Ashina clan

A feudal lord in the Aizu region of Mutsu Province in the Middle Ages and a feudal lord in the Sengoku period. His castle was in Kurokawa, Aizu County (Aizuwakamatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture). The surname Ashina comes from the fact that his original address was Ashina on the west coast of the Miura Peninsula. Sawara Yoshitsura, the son of Miura Yoshiaki, was given Aizu by Minamoto no Yoritomo in 1189 (Bun'ei 5), and it is said that he moved to Aizu during the reign of Ashina Naomori during the Nanboku-cho period, but this is doubtful. In the first half of the 15th century, under Morimasa, he was known as Shugo of Aizu County and ruled over the Aizu region. The Mori clan reached its peak during the reign of Shishisai in the late 16th century, when in addition to Aizu, it subjugated the Ito clan of Asaka County, the Hatakeyama clan of Adachi County, and the Nikaido clan of Iwase County. However, the clan lost its power after the successive heads of the family, Morioki, Moritaka, and Kamewakamaru, died young, and Yoshihiro was defeated by Date Masamune in June 1589 (Tensho 17), resulting in its demise.

[Naomasa Oishi]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

中世の陸奥国(むつのくに)会津地方の領主、戦国大名。居城は会津郡黒川(くろかわ)（福島県会津若松市）。蘆名という苗字は、もと三浦半島西岸の蘆名を住所としていたことによる。三浦義明(みうらよしあき)の子佐原義連(さわらよしつら)が1189年（文治5）に源頼朝(みなもとのよりとも)から会津を与えられ、南北朝時代の蘆名直盛(なおもり)の代に会津に移住したと伝えるが、疑わしい。15世紀前半の盛政(もりまさ)の代には会津郡守護(しゅご)といわれて、会津地方に君臨。16世紀後半の盛氏(もりうじ)（止々斎(ししさい)）の代が最盛期で、会津のほか、安積(あさか)郡の伊東(いとう)氏、安達(あだち)郡の畠山(はたけやま)氏、岩瀬郡の二階堂氏などをも従属させていた。だがその後は盛興(もりおき)、盛隆(もりたか)、亀若丸(かめわかまる)と相次いで当主が若死にして勢力を失い、義広(よしひろ)の1589年（天正17）6月、伊達政宗(だてまさむね)に敗れ、滅亡した。

［大石直正］

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