on now.” Ujiie moved forward and spoke. “Your lordship has spoken truly. However, among Mitsukane’s long-serving vassals are Satomi Kuranosuke, Satomi Minbu, and Satomi Echigo – three warriors well-known for their exceptional valor – and among even the ordinary soldiers there are many who have distinguished themselves with manifold feats of heroism, so we cannot expect to overcome the Kaminoyama garrison easily. If enough time passes, Lord Terumune will undoubtedly come to Mitsukane’s aid once again, and this would complicate things for us. I believe that our best option in this case is to employ a scheme that will allow us to take Mitsukane down without the use of military force. There is a man who can help us carry out such a plan – a priest who is the younger brother of one of my most trusted vassals. He maintains a temple in Kaminoyama and is in the habit of frequenting Kuranosuke and Minbu, and when I have asked him in confidence to tell me about the character of these two men, he says that while the elder brother Kuranosuke is a model of unswerving rectitude, the younger brother Minbu – although certainly possessed of skills in battle the likes of which are seldom seem – is a man more interested in furthering his position in the world. If we approach him with a letter that promises him a generous fiefdom, he should not hesitate to join us, and with Minbu on our side, it will be easy enough to deal with Mitsukane.” “It is a wise plan,” said Lord Yoshiaki upon hearing Ujiie’s proposal. “Let us first use this priest to gauge the interest of the Satomi brothers, and we can dispatch a letter subsequently.” “Owari no Kami has proposed a most excellent strategy,” Sōgyū concurred, “one that should bring us success without overmuch difficulty.” With Sōgyū’s approval, Lord Yoshiaki was all the more convinced of the merits of this plan. With the matter thus settled, Owari no Kami summoned the aforementioned priest. With Sōgyū, he carefully instructed the priest in what he was to do, and then instructed him to proceed to Kaminoyama. As the priest was in the habit of associating with the Satomi brothers on a regular basis, he had come to be on friendly terms with them, and the two brothers would often engage him in conversation. One day, the priest spoke to Kuranosuke as follows: “As you know, my elder brother is in the service of Ujiie Owari no Kami, and yesterday, a messenger arrived with news from him that Lord Yoshiaki intends to make an assault upon Kaminoyama. As this will throw the region into turmoil, he warned that ordinary folk like myself should prepare ourselves for this eventuality. Until now, Mitsukane had always turned to Lord Terumune of Sendai in his hour of need, but with the accord that was struck between Lord Yoshiaki and Lord Terumune after the recent battle of Mount Kashiwagi, there are no longer any allies to help defend Kaminoyama if it comes under attack, and the castle is sure to fall. If this were to happen, it would no doubt mean the end of the Satomi clan as well, which would be a most grievous turn of events. Would it not be wise to make arrangements to avoid such a possibility before the enemy arrives?” Kuranosuke listened closely to the priest’s words. “As you have said, it is true that Lord Yoshiaki has been reconciled with Lord Terumune of Sendai, and we now have no allies to come to our aid. In addition, our castle does not have the capacity to withstand the assault of a large force, and it would no doubt fall in a matter of days. However, it would be most ignoble of a warrior to desert the master his family has served for long generations in an attempt to save his own skin. For me, there is no road left but to prepare to die in defense of my duty.” Realizing that there was little chance of convincing a man such as Kuranosuke to change sides, the priest decided to push the matter no further, instead electing to pay a visit to Minbu at the next possible opportunity. He repeated to Minbu that which he had said to Kuranosuke, but unlike Kuranosuke, Minbu did not hesitate to air his grievances over the situation. “Pitted against the great army of Lord Yoshiaki,” he said, “the small force defending Kaminoyama would fall before the end of a single day. Even if Lord Terumune were still willing to come to our aid, we are a considerable distance from his domain, and there would be little he could do for us in the event of a sudden attack. And now that he has allied himself with Lord Yoshiaki, the downfall of the Kaminoyama clan is surely but a matter of time. What is more, Lord Yoshiaki is renowned as a leader who embodies the three virtues of wisdom, benevolence, and courage, and none of the lords of this region would dare challenge him. Knowing this, I have repeatedly urged Mitsukane to submit to Yoshiaki’s rule, but he has consistently refused to listen. To die in vain for such a master would be a humiliating end, but if I were instead to establish myself as an ally of Lord Yoshiaki – which would allow me to raise the reputation of my family and do honor to my ancestors – there would still be none who called me faithful, but instead a dishonorable man who gave himself to the enemy. This too would be unbearable, and there seems no resolution to the predicament in which I find myself.” Minbu unburdened himself in great detail to the priest, who was pleased at what he heard. “Even if Lord Mitsukane is fated to meet his ruin because he fails to heed your counsel,” the priest said, “the perpetuation of the noble Satomi clan would be a source of comfort to all, including ordinary folk like myself. I hope that you will give your options much careful consideration.” With this, the priest took his leave of Minbu. The priest then made his way to Yamagata, where he met with Ujiie Owari no Kami and recounted all that had passed. Owari no Kami received this news with great pleasure, and, leaving the priest at his home, he went forth with Sōgyū to present himself before Lord Yoshiaki. Given a detailed account of the sentiments of the Satomi brothers, his lordship was in no small measure gratified, and he immediately summoned the priest and presented him with ten silver coins as a preliminary reward. His lordship then penned Minbu a courteous letter in his own hand and entrusted it to the priest, who proceeded with all haste to Minbu’s residence. There he spoke to Minbu, saying, “When I informed Owari no Kami in confidence of the matter of which we spoke recently, Lord Yoshiaki, who has heard tell of your valor in battle, was most pleased, and he bade me immediately bring you a letter written in his own hand.” The priest drew out the scroll containing Lord Yoshiaki’s message and handed it to Minbu, who reverently raised the epistle thrice to his head. He then unrolled the scroll to read the message, which ran as follows: “In response to Mitsukane’s attempted act of treason against myself, I have raised an army to exact vengeance upon him. I do not welcome the thought, however, of the ordinary folk of the region being forced to flee their habitations to avoid a battle, and it was as I was considering my path forward that I came to hear of your true feelings towards Mitsukane, news that I welcome with great pleasure. If you will prove yourself a faithful servant to me by slaying Mitsukane forthwith, I will confer upon you the territory ruled by Mitsukane in its entirety.” Minbu rolled up the letter after he had finished his perusal, and he turned to the priest. “It is you alone I have to thank for acquainting Lord Yoshiaki with that which lies within my heart, and for conveying to me this letter in his lordship’s own hand,” he said, presenting the priest with ten rolls of white cloth as a measure of his gratitude. “I will inform my brother Kuranosuke of what I intend to do,” he continued, “and if he refuses to fall in with me, I will slay him with my sword, and then I will kill Mitsukane. To offer me counsel in this endeavor, I hope that Lord Yoshiaki will see fit to dispatch to my side one of his trusted retainers.” The priest returned to Yamagata with Minbu’s request, to which Lord Yoshiaki readily acquiesced. His lordship summoned Yagashiwa Sagami no Kami, who was the son-in-law of Owari no Kami, and explained to him his commission. “Go forth to Kaminoyama and give Minbu the counsel he requires,” his lordship said. “If Mitsukane should happen to hear of Minbu’s defection and attempt to flee, maintain contact with Minbu, and wherever Mitsukane may go, make sure that you find and kill him. We must not allow your true purpose to come to light before this matter is brought to a successful resolution, so let it be known to your associates that you travel to Kaminoyama to treat your ills in the healing waters of the hot springs there.” Sagami no Kami accepted the assignment given him, and, speaking of the matter only with Owari no Kami, he informed his other family members and associates that he had been granted some time to seek a hot-spring cure for an ailment, so none in Yamagata were aware of the plotting of Minbu. Upon his arrival, Sagami no Kami met with Minbu, and the two men took counsel together. They subsequently summoned Kuranosuke to inform him of what Lord Yoshiaki wished them to do, but upon hearing what they had to say, Kuranosuke grew pale with anger. “You may ask me to accept such a commission, but I, Kuranosuke, have no capacity for such treachery,” he retorted as he rose to his feet. In accordance with the arrangements that had been made to deal with this eventuality, a number of powerful young men quickly emerged from the adjacent chamber, confronting Kuranosuke and slaying him with their swords. “If we are slow to act, Mitsukane may hear of what has happened and attempt to escape. Let us steal into his quarters and kill him tonight.” With the two men in agreement, Minbu summoned a samurai by the name of Satake Heinai, a member of Mitsukane’s personal retinue who had regular access to his master’s home. When privately asked for his assistance, Heinai consented without demur, signing an oath that he would not betray his word. After arranging that he would leave the courtyard garden door unlatched that evening, which would allow Minbu and Sagami no Kami to gain entrance into Mitsukane’s quarters and easily slay their target, Heinai was allowed to return to his post. In the dead of night, the two men slipped into Mitsukane’s residence with their men, and they easily slew the man they had come to kill. When day broke and the news of Mitsukane’s death spread, his personal attendants and other vassals were thrown into confusion. It was then that an envoy arrived with a message from Minbu. “Mitsukane dared to rise in revolt against the Mogami clan, and for this it was decreed by Lord Yoshiaki that he would suffer the punishment of death. Kuranosuke was a party to this treachery, and yesterday, he paid for this with his life. It is fortunate, however, that Yagashiwa Sagami no Kami, an emissary of Lord Yoshiaki, has occasion to be at my residence, and I command that all of you surrender to him without delay. Any who resist will be swiftly put to death.” “What choice do we have?” Mitsukane’s men asked each other, and there was much dissent about what should be done. Yet there was no denying that Mitsukane was dead. Kuranosuke – on whom they had depended for everything – was also slain, and Minbu had turned to the other side. With no one to lead them in battle against the Mogami force or help them defend their castle, the soldiers found themselves left with no choice but to hasten to Minbu’s residence to offer themselves in surrender. The matter thus successfully concluded, Sagami no Kami returned to Yamagata Castle to give Lord Yoshiaki a detailed account of all that had passed. Greatly pleased, his lordship summoned Owari no Kami. “In this most recent affair, you have truly outdone yourself,” his lordship said, rewarding Owari no Kami with an increase in his landholdings. Soon afterwards, Minbu also arrived in Yamagata to express his gratitude to Lord Yoshiaki for the opportunity that had been given him, and he was granted his promised reward of Mitsukane’s estate of 18,000 koku. His lordship then commanded him to, “Return to Kaminoyama without delay, and find Kuranosuke’s children and kill them.” Left with no other recourse, Kuranosuke’s wife went into hiding, with a foster sister to attend to her needs, in a small hamlet of the region, where she placed Kuranosuke’s two-year-old son on her knee and mourned day and night for the fallen father of her child. However, when Minbu returned to Kaminoyama, proclaiming the concealment of Kuranosuke’s son a punishable offense and offering a rich reward to anyone with information as to his whereabouts, Kuranosuke’s wife was forced to flee the region entirely, and she sought refuge at the Anyōji Temple in Narisawa. The head priest there was a warm-hearted man who gallantly agreed to help her in her trouble, and he quietly took the child over the mountains and into Sendai, placing the child in the keeping of some kinsfolk there. The years passed, and the child grew into a man determined to seek vengeance for his father’s death. He stealthily entered Yamagata in an attempt to take Minbu’s life, but when he was foiled by Minbu’s vigilance, he sought to appease his disappointment by slaying a large number of those who had colluded with Minbu in the campaign against his father Kuranosuke. He acquitted himself most exceptionally in this exploit, and was subsequently summoned to the service of Lord Date Masamune, taking part in the Siege of Osaka where he performed several valorous feats befitting an officer of rank. However, he later became embroiled in a legal dispute with some farmers, and dismissing the arbitration of the provincial court as unjust, he left the region of Sendai. He went forth to the Kishū domain, where he took the name Satomi Kanshirō and assumed the position of his new master’s flag commissioner. At the time of this writing, he should be in his seventy-fifth or seventy-sixth year. ―――――――――――――――――――― >>CONTENTS |
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最上義光の四男 山野辺義忠の成長期を探る
【三 石川氏と鮎貝氏の「知行状」】 本稿の支柱となる二氏宛ての「知行状」と「家系譜」から、義忠の生い立ちを探る貴重な手掛かりを見つけることができる。しかし、その内容に就いての徹底した調査研究は、未だ為されていないのが現状である。「知行状」に登場する聖丸・聖王丸が、それが幼少の頃の義忠だということは、一部の間では是認されてはいた。しかし、それが「知行状」の徹底した解剖には結び付かずに過ごされて来たようだ。先ず、ここに取上げてみよう。 (A)[石川文書](東大史料編纂所影写本) 『山形市史・史料編1』所収 「楯岡聖丸知行状」 今般楯岡ニ南田之内、知明堰ニ壱万苅之宛行之、於末可被致知行者也、仍如件 天正廿年二月廿八日 楯岡聖丸(花押なし) 石川与三右兵衛尉殿 (筆者注、『山形県史』は「聖丸」を「聖王丸」としている) (B)[鶴岡石川家系譜] 隆重 天文十五年丙午五月、小野田城ニ生ル、元亀元年家ヲ継ギ時ニ二十五才天正十八年、主家大崎探題家ハ太閤秀吉ノ小田原陣ニ参候セザルヲ以ツテ、領地ヲ没収サレ滅亡セリ、依ツテ同十九年小野田開城、羽州最上楯岡ニ移ル、慶長五年二月卒、 (隆重長男) 隆永 味袋与惣兵衛、後ニ君袋肥前、曽テ味袋ヲ領ス、味袋ノ地名ハ見エズ、志田郡蟻袋ノコトナラン、父ト共ニ羽州楯岡ニ移リ住シ、最上出羽守義光ノ四男(比治利丸、聖丸、光茂トモ称ス)ニ仕エル、元和七年辛酉羽州山辺ニ没ス、七十才、 (C) [鮎貝氏系図所収文書] (近津家所蔵) 『山形県史・古代中世史料』所収 「楯岡聖王丸充行状写」 今般楯岡之内、谷地田并知明堰ニ壱萬五千苅之所進之、於末可被知行之也、仍如件 天正廿年二月廿八日 楯岡聖王丸 (筆者注、『山形市史』は「聖丸」としている) 先ず石川氏について述べてみよう。天正十九年(1591)の頃、奥州探題大崎氏の滅亡に伴い最上の地へ落ち延びた者達の中に、奥州加美郡宮崎城主の民部少輔隆親(後の笠原織部)がいる。[楯岡笠原文書]によれば、林崎(村山市大字林崎)村まで落ち延びて来たという。その住まいは、「当城主寄の所西柵之内住所賜……右没落之砌り民部エ附添、又追来シ従者家来之面々都合四十四人共従、林崎当之内エ為引取……」とあり、『北村山郡史』も、これを満茂が城西の地を与え住まわせたとして、、これを楯岡城の西柵(現大字楯岡二日町)としている。 これは林崎の集落の東に位置する�抻浬歙廖∋扱扈歙廚梁減澆�ら推定すると、当時は楯としての機能は、楯山の楯岡城に移っていたかも知れぬが、西柵はこの両楯に関わる位置に該当するのではなかろうか。(筆者注、この両楯については『中世戦乱の村山・中世の東根』(保角里志著)に詳しい) このように、奥州から逃れて来た者達の内、多くの者達が楯岡満茂に仕えたものと思われる。(A)に見える石川与三右兵衛尉とは、(B)の「隆永 味袋与惣兵衛」のことであり、「聖丸、比治利丸」が義忠の幼名であることが、その記述からはっきりしてくるだろう。この「知行状」は、紛れもなく義忠の発給したものである。また(B)は、最上家解体後に庄内に入った酒井家に仕えた、隆永の同族が伝えるものである。 このように、義忠の幼年期に於ける知行形態の一端を、僅かながら知ることができるが、その宛がわれた領分が、楯岡満茂が占める楯岡地区の内に隣接していたものなのか、また義忠の他の家臣への給与体系が、この楯岡地区の内に、どのような形で存在していたであろうか。 次に(C)鮎貝氏の記述に目を向けると、その内容は殆ど同じである。その発給年月が同一だということは、未だ五才にも満たない義忠の周辺に於いて、家臣の増強が行われていたのかも知れぬ。これは一方的な推測の域を出ないのではあるが、鮎貝氏もその内の一人であったのだろう。 鮎貝氏は、置賜の地で永きに渡り威勢を振るった氏族である。摂津守宗信(忠宗)の時に伊達氏に反抗したが破れ、その過程に於いて一族と袂を分かった宗信は最上へ走った。 『貞山公治家記録』(天正十五年十月条)は、次のようにいう。 ……藤太郎(宗信)最上へ早馬ヲ以テ頻ニ加勢ヲ乞ケレトモ一騎モ来ラス、藤太郎籠城不叶シテ、此夜潜ニ城ヲ出テ逃奔ス、鮎貝城ニ於テ逆徒数百人ヲ撃殺ス、藤太郎ハ最上ノ家臣山野辺右衛門在所ニ隠レ居ルト…… この条に出てくる山野辺右衛門とは、義忠と意識してのことなのか、それとも中世より続いた山野辺氏のこととして記録に止めたのか、義忠の出生の日時から推察すると、この時点に於いては、鮎貝宗信は未だ義忠の家臣ではなかったのではないか。その後、山野辺氏の家臣として再生の道を歩んだ鮎貝氏は、元和八年(1622)最上家解体後は義忠に従い、備前岡山の池田家から水戸の徳川家と移って行った。 ここに、天保九年(1838)の[楯岡村村方明細帳]がある。慶長五年(1600))頃の楯岡の内に於ける義忠の諸領地を示すものであろうか。 慶長五年山野辺右衛門被下置 楯岡町 大沢川水下 大沢川 城道 立町 同断 横町 馬場 宿馬乗 この幕末の村方明細帳から、義忠の楯岡地区内の諸領地を知ることができるが、これが全てなのかは分からない。二氏の「知行状」に見える知明堰、谷地田などが、楯岡の内の何処にあったものなのかは、今のところ調べは進んでいない。しかし、義忠の諸領地が有ったという事実は証明されるだろう。 また[最上楯岡元祖記]には、「……元和の楯岡甲斐守光直の所領ヲ一万六千石、ソノ知行地ヲ大石田、湯之沢、井出、�抻魁⊃舎戞⊇櫺�、林崎ノ七ケ村……」としており、これらは天正から文禄にかけての、楯岡満茂時代の諸領地であったとも考えられる。 ■執筆:小野未三 前をみる>>こちら 次をみる>>こちら |
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最上義光の四男 山野辺義忠の成長期を探る
【四 義忠の従来の人物評とは】 これまでは、家臣の知行状を柱にして、その解明に努めてきた。こゝに先人達の述べられてこられた、義忠に関わる関連記事を取り上げて見る。いずれも概要のみの引用ではあるが、その代表的な『山辺郷土概史』などを中心に取り上げてみる。 イ、天正十六年、最上義光の第四子として山形城に生まれる。 ロ、天正十八年三歳の時、早くも人質となって徳川家康のもとに送られている。 ハ、家康の城に在営中、早くも老政治家家康の慧眼に映じ、「将来恐るべき怪童である」と賞賛された。 二、義光は秀吉に接近することは容易ではなかったらしく、その都度、家康の労を煩わし……その恩義に報いるため、家親(義光次男)を人質に入れたが、小田原参陣の折り義忠を人質に入れることを約束した。 ホ、[水戸藩国老山野辺家系図]に、関ヶ原御陣之節、父出羽守義光、義忠ヲ以テ証人ニ差上ゲ…… ヘ、義忠の一生は実に波乱重畳を極め、その発端は関ヶ原戦に際し義光の人質となり、家康の下に赴いた。時に齢十三歳、在府僅かに一年に過ぎなかったにもかかわらず、家康の慧眼に映じ、将来恐るべき怪童であると言わしめた。 以上、話しが少し重複したが、後に水戸藩士となる山野辺氏の家系図は、関ヶ原戦の際に人質として家康のもとに行ったとしているが、果たして事実であったろうか、疑問の残る話しである。また天正十八年(1590)三歳の時、人質となり家康のもとへと云っているが、この年は関白秀吉の奥州の陣の年であり、義光が次男の家親を、家康に差し出した年である、同じこの年に三歳の幼児の義忠を、共に家康のもとに送られるだろうか。 このように、義忠の成長期の動向についての評価は、全く実の有る正しい見方から、かけ離れたものになってしまっているようだ。 義忠の成長期を語る中で、石川、鮎貝氏を取り上げている文献等が、少しは見られるようだ。ここに三点の事典の類いを取り上げてみよう。 ト、『戦国大名家臣団事典』(昭五十六年 新人物往来社) 某年二月九日、石河太左衛門に宛てた光茂(義忠)書状と伝えられる文書(石川文書)によると、光茂は石河に百石を給しており、山野辺氏には家中も多く、年寄などの重臣や近習もいたらしい…… チ、『日本歴史地名大系』(平二年 平凡社) 楯岡村 天正二十年二月二八日の二通の楯岡聖王丸充行状写によれば、最上義光の四男満茂が楯岡城主で、「楯岡ニ南谷地田之内、知明堰ニ壱万苅之所」を石川与三右兵衛尉に、「楯岡之内、谷地田并知明堰二壱万五千苅之所」を、鮎貝摂津守宗信に宛行っている。 リ、『戦国時代人物事典』(平二十一年 歴史群像編集部) 楯岡光直 〜寛永六、甲斐守、楯岡城主、義守の子、義光の弟、幼名聖王丸、楯岡氏は最上氏の一族であるが、義光時代の当主満茂との関係は未詳、文禄元年(1592)二月二十八日付で、家臣に知行を与えた文書が残っており、この時期にはすでに楯岡城主となっていたことがわかる。一族の重臣として一万六千石を領す、……元和八年、最上氏改易により、小倉城主細川忠利に預けられた。 山辺光茂 義忠とも、最上義光の四男、山辺城主、長谷堂合戦屏風左隻に山辺右衛門太夫として登場するが、当時まだ十三才であり、先陣に加わったかは未詳…… 以上、ここに三点の図書を取り上げた。(ト)、(チ)では義忠と例の「知行状」との関連について述べてはいる。しかし、(リ)の楯岡光直の履歴を見ると、支離滅裂というか、全く意味を為さない記述となっている。楯岡甲斐守光直の人間像が、全く否定されているといっても過言ではない。 しかし、これはこの稿の筆者自身の意図で書かれたものではなく、編集の段階で第三者の手により前後の意味を解せず省略し、簡潔にまとめ上げた結果、このような記述となったのであろう。 このように、郷土史や事典などから、義忠関連の記事を拾ってみたのだが、首をかしげたくなるような箇所が所々に見られることだ。特に「天正十八年三歳の時、人質として家康のもとへ……」とするは、この年は秀吉の奥州出陣の際に、義光が次男の家親を徳川家康に差し出した年である。この年に幼少の義忠をも、重ねて差し出すであろうか。また、一方では関ヶ原戦に於いて、証人として差し出したとも云っている。 このように、義忠の証人(人質)問題を採って見ても、確たる証拠の無いまゝに、今日まで時が流れてきてしまったようだ。 ■執筆:小野未三 前をみる>>こちら 次をみる>>こちら |
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The Extraordinary Strength of Nobesawa Noto no Kami
Lord Yoshiaki was well acquainted with the tales told of the uncommon strength of his vassal Nobesawa Noto no Kami, but one day he took it into his head to put this reputation to the test. From among his personal attendants and other retainers, he selected seven or eight of his most powerful men, and, garbed in light kimono, Lord Yoshiaki and this small band of men set off for Noto no Kami’s residence. When word of their approach reached the ears of Noto no Kami, he readied himself and went out alone into the great garden which lay outside a large room of his residence, waiting impatiently for the arrival of his guests. This took place during the seventh month, on the night of the full moon, and the scene was so flooded with moonlight that it seemed brighter even than midday. Reaching their destination, the seven or eight men accompanying Lord Yoshiaki – all of them at the peak of their physical prowess – ran quickly into the garden where Noto no Kami awaited them. When one and then another of them attempted to catch hold of Noto no Kami, he seized them with his hands and tossed them a distance of some thirteen or fourteen meters. Seeing that they were singly no match for him, the remaining four or five men set on Noto no Kami as one, surrounding him on all sides and grappling with him as they attempted to wrestle him to the ground. However, Noto no Kami had not earned his reputation for naught. He used his arms and legs to pull and fling them down easily, and then he turned on Lord Yoshiaki. The scene he had just witnessed left his lordship in no doubt that his own strength would be no match for the other man’s, and he took to his heels without even a single glance behind him. When Noto no Kami overtook him and seized him from behind, his lordship must have been at a loss for what to do, for he grabbed hold of the trunk of a withered cherry tree, some seventy-five centimeters in diameter, and held on for dear life. Noto no Kami mustered all of his strength to pull Lord Yoshiaki away from the tree, but his lordship clung even more tightly. As this powerful struggle continued, the earth surrounding the base of the tree began to give way, and the tree was suddenly wrenched from the soil, roots and all. Not even Noto no Kami had anticipated this outcome, and he released Lord Yoshiaki in his surprise. In a high good humor, his lordship addressed Noto no Kami. “Your strength far surpasses even the tales that are told of it,” his lordship said. “On that occasion when our army attempted to take Tendō while you still defended it, it is hardly surprising that you were able to sweep us up and send us packing on your own!” He bade Noto no Kami accompany him back to his castle, where he bestowed upon him many rich rewards. From that time forth, Noto no Kami was known by all the people in the domain as a man whose strength was indeed second to none. ―――――――――――――――――――― >>CONTENTS |
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The Fall of Kaneyama Castle
With Lord Yoshiaki growing more powerful by the day, there was scarce a lord in the domain who did not submit to his rule. However, in the Sakenobe region, which lay on the outskirts of the domain, there was a lord by the name of Sasaki Tenzen who occupied Kaneyama Castle and showed no inclination to yield to Lord Yoshiaki’s command. When a messenger was dispatched to Tenzen, instructing him to present himself in Yamagata without delay, Tenzen was greatly incensed. “From the days of old, no member of the Sasaki family has ever submitted to the Mogami family in Yamagata – why should we do so now? Lord Yoshiaki may have grown mighty in power, but it is unthinkable that I should disgrace the honorable family name by surrendering to him.” “Tenzen is but a youth in his sixteenth year, and it should be an easy enough matter to overcome him,” said Lord Yoshiaki upon hearing of Tenzen’s intransigence, and, leading a large force, he set off for Kaneyama Castle. When he and his men had neared their destination, they set fire to the surrounding lands and then retreated quickly, setting up camp outdoors that night. They pressed forward the next day before daybreak, and Lord Yoshiaki mounted a tall mountain in the vicinity so he could observe the situation of the castle for himself. Rugged cliffs rose on three sides of the castle, making an approach from those directions unfeasible, while the broad Sakegawa River bordered the castle on the remaining side. These geographical advantages made the castle quite secure and unassailable, and it was concluded that it would be impossible to bring this castle down by force. A starvation tactic was adopted instead, and the Mogami force proceeded to impose a tight siege on the castle. Intentionally leaving only the Sakegawa River side open, siege castles were constructed on the other three sides, and the Mogami soldiers dug ditches and built palisades around the mountain base. The Mogami force then settled down to wait for the food supplies within the castle to run out, and Lord Yoshiaki would himself visit the siege castles and reassure the Sakenobe inhabitants that all would be well, taking time out for falconry or other sport on days when the weather was fine. While Kaneyama Castle had its own water well, this single well was not enough to supply the water needs of the men within, and secret nightly expeditions were made to gather water from the mountain streams. Catching wind of this, the Mogami soldiers commenced to lay an ambush of men from the early evening each night, and while the water gatherers would emerge as usual, none would return alive. Tenzen realized that he could not allow this to go on, and one night he dispatched a group of water gatherers with a unit of over a hundred stalwart soldiers following stealthily behind. Quite unaware of this, the Mogami ambush surrounded what they assumed was the usual group of water gatherers. They were preparing to move in for the kill when they suddenly found some hundred enemy soldiers, divided into two parties, descending upon them with swords extended, and the startled Mogami soldiers were easily routed, scrambling over each other in their haste to flee. A Mogami warrior by the name of Takeda Hyōgo happened to be positioned nearby, and when he saw what was happening, he immediately leapt upon his horse and rode out to meet the enemy single-handedly. He cut two or three enemy soldiers down from their horses, sending sparks flying in the fury of his attack, but none of his retainers arrived to fight alongside him, and the large enemy force soon had him surrounded on all sides. He suffered three deep gashes, and when he finally fell, the enemy soldiers cut off his head and impaled it on the end of a sword, raising a cry of victory as they retreated back into the castle. By this point the Mogami side had at last become aware of the commotion, and reinforcements rode out to offer support, but when they arrived to find the enemy already safely ensconced within their castle, they were forced to return, deflated, to their original positions. Lord Yoshiaki was quite enraged to hear what had happened. “This is a castle that cannot possibly hold out against us for more than a month or two,” he said, “but by putting ourselves at risk for a matter of little consequence, we have allowed the enemy to achieve a victory over us. From this point on, I forbid any of the men to venture beyond our defenses.” As expected, the food supplies in the castle gradually began to dwindle, and cows and horses were being slaughtered for food when the castle garrison grew restless. “Rather than allowing ourselves to simply starve to death,” they said, “it is not better that we fight and die honorably while we still have the strength left to do so?” They opened the main castle gate and sallied forth in a body, but in line with Lord Yoshiaki’s orders, not a single one of the Mogami soldiers ventured beyond the palisades, instead remaining back with bowmen and arquebusiers, several ranks deep, at the ready. Realizing that any attempt to breach the Mogami defenses and tear down the palisades would simply make them easy targets to be picked off one by one, the enemy soldiers returned to the castle in defeat. There were diverging opinions as to what should be done next, but then a vassal by the name of Zushonosuke stepped forward to speak. “Though we may continue to entrench ourselves within this castle, there is no hope of victory for us here. Lord Tenzen, however, is still young, and there is much for your lordship to accomplish in the future. I have observed that Lord Yoshiaki has left the Sakegawa River border of our castle undefended, and I propose that we use this route to retreat to Shōnai for the time being.” His proposal was accepted, and that evening the entire enemy force piled into boats to escape into the domain of the Ignoble Lord, as he was so known, of Shōnai. When the Mogami night sentries observed what was happening, they hurried to report the news to the head encampment. “The soldiers of the castle garrison are making their escape tonight. Voices can be heard on the Sakegawa River, and the light of many torches may be seen.” Upon hearing the report of the sentries, Lord Yoshiaki showed little surprise. “I had expected this,” he said, “but I have an idea in mind, so if they wish to escape, allow them to do so.” The night passed, silent and still, and when the Mogami force advanced on the castle the next morning before daybreak, they found it devoid of any human presence, with only four or five gaunt horses left behind. Realizing what had taken place, the Mogami soldiers rued the opportunity that had been missed. “With no food supplies remaining,” they said, “the enemy would not have had the strength to put up a resistance, and it would have been easy enough to take the castle. It is indeed deplorable that we failed to finish them off when we had the chance.” “I myself was well aware of the situation,” said Lord Yoshiaki, addressing his men, “but Tenzen is a skilled warrior in his own right, in addition to being a member of the noble Sasaki family. I have spared his life and allowed him to make his escape in the hopes that we may in time be able to turn him to our side. I presume that he has fled to the protection of Mutō Mitsuyasu of Shōnai, he who they call the Ignoble Lord.” His lordship was quite correct, for after the Ignoble Lord met his downfall, Tenzen surrendered himself to Ujiie Owari no Kami and went forth to Yamagata to enter the service of Lord Yoshiaki. Proving himself to be a man of sharp wits in addition to valor, the domain of Sakenobe was eventually returned to him, and he was given the title Sakenobe Echizen no Kami and later appointed a regent of the Mogami clan. ―――――――――――――――――――― >>CONTENTS |
(C) Mogami Yoshiaki Historical Museum
Now, also around this same period of time, there was a man named Mitsukane who occupied the region of Kaminoyama. Although married to an aunt of Lord Yoshiaki, he and his lordship were unfavorably disposed towards one another. One day, Mitsukane summoned his retainers Satomi Kuranosuke and Satomi Minbu. “As you know,” he said, “there is bad blood between myself and Yoshiaki. However, Kaminoyama is but a small territory with limited military might, and I cannot hope to challenge Yoshiaki single-handedly. It is for this reason that I have thought of Terumune of the Sendai domain. He is wed to Yoshiaki’s younger sister with two sons, but I have heard it said that he and Yoshiaki are not on good terms and do not associate with each other. If Terumune will lend us his support, I believe that we can defeat Yoshiaki. What is your opinion of this plan?”
“Your lordship’s plan is a sound one,” replied the two listening men. “If Lord Terumune will come to our aid with a large force of men, Lord Yoshiaki will undoubtedly lead his own army to Kaminoyama, where the two armies will confront each other. If we have in the meantime stationed our own troops along the mountain ridges and valleys, we can take the enemy by surprise by attacking from unexpected directions, and victory will surely be ours.”
Mitsukane was greatly pleased with this response, and he dispatched a messenger to Lord Terumune with the details of his proposal. “Although I myself have long been at odds with Yoshiaki, I have not had the capacity to challenge him alone. If you, Lord Terumune, will join my cause, I will be pleased to lead our forces in battle with a strategy that will propel us to swift victory. This will allow you to obtain the Mogami territories for your own, while I, Mitsukane, ask for but a small corner to claim as my own domain.”
Lord Terumune had in fact been privately hoping to find an ally in the Mogami inner circle for some time, and had been exploring ways in which he might take on Yoshiaki. Seeing this development as a fortuitous opportunity to further his plans, he sent a courteous letter to Mitsukane informing him that he would be arriving with his troops presently.
However, news of this plot reached the ears of Lord Yoshiaki, and he summoned an elderly warrior named Irago Sōgyū for a consultation.
“The branch castle of Narisawa is where the enemy intends to meet us in battle,” said Lord Yoshiaki. “It is my wish that you hasten to Narisawa and join forces with castle lord Narisawa Dōchū to hold the castle. The young garrison soldiers may be impatient to sally forth and do battle, but you are not to let a single one of them beyond the castle perimeter.” So commanded, Irago Sōgyū left for Narisawa Castle.
In the meanwhile, Lord Terumune came forth with his large army, and, after convening a war council, proceeded with his men to Karuisawa.
There, he summoned a local resident, questioning him in detail about the current situation within Narisawa Castle. It was after this that he spoke with Mitsukane.
“Yoshiaki has ordered Dōchū, a long-serving retainer some seventy years of age, to hold the castle, and Sōgyū, who has himself passed his sixtieth year, has been sent to lend him aid. I believe that Yoshiaki has chosen to defend the castle with these two seasoned warriors because he sees the young soldiers of the castle garrison as being inclined to impulsive action, making them vulnerable to enemy ploys and liable to bring defeat upon themselves. For Yoshiaki, this will be a fight upon familiar territory, which will give him the opportunity to hatch all manner of strategy, and I believe that he intends to send his main force to the castle at some unlooked-for moment, allowing those men to unite forces with the castle soldiers in a bid to cut us down. Furthermore, we would do well to remember the folding screen of Takeda Shingen, in the province of Kai, upon which is noted the most celebrated warriors in Japan today. Fourth on this list is the name of Irago Sōgyū, and with a warrior of this caliber holding the castle against us, capturing it will be no easy matter. If the battle goes against us, and if Yoshiaki then arrives with his great legion of soldiers to finish us off from behind, we will surely be doomed.”
Mitsukane considered what he had heard, and spoke.
“If Yoshiaki would himself come to Kaminoyama, I believed that we could gain the upper hand by concealing our soldiers in the mountains and valleys and ambushing our enemy from unexpected directions. However, Yoshiaki is a cautious man, and will most likely send forth reinforcements to a castle that lies along the route, while himself remaining prudently back. Now, if we had but a small force of men, it might be wise for us to wait for the other side to make the first move, but with a large army of this size, it seems fainthearted for us to spend needless days avoiding battle because we fear the machinations of the enemy. Better that we keep a watchful eye on the castle as we find Yoshiaki’s encampment and assail him there, and once we have triumphed over him, the castle will surely fall on its own.”
“Proceed as you see fit,” said Lord Terumune to Mitsukane, “and I will look to you to lead the attack.”
Meanwhile, in his own camp, Lord Yoshiaki had also convened a war council with Ujiie Owari no Kami, Nobesawa Noto no Kami, and other kinsmen and vassals.
Owari no Kami moved forward to speak. “From what I have gathered,” he said, “it seems that our enemy is mighty in numbers. Moreover, Mitsukane himself will be in command, and it would be unwise for us to venture deep into Kaminoyama to do battle when we have little idea of the enemy’s strategy. The enemy may choose to assail Narisawa Castle, and if this turns into a protracted battle of some five or ten days, this would be to our advantage. By dispatching our reserve army to fight alongside the castle garrison, we could turn the tide of the battle and achieve a quick victory. If the enemy instead decides to blockade the castle and venture hither to give battle, we could shift our camp to the vicinity of Mount Kashiwagi and conceal our soldiers in the woods to launch a surprise attack upon our assailants, another strategy which is sure to bring us success.”
Owari no Kami explained both these strategies in clear detail, and when the council elected to proceed with the latter option, the Mogami force marched towards Mount Kashiwagi. Soon afterwards, word arrived that the enemy had blockaded Narisawa Castle and was preparing to march on his lordship’s camp.
It was decided that they would await the enemy where they were, with Nobesawa Noto no Kami prepared to lead the vanguard, Ujiie Owari no Kami in charge of the second company, and the remaining men divided into seven units. Meanwhile, Koizumi Kamon and Katō Tarōemon were sent with 200 arquebusiers to lie in ambush on Mount Kashiwagi, under orders to listen for the drum signal that would tell them to fire upon Terumune’s hatamoto guard.
After being informed that Lord Terumune had taken up position at the foot of Mount Kashiwagi, Mitsukane led the vanguard in an attack upon Lord Yoshiaki’s encampment, and the initial skirmish between troops of the opposing armies took place in Matsubara. They fought for about an hour, but then both sides pulled back to catch their breath, and it was then that a drum signal sounded from Lord Yoshiaki’s head camp. The soldiers who had been lying in ambush were on their feet in an instant and eagerly rushing down towards the foot of the mountain; there, with the flank of Lord Terumune’s head camp in their sights, they rained a hail of bullets down upon the enemy with their 200 arquebuses. This unexpected attack threw Lord Terumune’s hatamoto retainers into confusion, and the soldiers behind them prepared to flee without any attempt at resistance. Into this melee swooped Nobesawa Noto no Kami, iron baton in hand, with Suda Kojūrō following strongly behind, and Noto no Kami’s men unhesitatingly followed their leader into battle, as did the second company under Ujiie Owari no Kami. Abandoning their battle formations in their eagerness to engage the enemy soldiers, they fought with such raw will and fierce determination that the enemy army was utterly overwhelmed. Soldiers of the van and rear guards fell back in a single mass to flee, only to be pursued and slain by Lord Yoshiaki’s men. So relentless was the Mogami assault that the position of Lord Terumune himself appeared to be in peril, but his long-serving fudai(1) retainers turned back en masse to protect their master, and, with one and then another of them falling in his defense, they finally succeeded in reaching the outermost moat of Kaminoyama Castle.
In the midst of these developments, Lord Terumune’s wife also arrived at the castle in a palanquin.
“Of late, I had wondered whither you ventured to give battle,” she said to Lord Terumune, “only to learn of this war taking place between brothers.
What manner of behavior is this? When my father, Lord Yoshimori, lay on his deathbed, he summoned you, Lord Terumune, to his side and bade you always behave as a friend to Yoshiaki. In time, your young son, Masamune, will come of age, and if our clans remain bound by the closest of familial ties, the Uesugi and Satake families might ally themselves together and seek to overcome us, but we would still have naught to fear. It was but recently that my father called on the Date family and retainers to respect the wishes of Yoshiaki, and on the Mogami side to consider well how their actions might affect you, Terumune, commanding both sides to give due deliberation to the other – but can it be that you have both so quickly forgotten his words and taken up arms against one another? How shameful! I entreat you to withdraw your army at once. If you will not agree, I beg that you strike me down with your sword and kill me now.” Terumune’s wife wept as she appealed to her husband.
In his heart, Terumune had been secretly desirous of someone who would compel him to desist and offer him the opportunity to withdraw his forces, and he welcomed the mediation of his wife. “Speak likewise to Yoshiaki,” he said, returning to Yonezawa before dawn the following day.
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(1) Retainers whose families had served a lord for many generations
>>CONTENTS