Nagao clan

A powerful clan that was active mainly in the Kanto region as the head steward and deputy governor of the Uesugi clan from the Nanboku-cho period to the Sengoku period. The family is descended from Yoshibumi, the son of Takamochio, and is a member of the Kanmu Heishi clan. It is said that Kageyuki, the grandson of Kamakura Gongoro Kagemasa, called himself the Nagao clan, and his base was Nagao-go, Kamakura County, Sagami Province (near Nagaodai, Sakae Ward, Yokohama City). During the Kamakura period, the Nagao clan was initially a vassal of the Miura clan, and is believed to have become a vassal of the Uesugi clan after the Miura clan's downfall. The Nagao clan's activities became prominent in the early period of the Northern and Southern Courts, when Nagao Kagetada served Uesugi Noriaki and became the shugodai of both Echigo and Kozuke provinces, and the clan spread throughout the Kanto and Echigo regions. These included the Nagao clan of Shirai and Soja in Kozuke, the Nagao clan of Kamakura in Sagami Province (later the Nagao clan of Ashikaga in Shimotsuke), and the Nagao clan of Fuchu, Ueda, and Sanjo in Echigo. During the Bunmei era (1469-87), Nagao Kageharu of Shirai rebelled against his lord, Yamanouchi Uesugi Akisada, and started a rebellion, but was prevented from gaining control of the Kanto region by Ota Dokan, the head retainer of the Ogigayatsu Uesugi clan. The Nagao clan of Echigo Fuchu, despite being the deputy governor of Echigo, surpassed their lord's family, and Tamekage killed Uesugi Fusayoshi in 1507 (Eisho 4) and seized real power in Echigo. His son Kagetora was given the Uesugi surname and the position of Kanto Kanrei by Yamanouchi Uesugi Norimasa, and became Uesugi Terutora (Uesugi Kenshin).

[Sawaki Eiichi]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

南北朝時代から戦国時代にかけ、上杉氏の家宰・守護代などとして関東を中心に活躍した豪族。家系は高望王(たかもちおう)の子良文(よしぶみ)の系統で桓武平氏(かんむへいし)。鎌倉権五郎景正(かまくらごんごろうかげまさ)の孫にあたる景行(かげゆき)が長尾氏を称したといい、相模国(さがみのくに)鎌倉郡長尾郷（横浜市栄(さかえ)区長尾台付近）を本拠としている。鎌倉時代における長尾氏は、初め三浦氏の被官で、三浦氏の失脚後に上杉氏の被官となったとみられる。長尾氏の活動が顕著になるのは、南北朝時代初期に長尾景忠(かげただ)が上杉憲顕(のりあき)に仕え、越後(えちご)・上野(こうずけ)両国の守護代となってからで、その一族は関東・越後に分布した。上野の白井・惣社(そうじゃ)などの長尾氏、相模国鎌倉の長尾氏（のち下野(しもつけ)の足利(あしかが)長尾氏）、越後の府中・上田・三条の長尾氏などである。文明(ぶんめい)年間（1469～87）には白井の長尾景春(かげはる)が主家山内(やまのうち)上杉顕定(あきさだ)に背いて乱を起こしたが、扇谷(おうぎがやつ)上杉氏家宰の太田道灌(おおたどうかん)に阻まれ関東の支配権を握るに至らなかった。越後府中の長尾氏は越後守護代ながら主家をしのぎ、為景(ためかげ)は1507年（永正4）上杉房能(ふさよし)を殺して越後の実権を握り、その子景虎(かげとら)は山内上杉憲政(のりまさ)から上杉の姓と関東管領(かんれい)職とを譲られ、上杉輝虎(てるとら)（上杉謙信(けんしん)）となる。

［佐脇栄智］

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