Kazusa no Suke Hirotsune

A military commander in the late Heian period. A descendant of Taira Tadatsune, and the son of Tsunezumi. He was appointed Gonnosuke of Kazusa and called Suke no Hachiro. His territory extended from Kazusa Province (central Chiba Prefecture) to Shimousa Province (northern Chiba Prefecture), and he boasted the greatest power in the region. He served Minamoto no Yoshitomo during the Hogen and Heiji Rebellions. After the defeat at Ishibashiyama in August 1180 (Jisho 4), Minamoto no Yoritomo, who had fled to Awa Province (southern Chiba Prefecture), invited him to join, but he did not accept at first. Finally, on September 19, he led 20,000 soldiers to Sumida River and submitted to him. After that, he made a great contribution to the conquest of the Satake clan in Hitachi Province (Ibaraki Prefecture), but in the winter of 83 (Juei 2), he was executed on suspicion of treason. However, his innocence was soon discovered, and his younger brothers were spared.

[Takao Sugihashi]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

平安末期の武将。平忠常(ただつね)の子孫、常澄(つねずみ)の子。上総権介(ごんのすけ)に任じ、介八郎(すけのはちろう)と称す。その所領は上総国（千葉県中部）から下総(しもうさ)国（千葉県北部）に及び、この地方最大の勢力を誇った。保元(ほうげん)・平治(へいじ)の乱には源義朝(よしとも)に従う。1180年（治承4）8月石橋山(いしばしやま)の敗戦後、安房(あわ)国（千葉県南部）に逃れた源頼朝(よりとも)に誘われたが、初め応ぜず、ようやく9月19日、兵2万騎を率いて隅田(すみだ)川辺に参会、服属した。以後、常陸(ひたち)国（茨城県）佐竹氏征討などにも功績があったが、83年（寿永2）冬、謀反の疑いにより誅殺(ちゅうさつ)された。しかしまもなく無実が判明、弟たちは助命されたという。

［杉橋隆夫］

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