Mr. Niki

It can also be read as "Nikki". A powerful clan within the Ashikaga clan, it was a shugo daimyo (military governor) whose activities during the Northern and Southern Court period were remarkable. It began when Sanekuni, the great-grandson of Ashikaga Yoshiyasu, lived in Niki-go, Nukata County, Mikawa Province (Nikki Town, Okazaki City) during the mid-Kamakura period and called himself Nikitaro. The brothers Yoriaki and Yoshinaga, the sixth generation from Sanekuni, served Ashikaga Takauji and were distinguished by their military achievements. In 1351 (Shohei 6, Kan'o 2), Yoriaki became Takauji's steward, a position he held until Takauji's death in 1358. The provinces where the brothers served as shugo included Tamba, Musashi (all under Yoriaki), Totomi, Ise, Iga, and Mikawa (all under Yoshinaga). In 1360 (Shohei 15, Enbun 5), Yoshinaga came into conflict with Hosokawa Kiyouji and Hatakeyama Kunikiyo, and eventually retreated to Ise, later submitting to the shogunate. His descendants became shugo of Ise and Iga, but the clan split up during the Onin War (1467-77) and gradually declined. Later, they settled in Mimasaka Province (Okayama Prefecture) and some became vassals of the Edo shogunate or samurai of the Mori clan.

[Tanabe Hisako]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

「にっき」とも読む。足利(あしかが)一族中の大族で、南北朝時代の活躍が目覚ましい守護大名。足利義康(よしやす)の曽孫(そうそん)実国(さねくに)が、鎌倉中期三河国額田(ぬかた)郡仁木郷（岡崎市仁木(にっき)町）に住み、仁木太郎と称したのに始まる。実国から6代目にあたる頼章(よりあき)、義長(よしなが)の兄弟は足利尊氏(たかうじ)に従って軍功があり、1351年（正平6・観応2）頼章は尊氏の執事となり、尊氏の没年（1358）まで在職した。兄弟が守護を務めた国は丹波(たんば)、武蔵(むさし)（以上頼章）、遠江(とおとうみ)、伊勢(いせ)、伊賀、三河（以上義長）などである。1360年（正平15・延文5）義長は細川清氏(ほそかわきようじ)、畠山国清(はたけやまくにきよ)らと対立、結局伊勢に退き、のち幕府に帰順した。子孫は伊勢、伊賀の守護となったが、応仁(おうにん)の乱（1467～77）には一族が分裂し、しだいに衰微した。のち美作国(みまさかのくに)（岡山県）などにも土着し、また江戸幕臣や毛利(もうり)藩士となった者もいる。

［田辺久子］

出典　小学館　日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について　情報 | 凡例