One set of armor - Ichiryo Gusoku

During the Sengoku period, they were low-ranking samurai under the rule of Chosokabe, the lord of Tosa Province. They were a kind of farmer-soldier descended from the medieval myoshu (village headman), and owned land of about 2 to 3 cho (10,000 m2) and worked in farming. However, they would tie straw sandals and military supplies to the handle of their spears and place them on the ridges of rice fields along with their armor, and when necessary, they would serve in the military, hence the name. They were the core of the Chosokabe's fighting force, racing to the battlefield with just one horse, and Motochika organized them into "shu" by region, and mobilized them for non-military work such as building shrines and temples. After the Battle of Sekigahara, when the Yamauchi clan entered the country, some of the Ichiryo-Gusoku started the Urado Ikki, but it was put down. During the feudal era, they were appointed as local samurai and village headmen, but many became farmers and stayed quiet. At the end of the Edo period, some of their descendants took part in the pro-Imperial movement. The Higo Hosokawa clan, the Awa Hachisuka clan, and the Tojoshu clan of the Satsuma Shimazu clan are examples of this type.

[Yamamoto Dai]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

戦国時代、土佐国主長宗我部(ちょうそがべ)支配下の下級武士。中世の名主(みょうしゅ)の系譜を引く一種の農兵で、約2～3町の土地を所有し農耕に従事したが、鎗(やり)の柄(え)に草鞋(わらじ)、兵糧(ひょうろう)をくくりつけ具足とともに田の畔(あぜ)に置き、事あるときは軍役に服したのでこの名がおこった。馬一疋(いっぴき)で戦場を馳(は)せる長宗我部戦力の中核的存在で、元親(もとちか)はこれを地域ごとに「衆」として組織し、社寺造営など軍役以外にも動員した。関ヶ原の戦い後山内(やまうち)氏の入国にあたり一部の一領具足は浦戸一揆(うらどいっき)を起こしたが平定された。藩政時代には郷士(ごうし)、庄屋(しょうや)に取り立てられたが、多くは農民となって雌伏。幕末には彼らの子孫から勤王運動に挺身(ていしん)する者が出た。肥後細川藩、阿波(あわ)蜂須賀(はちすか)藩の一領一疋、薩摩(さつま)島津藩の外城衆(とじょうしゅう)などもこの類である。

［山本　大］

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