Mr. Abe - Abeuji

A powerful clan that was based in the northern Tohoku region during the late Heian period. While continuing the tradition of resisting the ancient Emishi, they played a groundbreaking role in initiating the Former Nine Years' War (1051-1062) and paving the way from the ancient centralized state to the separation of medieval local states. Regarding their origins, rather than claiming that they were descendants of Ohiko-no-Mikoto (the Abe clan, of which Abe no Hirafu was a branch), the recent theory that they were descendants of Abi, the older brother of Nagasunehiko who resisted Emperor Jimmu's eastern expedition and was exiled to Tsugaru, is making use of the legend that they are linked to place names such as the Kita-Appi River in Iwate Prefecture. Abe no Yoritoki, who had inherited the family title of chief of prisoners of war for the six Oku counties (Isawa, Esashi, Waga, Hienuki, Shiwa, and Iwate) and had effectively acted as the official authority of the naval district, started the Zenkunen no Rebellion in an attempt to gain independence for the prisoner territories, but was destroyed by Minamoto no Yoriyoshi.

[Takahashi Tomio]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

平安後期、東北地方北部に拠(よ)った俘囚(ふしゅう)豪族。古代蝦夷(えぞ)抵抗の伝統に連なりながら、前九年の役（1051～1062）を起こし、古代集権国家から中世地方国家分立への方向を切り開くうえで、画期的な役割を果たした。出自については、これを大彦命(おおひこのみこと)の子孫（阿倍氏、阿倍比羅夫(あべのひらふ)もその支族）とするよりも、神武(じんむ)東征に抗した長髄彦(ながすねひこ)の兄で、津軽に流された安日(あび)の子孫とする伝説を生かして、岩手県北安比(あっぴ)川などの地名に結び付けて考える説が、最近有力である。奥六郡（胆沢(いさわ)、江刺(えさし)、和賀(わが)、稗貫(ひえぬき)、斯波(しわ)、岩手）俘囚長の家柄を世襲して、鎮守府公権を事実上代行するようになっていた安倍頼時(よりとき)は、俘囚領国の独立を図って前九年の役を起こしたが、源頼義(みなもとのよりよし)に滅ぼされた。

［高橋富雄］

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