Yoshikazu Hiki

Japanese: 比企能員 - ひき・よしかず

Year of death: 2nd September 1203 (8th October 1203)
Year of birth: Unknown. A military commander in the early Kamakura period. He was called Hiki Toshiro. His parents are unknown. He is said to have been born in Awa Province. He was the adopted son of Minamoto no Yoritomo's wet nurse, Hiki no Ama. Because of this relationship, he served Yoritomo as a close aide from an early age. In 1184, he participated in the campaign to subjugate the remnants of Shimizu (Minamoto) Yoshitaka's forces in Shinano, and the following year in the pursuit of the Taira clan in the Western Sea and Kyushu. In 1189, he served as the Hokuriku-do Taishogun in the pursuit of Fujiwara no Yasuhira in Oshu, and the following year in the Okawa Kaneto Rebellion, he served as the Tosando Taishogun. He accompanied Yoritomo on two trips to Kyoto, and served as the guardian of Kozuke and Shinano provinces. His daughter, Wakasa no Tsubone, married the second shogun, Minamoto no Yoriie, and gave birth to Ichiman. After Yoritomo's death, he was added to the 13-member council, and as Yoriie's in-laws, he wielded power and gradually came into conflict with the Hojo clan. In August 1203, when Yoriie fell critically ill, Hojo Tokimasa suddenly decided to hand over the land stewardship of the 28 eastern provinces and the general guardianship of Japan to Ichihata, and the land stewardship of the 38 western provinces to Chihata (Minamoto no Sanetomo). According to the Azuma Kagami, Yoshikazu was outraged by this and discussed hunting down Tokimasa with Yoriie, who had recovered from his illness, but this was leaked to Hojo Masako, and on September 2nd, Yoshikazu was assassinated at Tokimasa's residence under the pretext of a Buddhist event. By the next day, the Hiki clan had also been wiped out. However, there is a possibility that the plot with Yoriie to hunt down Tokimasa has been embellished in the Azuma Kagami.

(Mikawa Kei)

Source: Asahi Japanese Historical Biography: Asahi Shimbun Publications Inc. About Asahi Japanese Historical Biography

Japanese:

没年：建仁3.9.2(1203.10.8)
生年：生年不詳
鎌倉前期の武将。比企藤四郎と称す。父母は不詳。阿波国に生まれたともいう。源頼朝の乳母比企尼の養子。その関係で早くから頼朝に側近として仕える。元暦1(1184)年の信濃への志水(源)義高残党討伐,翌年にわたる西海・九州への平氏追討に従軍。文治5(1189)年の奥州の藤原泰衡追討には北陸道大将軍,翌年の大河兼任の乱には東山道大将軍として出陣する。頼朝の2度の上洛に同行し,上野・信濃国守護などを務める。娘の若狭局は2代将軍源頼家に嫁し一幡を生む。頼朝死後13人の合議衆に加えられ,頼家の外戚としても権勢を振るい次第に北条氏と対立。建仁3(1203)年8月,頼家が危篤になると,北条時政は突如東国28カ国の地頭職と日本国総守護職を一幡に,西国38カ国の地頭職を千幡(源実朝)に譲るとした。『吾妻鏡』によると能員はこれを憤り,病の回復した頼家と時政追討を相談したが,これが北条政子に漏れ,9月2日仏事に事寄せて時政邸で謀殺された。翌日までには比企一族も滅亡した。但し,頼家との時政追討の謀議については『吾妻鏡』に潤色の可能性がある。

(美川圭)

出典　朝日日本歴史人物事典：（株）朝日新聞出版朝日日本歴史人物事典について　情報

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