Mr. Sakanoue

One of the powerful clans of ancient immigrants. Originally a branch of the Yamato no Ayauji clan, the clan gradually came to be known simply as the Sakanoue clan after the reign of Emperor Tenmu. In 683 (the 12th year of Emperor Tenmu's reign), the family changed from Atai to Muraji, and then in 685 to Imiki. During the Jinshin War (672), Kunimaro, Kumage, and Okina made distinguished contributions on the side of Prince Oama, and the family prospered as a military family thereafter. His grandson Inukai served under the reigns of Emperors Shomu, Kōken, and Junnin, and rose to the rank of Shoshii-jō (Senior Fourth Rank), and his son Karita-maro served until the reign of Emperor Kanmu, eventually reaching the rank of Jūsanmi (Junior Third Rank), Order of the Second Class. During this time, he was given the title of Oimiki in 764 (Tenpyō Hōji 8), and in 785 (Enryaku 4) he was given the title of Osukune, and his descendants were given the title of Sukune. His son Tamura-maro became famous as Seiitaishōgun (General of the Expeditionary Forces), and rose to the rank of Dainagon (Grand Minister of State), and both his sister Matako and his daughter Haruko entered the harem of Emperor Kanmu, and gave birth to Princess Takatsu and Prince Fujii, respectively. It seemed as though they had thus joined the ranks of the upper aristocracy, but thereafter their success fell apart, and from the mid-Heian period onwards, only the names of poets such as Korenori, Mochiki, and, as Myoboka, Norimasa, Akikane, and Akimoto were known.

[Hiromichi Mayuzumi]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

古代の渡来系有力氏族の一つ。本来は東漢氏(やまとのあやうじ)の一族であるが、天武朝(てんむちょう)以降しだいに坂上氏とのみ称するようになった。683年（天武天皇12）直(あたい)姓から連(むらじ)姓に、ついで685年には忌寸(いみき)姓となった。壬申(じんしん)の乱（672）に国麻呂(くにまろ)、熊毛(くまげ)、老(おきな)らが大海人皇子(おおあまのおうじ)方について功をたて、以後武門の家柄として繁栄することとなった。老の孫犬養(いぬかい)は聖武(しょうむ)・孝謙(こうけん)・淳仁(じゅんにん)朝に歴仕して正四位上に上り、その子苅田麻呂(かりたまろ)は桓武(かんむ)朝まで仕えてついに従三位(じゅさんみ)勲二等に至った。その間764年（天平宝字8）には大忌寸(おおいみき)、785年（延暦4）自らは大宿禰(おおすくね)、庶流は宿禰を賜う。その子田村麻呂は征夷大将軍(せいいたいしょうぐん)として名を馳(は)せ、大納言(だいなごん)に上り、姉妹又子、娘春子ともに桓武の後宮に入り、それぞれ高津(たかつ)内親王、葛井(ふじい)親王を産んだ。かくて上流貴族の仲間入りを果たしたかにみえたが、それ以後は振るわず、平安中期以降歌人として是則(これのり)、望城(もちき)、明法家(みょうぼうか)として範政(のりまさ)、明兼(あきかね)、明基(あきもと)らの名が知られるにすぎない。

［黛　弘道］

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