Nobumori Sakuma

Japanese: 佐久間信盛 - さくま・のぶもり

Year of death: July 22, 1581 (August 21, 1581)
Year of birth: 1527
A military commander during the Sengoku and Azuchi-Momoyama periods. Born in Owari as the son of Sakuma Nobuharu. He was originally called Ushisuke, then Dewasuke, and Uemonnojo. He served Oda Nobuhide, and supported Nobunaga when he inherited the family headship, and is said to have gained Nobunaga's trust thereafter. He accompanied Nobunaga to Kyoto in 1568 (Eiroku 11), and worked to maintain peace in Kyoto, and was then entrusted with Omi Nagahara Castle, where, together with Shibata Katsuie, he was effective in sweeping away the forces of Rokkaku Shosada (Yoshikata) from Omi. In December 1572 (Genki 3), he was sent to Hamamatsu Castle as reinforcements for Tokugawa Ieyasu in the Battle of Mikatagahara in Totomi, but was completely defeated. He participated in most of Nobunaga's battles, including the Battle of Nagashino, the battle against the Ikko Ikki in Ise-Nagashima, and the battle against the Ikko Ikki in Echizen, but he was particularly central in the siege of Ishiyama Hongan-ji Temple, which began in earnest in 1576. However, in August 1578, just after Ishiyama Hongan-ji Temple surrendered, Nobunaga reprimanded him for "spent five years in vain," and exiled him and his son Masakatsu to Mount Koya. It is said that this was due to slander by Akechi Mitsuhide, or that he was in fact neglecting his military duties due to his indulgence in the tea ceremony, but the truth is unknown, and he is said to have been a victim of Nobunaga's so-called "abandonment and murder" policy. He shaved his head and took the name Munemori, but died of an illness while recuperating at a hot spring in Totsukawa, Kii Province. His son Masakatsu was later pardoned and served Oda Nobunaga, and under the name Fukansai he became one of Toyotomi Hideyoshi's storytellers, and also left his name as a tea master.

(Tetsuo Owada)

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

Japanese:

没年：天正9.7.22(1581.8.21)
生年：大永7(1527)
戦国・安土桃山時代の武将。佐久間信晴の子として尾張に生まれる。はじめ牛助,次いで出羽介,右衛門尉を称した。織田信秀に仕え,信長が家督相続をするときこれを支持し,以後,信長の信任を得たといわれる。永禄11(1568)年の信長の上洛に従い,京都の治安維持に努め,次いで近江永原城を預けられ,柴田勝家と共に,近江から六角承禎(義賢)の勢力を掃討するのに力があった。元亀3(1572)年12月の遠江三方ケ原の戦に,徳川家康の援軍として浜松城に送られたが,このときは完敗を喫している。長篠の戦,伊勢長島一向一揆との戦,越前一向一揆との戦など,信長の戦闘のほとんどに参陣しているが,なかでも天正4(1576)年から本格化した石山本願寺包囲戦では,その中心的な位置にあった。ところが石山本願寺が降服してきた直後の同8年8月,「無為に五カ年間を費した」と信長から問責され,子正勝ともども高野山に追放される。明智光秀の讒によるとも,実際,茶の湯に耽溺して軍務を怠ったからともいわれているが,真相は不明で,信長のいわゆる「捨て殺し」政策の犠牲になったとされる。剃髪して宗盛と号したが,紀伊国十津川の温泉で病気療養中に病死した。なお,子正勝はのちに許されて織田信長に仕え,不干斎と号して豊臣秀吉の御咄衆となり,茶人としても名を残している。

(小和田哲男)

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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