Takayama Ukon

A military commander and Christian feudal lord during the Azuchi-Momoyama period. The eldest son of Takayama Hida no Kami Zusho (?-1596), lord of Sawa Castle in Yamato Province (Nara Prefecture). Born in Takayama, Settsu (Osaka Prefecture). His childhood name was Hikogoro. He was known as Tomonaga and Nagafusa, and took the name Ukon no Jo. Hida no Kami initially tried to eradicate Christianity, but instead converted instead. Ukon was baptized in 1564 (Eiroku 7). His spiritual name was Justo. In 1568, he followed Wada Koremasa (1530-1571) and was put in charge of Takatsuki in Settsu Province, but in 1571 (Genki 2), Araki Murashige defeated the Wada clan, and in 1573 (Tensho 1), Ukon became the lord of Takatsuki Castle under Murashige. When Murashige rebelled against Oda Nobunaga in 1578, Ukon tried to work towards peace, but Nobunaga placed the padres (Bateren) under house arrest and forced Ukon to surrender. Having sent pawns to the Araki clan, Ukon went to Nobunaga with the determination to become a monk in order to save the Christian church from a crisis, but instead he was granted permission to keep the Takatsuki territory, and the church was able to maintain peace. During the Honnoji Incident, he led the charge in the Battle of Yamazaki. Afterwards, he followed Toyotomi Hideyoshi to various places, fighting with great military achievements, and in 1585 he was granted Akashi with a fief of 60,000 koku. During that time, he supported churches in Takatsuki, Azuchi, Kyoto, Osaka, and other areas. He established seminaries and charitable works within his domain, and was revered as a leading figure for Christians. He led the majority of Christian daimyo, including Konishi Yukinaga and Kuroda Yoshitaka, father and son, to faith directly or indirectly.

In July 1587, following the expulsion order of the Jesuits, he was stripped of his title as a representative Christian, but he was protected by Yukinaga and then by Maeda Toshiie, and became a guest elder of the Kaga domain, participated in domain administration, and was involved in the repair of Kanazawa Castle and the construction of Takaoka Castle. He was also known as a tea master under Sen no Rikyu, and took the pen names Minaminobo and Tohaku. In 1614 (Keicho 19), following the shogunate's ban on Christianity, he was exiled to Manila, but after about 40 days he fell ill with fever and was martyred on February 3, 1615 (January 6, Keicho 20). The entire city of Manila celebrated this hero of faith, holding grand masses over a period of nine days.

[Arido Ebisawa March 19, 2018]

"Takayama Ukon" by Ebisawa Arimichi (1958/New edition, 1989, Yoshikawa Kobunkan)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

安土(あづち)桃山時代の武将、キリシタン大名。大和(やまと)国（奈良県）沢城主高山飛騨守(ひだのかみ)図書(ずしょ)（？―1596）の長子。摂津（大阪府）高山に生まれる。幼名彦五郎。友祥(ともなが)、長房と称し、右近允(うこんのじょう)を名のる。飛騨守は初めキリシタン宗の撲滅を図ったが、かえって入信。右近も1564年（永禄7）受洗。霊名(れいめい)ジュスト。1568年和田惟政(わだこれまさ)（1530―1571）に従い摂津国高槻(たかつき)を預ったが、1571年（元亀2）荒木村重(あらきむらしげ)が和田氏を討ち、1573年（天正1）右近は村重の下に高槻城主となった。1578年村重が織田信長に叛(はん)した際、右近は和平工作を進めたが、信長はパードレ（伴天連(バテレン)）らを軟禁、右近に帰順を迫った。質を荒木氏に送っていた彼はキリシタン教会の危機を救うため、出家の決意で信長のもとに赴いたが、かえって高槻領を安堵(あんど)され、教会も平穏を保つことができた。本能寺の変には山崎合戦に先陣。その後、豊臣秀吉(とよとみひでよし)に従い各地に転戦、武功をたて、1585年明石(あかし)6万石に封ぜられた。その間、高槻はじめ安土、京都、大坂などの教会を援助。領内にセミナリオ（神学校）や慈善事業をおこすなど、キリシタンの指導的人物として仰がれた。小西行長(こにしゆきなが)、黒田孝高(くろだよしたか)父子などキリシタン大名の過半は、直接間接彼が信仰に導いたものである。

　1587年7月、伴天連追放令に伴い、キリシタンの代表的人物として除封されたが、行長ついで前田利家(まえだとしいえ)の保護を受け、加賀藩の客老となり藩政にも参与、また金沢城修築、高岡城築造にあたった。千利休(せんのりきゅう)門下の茶人としても知られ、南坊(みなみのぼう)、等伯(とうはく)と号した。1614年（慶長19）幕府の禁教発令に伴いマニラに追放されたが、40日ほどで熱病に冒され、1615年2月3日（慶長20年正月6日）殉教の死を遂げた。マニラは市をあげて信仰の勇者をたたえ、9日間にわたり盛大なミサを執行した。

［海老沢有道　2018年3月19日］

『海老沢有道著『高山右近』（1958／新装版・1989・吉川弘文館）』

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