Takeshige Kikuchi

Date of birth and death unknown. A military commander in Higo (Kumamoto Prefecture) during the Nanboku-cho period. Also called Jiro. He became head of the family after his father Taketoki died in battle. Due to his father's achievements, he was appointed Higo no Kami by the Kenmu government and served Emperor Godaigo. When Ashikaga Takauji rebelled, he fought against him in Hakone, Kyoto, Fukuyama (Hiroshima Prefecture), and other places. In 1336 (Engen 1, Kenmu 3), he returned to Higo and fought in Higo and Chikugo as the center of the Kyushu Southern Court side, but his whereabouts have been unknown since the end of 1338 (Engen 3, Ryakuo 1). In that same year, he invited Daichi Sokei, a monk of the Keizan school of the Soto sect of Buddhism, to build Shogoji Temple on Mount Hougisan (Kikuchi City) in the mountains of Kikuchi, and under his guidance, he created a document entitled "On the Matters of the Yoriaishunaidan," commonly referred to as the "Kikuchi Family Constitution," to protect the unity of his clan in the face of the adverse conditions of the Northern Court's ascendancy. This document is noteworthy for stipulating the roles of the Yoriaishu (Naidanshu), a council of local lords, and the role of the head of the clan, Takeshige, in decision-making, and for being the oldest surviving blood-stamped oath. His posthumous name was Kanki, and his grave is at Tofukuji Temple in Watari, Kikuchi City.

[Keiichi Kudo]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

生没年不詳。南北朝時代の肥後（熊本県）の武将。次郎とも称した。父武時(たけとき)戦死後惣領(そうりょう)となる。父の功により建武(けんむ)政権から肥後守(ひごのかみ)に補され、後醍醐(ごだいご)天皇に近侍。足利尊氏(あしかがたかうじ)が背くと、箱根、京都、福山（広島県）などでこれと戦った。1336年（延元1・建武3）肥後に戻り、九州南朝方の中心として肥後・筑後(ちくご)を転戦したが、38年（延元3・暦応1）末以来消息不明。この年曹洞(そうとう)宗瑩山(けいざん)派の僧大智祖継(だいちそけい)を招き、菊池山中に鳳儀山(ほうぎさん)聖護寺(しょうごじ)（菊池市）を建て、その指導下に北朝方優勢の逆境にあって一族の結合を守るため、「よりあいしゅのないだんの事」と題する通常「菊池家憲」と称される置文(おきぶみ)を作製した。これは、在地領主の合議機関としての寄合衆＝内談衆と、惣領武重の一族の意志決定上における役割などを規定していること、しかも現存する最古の血判起請文(きしょうもん)であることで、注目されるものである。法名歓喜(かんき)、墓所は菊池市亘(わたり)の東福寺にある。

［工藤敬一］

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