Chichibu clan

A group of samurai that arose in the Chichibu Basin (Chichibu City, Chichibu County, Saitama Prefecture) at the end of the Heian period. It began when Masatsune, a grandson of Yoshibumi, a member of the Kanmu Heishi clan, lived in Nakamura-go, Chichibu County, Musashi Province (Chichibu City), and his son Takemoto was appointed Chichibu betto (chief of the Chichibu pastures) and called himself the Chichibu clan. His son Taketsuna served in the vanguard of Minamoto no Yoshiie's forces during the Gosannen War (1083-1084), and achieved military success. Furthermore, during the time of Shigetsuna, the Governor of Dewa Province, he was appointed as the Chief Inspector of the Musashi Province Rusudokoro Sokengyoshiki, a position he inherited thereafter and, as a powerful local official, acted as a mediator between the Gokenin (vassals) of Musashi Province. After Shigetsuna, the area expanded from the foothills to the plains, and later split into various Musashi samurai clans such as Hatakeyama, Kawagoe, Takayama, Edo, Oyamada, and Inage, who were active under the Kamakura Shogunate. In addition to the Taira-family Chichibu clan, there were also small lords in Chichibu County, such as the Musashi Seven Parties, Kodama Party, and Tan Party, among whom were some who called themselves the Chichibu clan.

[Ichiro Kaizu]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

平安時代末期に秩父(ちちぶ)盆地（埼玉県秩父郡・秩父市）に興った武士団。桓武平氏(かんむへいし)の一流で、良文(よしぶみ)の孫将常(まさつね)が武蔵国(むさしのくに)秩父郡中村郷（秩父市）に居したのを初めとし、その子武基(たけもと)が秩父別当(べっとう)（秩父牧(まき)の長官）に任ぜられ秩父氏を称した。その子武綱(たけつな)は後三年の役（1083～1084）で源義家(みなもとのよしいえ)方の先陣を務め、軍功をたてている。さらに出羽権守(でわごんのかみ)重綱(しげつな)のとき、武蔵国留守所総検校職(るすどころそうけんぎょうしき)に任ぜられ、以後これを世襲し、有力在庁官人(ざいちょうかんじん)として武蔵国内の御家人(ごけにん)間の調停などにあたっている。重綱以後、山麓(さんろく)部より平野部に進出し、のちに鎌倉幕府の下で活躍する武蔵武士の畠山(はたけやま)、河越(かわごえ)、高山、江戸、小山田(おやまだ)、稲毛(いなげ)などの諸氏に分かれた。また、平姓秩父氏のほかに、秩父郡内には武蔵七党児玉党(こだまとう)、丹党(たんとう)などの群小領主が割拠しており、そのなかにも秩父氏を名のる者がいた。

［海津一朗］

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