Tadanobu Sato - Tadanobu Sato

A military commander in the early Kamakura period. He was the son of Nobuo Shoji Motoharu of Mutsu Province and the younger brother of Tsugunobu. He served Yoshitsune from the time when Minamoto no Yoshitsune was under the care of Fujiwara no Hidehira of Oshu. Later, together with his brother Tsugunobu, he achieved many military feats in the battle to pursue the Heike clan, and was appointed as Hyoe no Jo for his achievements. He is famous as one of Yoshitsune's four heavenly kings, along with his brother Tsugunobu, Kamata Morimasa, and Mitsumasa. In 1185 (Bun'ei 1), when Yoshitsune fell foul of his brother Yoritomo and was attacked by the assassin Tosa Fusa Shoshun at Horikawadai in Kyoto, Yoshitsune fought as best he could, and then followed Yoshitsune into hiding in Mount Yoshino, and when the crisis came, he fought bravely under the name of Yoshitsune himself. He later infiltrated Kyoto, but in September 1686, he was discovered at Shijo Muromachidai by Kasuya Arisue, and after being attacked, he committed suicide.

[Kunihiro Suzuki]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

鎌倉初期の武将。陸奥(むつ)国信夫庄司元治(しのぶのしょうじもとはる)の子で継信(つぐのぶ)の弟。源義経(よしつね)が奥州藤原秀衡(ひでひら)の下で保育を受けていた当初から義経に仕え、のち兄継信とともに平家追討の戦いで数々の軍功をあげ、功により兵衛尉(ひょうえのじょう)に任じられた。兄継信、鎌田盛政(もりまさ)・光政(みつまさ)とともに義経四天王の一人として名高い。1185年（文治1）義経が兄頼朝(よりとも)の勘気を受けて、刺客土佐房昌俊(とさぼうしょうしゅん)によってその京都堀川第(ほりかわだい)を襲われたときには、極力防戦、やがて義経に従って吉野山に潜伏、危機に際しては、自ら義経の名を名のって奮戦した。のち京都に潜入したが、86年9月、四条室町第(しじょうむろまちだい)にあるところを糟屋有季(かすやありすえ)に探知され、その襲撃を受けて自刃した。

［鈴木国弘］

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