Chosokabe clan

It is also written as "Chosokabe", but "Chosokabe" is the most likely. A powerful clan in Tosa (Kochi Prefecture) and a feudal lord during the Sengoku period. Their ancestors are shrouded in legend, with some saying they were vassals of the Hata clan or the Soga clan, but the Hata clan theory is more established. Around the late Heian to early Kamakura period, Hata Yoshitoshi moved from Shinano to Sogabe-go, Nagaoka County, Tosa Province (Nankoku City, Kochi Prefecture), and his descendants took the name of the place and named themselves the Chosokabe clan, with Okatoyo Castle as their base.

During the time of the 7th head Kanemitsu, the family branch included Hiroi, Nakajima, Noda, and Daikoku, and the 11th head Nobuyoshi was active under Ashikaga Takauji. Around 1345 (Kokoku 6, Sadawa 1), his son Kaneyoshi became the temple magistrate of Gyukoan (Mt. Godai, Kochi City), and this position was passed down for generations. After the Hosokawa clan, who were the deputy governors, entered the country, they acted under him as supporters of the Northern Court. The 17th head Motokado disobeyed the orders of his father Fumikane, which led to internal strife, and his younger brother Katsuchika took over as the 18th head of the family. Around 1508 (Eisho 5), the 19th head of the clan, Kanetsugu, was defeated and killed by the surrounding powerful clans of Motoyama, Yamada, Kira, and Ohira, and his son Kunichika was brought up by Ichijo Fusaie in Nakamura, Hatanosho. In 1518, he returned to Okamoto Castle and rebuilt his family, but in 1560 (Eiroku 3), he died during a battle with his arch rival, the Motoyama clan. His son Motochika unified Tosa and pacified Shikoku, but in the summer of 1585 (Tensho 13), he surrendered to Toyotomi Hideyoshi and was granted control of the entire Tosa province. His son, Morichika, was exiled from the country after the defeat at Sekigahara, and fought on the Toyotomi side in the Siege of Osaka, but was captured and executed.

[Yamamoto Dai]

"The Tosa Chosokabe Clan" by Dai Yamamoto (1974, Shinjinbutsu Oraisha)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

「ちょうそかべ」ともよみ、「長曽我部」とも書くが、「長宗我部」が有力。土佐（高知県）の豪族で戦国大名。祖先は伝承に覆われており、秦(はた)氏とか蘇我(そが)氏の部民とか伝えるが、秦氏説が定着。平安後期～鎌倉前期ごろ秦能俊(よしとし)が信濃(しなの)より土佐国長岡郡宗部郷(そがべごう)（高知県南国(なんこく)市）に移り、子孫は地名をとって長宗我部氏を名のり岡豊城(おこうじょう)を本拠とした。

　7代兼光(かねみつ)のころ広井(ひろい)、中島(なかじま)、野田(のだ)、大黒(おおぐろ)らの庶流を派生し、11代信能(のぶよし)は足利尊氏(あしかがたかうじ)に属して活躍。1345年（興国6・貞和1）ごろ子兼能(かねよし)は吸江庵(ぎゅうこうあん)（高知市五台山）の寺奉行(てらぶぎょう)となり、代々この任を受け継いだ。守護代細川氏の入国後はその下で北朝方として行動した。17代元門(もとかど)は父文兼(ふみかね)の命に背いて内訌(ないこう)が起こり、弟の雄親(かつちか)が18代の家督を継いだ。1508年（永正5）ごろ19代兼序(かねつぐ)は本山(もとやま)、山田、吉良(きら)、大平(おおひら)ら周辺の豪族に攻められて敗死し、子国親(くにちか)は幡多庄(はたのしょう)中村で一条房家(いちじょうふさいえ)に養育された。1518年岡豊城に帰り家を再興したが、1560年（永禄3）宿敵の本山氏と対戦中に死んだ。その子元親(もとちか)は土佐を統一し、四国を平定したが、1585年（天正13）夏豊臣秀吉(とよとみひでよし)に降伏し、土佐一国を安堵(あんど)された。その子盛親(もりちか)は関ヶ原の敗戦で国を追われ、大坂の陣で豊臣方に属して戦ったが捕らわれて斬(き)られた。

［山本　大］

『山本大著『土佐長宗我部氏』（1974・新人物往来社）』

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