Kurushima Matabee

A leader of the Sonno Joi faction in the Choshu domain during the late Edo period. Born as the second son of Kitamura Masatomo, he was later adopted by Kurushima Masatsune. He was an expert in spear, sword and horsemanship, and was nicknamed Oni Kurushima. He also held a number of accounting positions in the domain, and excelled in both literature and martial arts. In May 1863 (Bunkyu 3), he played an active role in the bombardment of foreign ships in Shimonoseki, and in June he led a sniper unit to Kyoto. He continued to infiltrate Kyoto after the August 18th Coup, but returned to the domain in September. When the heir to the Choshu domain, Mori Motonori, came to Kyoto to restore political influence in Kyoto, he organized a guerrilla unit in October and became its commander-in-chief. He advocated a strong Kyoto advance, and in June of the following year, he led a guerrilla force to attack Kyoto. He fought against the soldiers of the Satsuma clan during the Hamaguri Gomon (Kinmon) Incident on July 19th and was killed in battle.

[Miyake Tsuyoshinobu]

"The Life of Kurushima Matabei" by Mihara Kiyotaka (1963, Kurushima Matabei Memorial Society)" ▽ "New Materials on the Kurushima Matabei Documents" edited by Uryu Tosho (1984, Saienji)" ▽ "Continued New Materials on the Kurushima Matabei Documents" edited by Uryu Tosho (1997, Saienji)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

幕末期長州藩の尊王攘夷派の指導者。喜多村正倫の第二子として生まれ、のち来島政常の養子となる。槍・剣・馬術などの達人で鬼来島と称せられた。一方で藩の経理面の役職を歴任し、文武ともに傑出していた。1863年（文久3）5月下関における外国船砲撃戦で活躍し、6月には狙撃隊を率いて上京。八月十八日の政変の後も京都に潜入していたが、9月に帰藩した。京都における長州藩政治勢力回復のため世子(せいし)毛利元徳が上京するにあたり、10月遊撃隊を編成し、総督となった。強硬な京都進発論を説き、翌年6月、遊撃軍を率いて京都に攻め上った。7月19日の蛤(はまぐり)御門（禁門）の変で薩摩藩兵と戦い戦死した。

［三宅紹宣］

『三原清堯著『来島又兵衛伝』（1963・来島又兵衛翁顕彰会）』▽『瓜生等勝編著『新資料来島又兵衛文書』（1984・西円寺）』▽『瓜生等勝編著『続新資料来島又兵衛文書』（1997・西円寺）』

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