Mr. Nikaido

The family branched off from the Kudo clan, descended from Otomaro, son of Muchimaro, of the Southern branch of the Fujiwara clan. The family was a clerical worker in the Kamakura and Muromachi Shogunates. They were of the same clan as the powerful Kano clan of Izu, but during their time as governors, they probably moved from Kyoto to Kamakura and followed Minamoto no Yoritomo. They lived in Nikaido, Kamakura, and the place name became their surname. According to chronicles, after Governor Gyo became the Shogunate's Mandokoro Shitsuji, his descendants also took up the position of steward, and after Governor Gyo's grandson Yukimori, the position was monopolized by the family. Many members also held important positions such as councilors and hikitsukeshu in the Shogunate and Rokuhara Tandai, and the family prospered in the Shogunate. Even after the Muromachi Shogunate came into being, the family maintained its status as a member of the Council of Ministers, and in the early days they served as the steward of the Mandokoro, and also served as the steward of the Mandokoro of the Kamakura government (Kanto government), which was the governing body of the Kanto region. In addition, the Nikaido clan of Sukagawa in Mutsu was active as a daimyo during the Warring States period, but was destroyed by Date Masamune in 1589 (Tensho 17). The prosperous Nikaido clan also declined during the Edo period. First-class ancient documents remain from a descendant of the administrator's grandson Motoyuki, who later became a vassal of the Shimazu clan of Satsuma.

[Momose Kesao]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

藤原氏南家、武智麻呂(むちまろ)の子乙麻呂(おとまろ)流工藤(くどう)氏より分かれる。鎌倉・室町幕府の事務職員の家。伊豆の豪族狩野(かの)氏と同族であるが、行政(ゆきまさ)のとき、おそらく京都から鎌倉に下向し源頼朝(みなもとのよりとも)に従ったものと思われる。鎌倉の二階堂に住し、地名が苗字(みょうじ)となった。年代記などによれば、行政が幕府の政所執事(まんどころしつじ)となってのち、子孫も執事職に就任、行政の孫行盛(ゆきもり)以後は、当職を同氏が独占した。また幕府や六波羅探題(ろくはらたんだい)の評定衆(ひょうじょうしゅう)、引付衆(ひきつけしゅう)などの要職につく者が多く、一族は幕閣に繁栄した。室町幕府になってからも、評定衆の家格を保ち、初期には政所執事となり、また関東統治機関であった鎌倉府（関東府）の政所執事職にも同氏が就任した。このほか、陸奥(むつ)の須賀川(すかがわ)の二階堂氏は、戦国大名として活躍したが、1589年（天正17）伊達政宗(だてまさむね)に滅ぼされた。繁栄を誇った二階堂氏も江戸時代には衰えた。行政の孫元行(もとゆき)の子孫で、のちに薩摩(さつま)の島津氏の家臣となった一流の古文書が現存している。

［百瀬今朝雄］

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