Umamawarigumi - Umamawarigumi

A term used to refer to the mounted warriors who served as guards and attendants to the commander's horse in the Middle Ages and early modern times, and the title of their job. During the Nanboku-cho period, the term simply referred to warriors who accompanied the commander, but from the end of the Sengoku period, it was organized into a system of duties, and those with particular military merit were appointed, organized into several groups, each with a group leader. In the Toyotomi clan, they were organized into seven groups, called Shichite-gumi, and in the Edo Shogunate, there were six groups called Kosho-gumi, each with one bangashira with a stipend of 4,000 koku, one group leader with a stipend of 1,000 koku, and 50 guards with a stipend of 300 koku, and in peacetime they were responsible for guarding Edo Castle. In various feudal domains, they were also established under the names Umamawari-gumi, Kosho-gumi, and O-kosho-gumi. In the middle and late early modern period, when they lost their value as combat troops, in some places they became a casual position for high-ranking vassals, serving closely to their lord.

[Shigeo Negishi]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

中世・近世に主将の馬側に近侍して護衛にあたった騎馬の武士、およびその職名。南北朝時代には単に主将の傍らに供奉(ぐぶ)する武士をいったが、戦国時代末期から職制化され、とくに武功の者が任命されて、数組に編成されそれぞれに組頭が置かれるようになった。豊臣(とよとみ)家では7組に編成されて七手組(しちてぐみ)と称し、江戸幕府では小姓組(こしょうぐみ)と称して6組あり、各組に4000石高の番頭(ばんがしら)1名、1000石高の組頭1名、300俵高の番士50名がおり、平時には江戸城内の警備などにあたった。諸藩でも馬廻組、小姓組、大小姓組などと称して設置されていた。近世中後期に実戦部隊としての価値がなくなると、主君に近侍する格式として、上級家臣の閑職となったところもある。

［根岸茂夫］

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