Kiyoko Uesugi

Japanese: 上杉清子 - うえすぎ・きよこ

Year of death: Kōei 1/Kōkoku 3.12.23 (1343.1.20)
Year of birth: Unknown. Mother of Ashikaga Takauji, the first Shogun of the Muromachi Shogunate. Also known as "Seishi." Daughter of Uesugi Yorishige, she grew up in Uesugi Manor in Tanba Province (Uesugi, Ayabe City, Kyoto Prefecture), which was his territory, and later became the wife of Ashikaga Sadauji, a noble family in the Kanto region. As was customary for the succession of the Ashikaga clan, Sadauji's wife was a woman of Hojo clan descent, the daughter of Hojo Akitoki, but Kiyoko gave birth to Takauji and his younger brother Tadayoshi, and Takauji inherited the family headship. Kiyoko's aunt, Uesugi Shigefusa's daughter, also gave birth to Ashikaga Yoriuji's son, Ietoki, who was Sadauji's father. Since then, the Uesugi clan prospered through close marriage ties with the prestigious Ashikaga clan of the Kanto region. Kiyoko's older brother, Uesugi Michinobu (Norimusa), became a powerful member of Takauji's family. She had a hard time in Kamakura during the time when Takauji raised an army, but was later respected as the mother of the Shogun. She excelled in waka poetry, and her poems are included in the "Fugashu." She was also a follower of Muso Soseki, Kosen Ingen, and was well-educated. She is said to have given birth to Takauji after praying to the Kannon Bodhisattva at Kokawa-dera Temple in Kii Province, and donated her family register to the temple in October 1336. She also donated land to Ankoku-ji Temple in Tanba Province. Upon Kiyoko's death, the use of Bunden-teichu was suspended in the Northern Court. She was posthumously awarded the rank of Junior Second Rank. Kiyoko's posthumous Buddhist title was originally Toji-in, but after Takauji's death, this title was bestowed on him, and it was later changed to Kasho-in.

(Kazumi Nishio)

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

Japanese:

没年：康永1/興国3.12.23(1343.1.20)
生年：生年不詳
室町幕府初代将軍足利尊氏の母。「せいし」とも。上杉頼重の娘で,その所領丹波国上杉荘(京都府綾部市上杉)で育ち,のち関東の名族足利貞氏の妻となった。貞氏には,足利氏の家督の慣例として北条氏出身の女性,北条顕時の娘が正室となっていたが,清子は尊氏と弟・直義を生み,尊氏が家督を継いだ。清子の叔母に当たる上杉重房の娘も足利頼氏の子,家時すなわち貞氏の父を生んでいる。以来,上杉氏は関東の名門足利氏と親密な姻戚関係を結んで繁栄することとなった。清子の兄上杉道勲(憲房)は尊氏の有力な家人となっている。尊氏挙兵の時代には鎌倉にあって苦労したが,のちに将軍の母として重んじられた。和歌にすぐれ,『風雅集』にその歌が収められている。夢窓疎石の後輩に当たる古先印元にも帰依しており,教養が豊かだった。紀伊国粉河寺の観音に祈願して尊氏を生んだため,建武3/延元1(1336)年10月,粉河寺に戸帳を寄進したという。丹波国安国寺にも所領を寄進している。清子の喪に当たって,北朝では文殿庭中が停止された。贈従二位。清子の法号ははじめ等持院であったが,尊氏の死後,尊氏にこの号が贈られたため,のち果証院と改められた。

(西尾和美)

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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