Sanemori Saito - Sanemori Saito

A warrior from the end of the Heian period. A descendant of Fujiwara Toshihito. His father was Sanetoo or Sanenao. He was born in Echizen (Fukui Prefecture) but moved to Nagai, Hara County, Musashi Province (Kumagaya City, Saitama Prefecture). In 1155 (Kyushu 2), when Minamoto Yoshikata (son of Tameyoshi) was killed by Minamoto Yoshihira (son of Yoshitomo), he rescued Yoshikata's young surviving son, Yoshinaka, and entrusted him to Nakahara Kaneto, a powerful lord in Shinano. He first served Minamoto Tameyoshi and Yoshitomo, and followed Yoshitomo during the Hogen and Heiji Rebellions, but after Yoshitomo was defeated in the Heiji Rebellion, they parted ways while fleeing to the eastern provinces. After that, he followed the Taira clan, and in 80 (Jisho 4), when Minamoto no Yoritomo raised an army, he fought against him at Ishibashiyama, and then joined Taira no Koremori and marched to the Fuji River. In 83 (Juei 2), he marched to the Hokuriku region with Koremori and fought against Yoshinaka, but was killed by Tezuka Mitsumori in the Battle of Shinohara in Kaga. At that time, it is said that he dyed his sideburns black to hide his old age.

[Masayoshi Kamiyokote]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

平安末期の武士。藤原利仁(としひと)の子孫。父は実遠(さねとお)または実直(さねなお)。出身は越前(えちぜん)（福井県）であるが、武蔵(むさし)国播羅(はら)郡長井（埼玉県熊谷(くまがや)市）に移った。1155年（久寿2）源義賢(よしかた)（為義(ためよし)の子）が源義平(よしひら)（義朝(よしとも)の子）に討たれた際は、幼い義賢の遺児義仲(よしなか)を助け、信濃(しなの)の豪族中原兼遠(かねとお)に託した。初め源為義・義朝に仕え、保元(ほうげん)・平治(へいじ)の乱では義朝に従ったが、平治の乱で義朝が敗れ、東国に逃れる途中で別れた。その後は平氏に従い、80年（治承4）源頼朝(よりとも)が兵をあげると、石橋山でこれと戦い、ついで平維盛(これもり)に属して富士川に出陣した。83年（寿永2）にも維盛に従って北陸に出陣し、義仲と戦ったが、加賀(かが)の篠原(しのはら)の戦いで手塚光盛(みつもり)に討たれた。その際、老年を隠すため、鬢髪(びんぱつ)を黒く染めて出陣したという。

［上横手雅敬］

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