Fujiwara no Sumitomo - Fujiwara no Sumitomo

An organizer of Seto Inland Sea pirates in the mid-Heian period. Son of Dazai no Shoni Fujiwara Yoshinori. Also said to be the son of Iyo no Zenji Takahashi Tomohisa. Iyo Jo. In 936 (Shohei 6), he was the leader of 1,000 ships and 2,500 men of pirates based in Hiburijima, Iyo (Uwajima City, Ehime Prefecture), but surrendered to Kino Yoshihito, the provincial governor. According to the "Honcho Seiki," Sumitomo received an imperial decree to pursue and capture pirates in the same year, and pirate activity calmed down for a while, showing how powerful his organization was. However, in December 939 (Tenkei 2), they rebelled again by attacking Bizen no Suke Fujiwara Sanetaka and his party in Settsu. Because this occurred at the same time as the rebellion of Taira no Masakado in the eastern provinces, it shocked the nobles as a war between the east and the west.

The Imperial Court appeased Sumitomo by bestowing him the rank of Junior Fifth Rank, and the rebellion in the Western Sea temporarily subsided, but when the Conquering Army of the East returned to Kyoto in May 940, an order was issued to pursue Sumitomo's soldiers, and the pursuit of the Western Sea began in earnest. Sumitomo attacked the provincial capital of Sanuki, sending his national army into battle and burning warships in Bizen and Bingo, but the Imperial Court appointed Chief Secretary Ono Yoshifuru and Vice Secretary Minamoto Tsunemoto as pursuit envoys to carry out the task. The pirate army attacked Kii, Aki, Suo, and other provinces, but was gradually cornered, and in May 941, they attacked Dazaifu, but were defeated by the pursuing army and scattered. Sumitomo, who had fled to Iyo, was killed together with his son by the guard envoy Tachibana Toyasu on June 29th. It is also said that he was captured by Toyasu and died in prison. The pursuit of Sumitomo's supporters was completed within the same year, but looking at the process, it is clear that Sumitomo had organized pirates in Kyushu, Shikoku, and the Setouchi area of ​​the Chugoku region.

[Toyohiko Fukuda]

"The Taira no Masakado Rebellion" by Toyohiko Fukuda (Iwanami Shinsho)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

平安中期の瀬戸内海海賊の組織者。大宰少弐(だざいのしょうに)藤原良範(よしのり)の子。また伊予前司(いよのぜんじ)高橋友久の子とも伝える。伊予掾(じょう)。936年（承平6）、伊予日振島(ひぶりじま)（愛媛県宇和島市）に拠(よ)る海賊、1000余艘(そう)、2500余人の首領であったが、国守紀淑人(きのよしひと)のもとに投降した。『本朝世紀』によると、純友はこの年に追捕(ついぶ)海賊の宣旨(せんじ)を被っており、海賊の動きはしばらく鎮静化するので、その組織力の大きかったことがわかる。しかし939年（天慶2）12月、備前介(びぜんのすけ)藤原子高(さねたか)らの一行を摂津で襲ってふたたび反乱。東国の平将門(まさかど)の反乱と同時であったため、東西の兵乱として貴族たちを震撼(しんかん)させた。

　朝廷は純友に従(じゅ)五位下の位階を授けて懐柔、西海の反乱は一時鎮まるが、940年5月に征東軍が帰洛(きらく)すると純友士卒の追捕を令し、西海の追討が本格化する。純友は讃岐(さぬき)の国府を攻めて国軍を走らせ、備前、備後(びんご)の兵船を焼いたが、朝廷は長官小野好古(よしふる)・次官源経基(つねもと)らの追捕使を任じてこれにあたらせた。海賊軍は紀伊、安芸(あき)、周防(すおう)などを襲うがしだいに追い詰められ、941年5月に大宰府を襲撃するが追討軍に敗れて四散する。伊予に逃れた純友は6月29日、子息とともに警固使橘遠保(たちばなのとおやす)に討たれた。遠保に捕らえられて獄中で死んだとも伝える。純友与党の追捕もこの年内に完了するが、その経過をみると、純友は九州、四国、中国地方の瀬戸内一帯の海賊を組織していたことがわかる。

［福田豊彦］

『福田豊彦著『平将門の乱』（岩波新書）』

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