Moriuji Ashina

Japanese: 蘆名盛氏 - あしな・もりうじ

Year of death: June 17, 1580 (July 28, 1580)
Year of birth: 1521
A military commander in the Sengoku period. The Ashina clan was a descendant of the Taira-Miura clan, and during the Nanboku-cho period they exerted their influence in Aizu, reaching their zenith during the reign of Moriuji. He was born in Aizu as the son of Morishun. His childhood name was Shiromaru, and he was commonly known as Heishiro. In 1550 (Tenbun 19), he fought Tamura Takaaki, strengthening his control over Asaka County, and advanced into Adachi County and Iwase County. In order to counter the Satake clan, which was expanding northward, he allied with the Shirakawa Komine clan, and in 1571 with the Hojo clan, engaging in years of war with the Satake clan. By around 1578 (Tensho 6), he had control over Tamura County up to Moriyama, and almost the entirety of Ishikawa County. In Echigo, he cooperated with Takeda Shingen in invading Sugana-sho in 1564, and also sided with Uesugi Kagetora in the Uesugi Otate Rebellion in 1571. The Muromachi shogunate treated the Ashina clan as one of the "daimyo living in their own provinces" (Shoyakunin-fu, 1576). He retired once and moved from Kurokawa Castle in Aizu to Iwagasaki Castle in Onuma County, where he took the name Totsusai, but after the death of his son Morioki, he returned to government affairs. From around 1572, he cooperated with the Satake clan to form a large alliance, forming a structure to counter the Date and Tamura forces. In terms of domain policy, he strengthened his control over his domain by issuing amnesty edicts and controlling distribution. He is buried at Soei-ji Temple in Aizu-Wakamatsu City.

(Kiyoo Ito)

Source: Asahi Japanese Historical Biography: Asahi Shimbun Publications Inc. About Asahi Japanese Historical Biography

Japanese:

没年：天正8.6.17(1580.7.28)
生年：大永1(1521)
戦国時代の武将。蘆名氏は平姓三浦氏系統の一族で,南北朝期には会津に勢力をめぐらし,盛氏の代に全盛期をむかえた。盛舜の子として会津に生まれる。幼名四郎丸,通称平四郎。天文19(1550)年田村隆顕と戦うなど安積郡への支配を強め,安達郡,岩瀬郡方面にも進出。また,北進化する佐竹氏に対抗するために白川小峯氏と,さらに元亀2(1571)年には北条氏とも同盟して佐竹氏と連年交戦。天正6(1578)年ごろまでには田村郡は守山まで,石川郡はほぼ全域を掌握した。越後方面では永禄7(1564)年武田信玄と連携して菅名庄に侵入し,天正6年の上杉御館の乱にも上杉景虎に味方して出兵。室町幕府は「大名在国衆」のひとりとして蘆名氏を扱っている(永禄6年の『諸役人付』)。一度隠退して会津黒川城から大沼郡岩ケ崎城に移り止々斎と号したが,その子盛興の死に伴い再び政務をみた。天正5年ごろから佐竹氏と協調して大連合し,伊達,田村勢力と対抗する構図を形成。領国政策では徳政令の発布や流通統制によって領内支配を強化した。墓は会津若松市宗英寺。

(伊藤清郎)

出典　朝日日本歴史人物事典：（株）朝日新聞出版朝日日本歴史人物事典について　情報

<<: Lake Ashi - Ashinoko

>>: Legs and hands - Ashinazuchitenazuchi