Sakanoue no Tamuramaro

Japanese: 坂上田村麻呂 - さかのうえのたむらまろ

Year of death: 23rd May 811 (17th June 811)
Year of birth: Tenpyo Hoji 2 (758)
He was the military commander most deeply involved in the subjugation of the Emishi in the early Heian period. He was the son of Karita Maro, and his mother is said to have been the daughter of Unebi Kiyonaga. In 780, at the age of 23, he was appointed as the Chief Inspector of the Imperial Guard, and since then he served as a succession of military officers. In 794, he went down to the Tohoku region as a deputy envoy to the East, which was the first time he was involved in the management of the Tohoku region. In 796, he was appointed Seii Taishogun, or more specifically, "Seii Taishogun, Vice-General of the Imperial Guard, Inspector of Mutsu and Dewa, and General of the Mutsu Province and Chinju", and was given full command over the management of the Tohoku region. In the 21st year, while he was there as the envoy for the construction of Isawa Castle, the Emishi chieftain Aterui and Bandomore surrendered with over 500 men. Tamuramaro took the two men to Kyoto, saved their lives and advised them to stabilize the local civil administration, but this was not accepted by the nobles, and the two were killed. Some see this as an attempt to deceive them, but considering Tamuramaro's character, there is no doubting his good intentions. The following year, he was appointed as the envoy for the construction of Shiwa Castle, and in the 23rd year, he was again appointed Seii Taishogun, but this project was halted due to the so-called "Tokusei Soron." Later, during the Kusushi Incident (810), he prevented the retired Emperor Heizei from traveling to the eastern provinces. He was said to have been 5'8" (approximately 175cm) tall, 1'3" (approximately 40cm) chest-thick, red-faced, with sharp eyes like a hawk and a bushy golden beard. He was known as "an unparalleled general" and "the incarnation of Bishamon" for his exploits in the Tohoku region. He had a gentle personality, and when angry, even demons and beasts would bow down to him, but when he laughed, his face was so gentle that even babies would become fond of him. In 810, he became Dainagon (chief minister of state), and died the following year at his villa in Awata, Higashiyama. As befitting a warrior, he was said to have been laid to rest in his coffin standing up in his armor as he made his way to the royal palace. A circular tomb in Kurisuno (Yamashina Ward, Kyoto City) is said to represent this, and Emperor Saga mourned his death by writing poems and the "Biography of Tamuramaro." Of his 11 sons and one daughter, Ono and Hirono became military officers and succeeded him, and his daughter Haruko became a consort to Kanmu. It is said that Kiyomizu-dera Temple was built in the second year of Daido (807) (the founding was Enchin), but there are many temples and shrines in the Tohoku region that are said to have been built by Tamuramaro. <References> Takahashi Takashi, "Sakanoue no Tamuramaro", Kameda Takayuki, "Sakanoue no Tamuramaro", Takinami Sadako, "Heian-kento"

(Takinami Sadako)

Source: Asahi Japanese Historical Biography: Asahi Shimbun Publications Inc. About Asahi Japanese Historical Biography

Japanese:

没年：弘仁2.5.23(811.6.17)
生年：天平宝字2(758)
平安初期,蝦夷征討にもっとも深くかかわった武将。苅田麻呂の子。母は畝火浄永の娘とも。宝亀11(780)年,23歳で近衛将監に任じられて以来,武官を歴任。延暦13(794)年,征東副使として下向,これが東北経営にかかわった最初である。16年征夷大将軍,詳しくいえば「征夷大将軍近衛権中将陸奥出羽按察使兼陸奥守鎮守将軍」に任じられ,東北経営にかかわる全指揮権を与えられている。21年,造胆沢城使として現地に下っていたとき,蝦夷の族長阿弖流為,盤具母礼らが五百余人を率いて投降,田村麻呂はふたりを連れて上京し,命を助け彼らによる現地民政の安定化を進言するが,公卿たちの認めるところとならず,ふたりは殺されてしまう。これを,彼らを欺く行為とみる理解もあるが,田村麻呂の性格から考えても善意を疑うことはないであろう。翌年,造志波(斯波)城使に任命,さらに23年,再び征夷大将軍に任じられたが,いわゆる「徳政相論」によって事業は中止された。のち薬子の変(810)では平城上皇の東国行きを阻止している。身長5尺8寸(約175cm),胸の厚さ1尺3寸(約40cm),赤ら顔で目は鷹のように鋭く,黄金色のあごひげがふさふさしていたといい,東北での活躍ぶりから「稀代の名将」「毘沙門の化身」と称された。性格は柔和で,怒れば鬼神猛獣でもひれ伏したが,笑えば赤ん坊もなつくようなやさしい顔になったという。弘仁1(810)年大納言となり,翌年東山粟田の別荘で没した。武人にふさわしく王城に向かい,武具姿で立ったまま棺に納められたといい,栗栖野(京都市山科区)にある円墳がそれと伝え,嵯峨天皇は詩や「田村麻呂伝記」を作ってその死を悼んでいる。11男1女の子供のうち大野,広野らは武官となり継承,娘春子は桓武に入内。大同2(807)年,清水寺を建立(開基は延鎮)したと伝えるが,東北地方にも田村麻呂建立と伝える寺社が少なくない。<参考文献>高橋崇『坂上田村麻呂』,亀田隆之『坂上田村麻呂』,瀧浪貞子『平安建都』

(瀧浪貞子)

出典　朝日日本歴史人物事典：（株）朝日新聞出版朝日日本歴史人物事典について　情報

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