Naoie Ukita

Japanese: 宇喜多直家 - うきた・なおいえ

Year of death: February 14, 1581 (March 18, 1581)
Year of birth: 1529
A military commander in the Sengoku period. He was known as Hachiro, Saburozaemon-no-jo, and Izuminokami. He was the eldest son of Ukita Okiie. In 1534, when his grandfather Yoshiie committed suicide following the fall of Toishi Castle (Oku-cho, Okayama Prefecture), he fled with his father. In 1537, he served Uragami Munekage. The following year, he distinguished himself in his first battle at the Battle of Harima. After that, he built a base of power in southwestern Bizen by taking various castles on Munekage's orders. In 1565, he defeated Mimura Iechika of Bitchu Nariwa Castle (Nariwa-cho, Okayama Prefecture) who had invaded Mimasaka, and the following year, he assassinated Iechika when he invaded again. After that, Uragami Munekage, fearing the rise of Naoie, allied with the Mori clan, leading to conflict. In the same year, Naoie formed an alliance with the Mori clan, and in the following year, he defeated the Mimura clan who had invaded Bizen, and invaded Bitchu and captured the castles of the Mimura clan. In the following year, he destroyed the Matsuda clan based in Kinagawa Castle (Mito Town, Okayama Prefecture) and allied with the Izumo Amago clan, who were in conflict with the Mori clan. In the following year, he fought the Mori clan in Bitchu and defeated them. In Tensho 2 (1574), he made peace with the Mori clan through the mediation of Shogun Ashikaga Yoshiaki. In the same year, he moved his main castle to Okayama. In the same year, he attacked and destroyed Urakami Munekage, the former lord of Tenjinyama Castle (Saeki Town, Okayama Prefecture). However, in the same year, he fought against Hashiba (Toyotomi) Hideyoshi, a subordinate of Oda Nobunaga who had invaded Harima, and was defeated. In the following year, he made peace with Nobunaga, and again came into conflict with the Mori clan. In the midst of this conflict, he died of illness at Okayama Castle. He is described as a tyrant, but some have suggested that this view be reconsidered.

(Akio Hirano)

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

Japanese:

没年：天正9.2.14(1581.3.18)
生年：享禄2(1529)
戦国時代の武将。八郎,三郎左衛門尉,和泉守と称す。宇喜多興家の長男。天文3(1534)年祖父能家が砥石城(岡山県邑久町)落城によって自害した際,父と共に逃れた。同12年浦上宗景に仕える。翌年播磨の合戦で初陣の功をたてた。その後,宗景の命によって諸城を陥れるなど,備前西南部に勢力基盤を築いていった。永禄8(1565)年美作に侵入した備中成羽城(岡山県成羽町)の三村家親を撃退し,翌年再度侵入した家親を暗殺した。その後,直家の台頭を恐れた浦上宗景が毛利氏と結び,対立した。直家は同9年毛利氏と同盟を締結し,翌10年備前に侵入した三村氏を破り,備中に侵入して三村方の城を落とした。翌11年金川城(岡山県御津町)に拠る松田氏を滅ぼし,毛利氏と対立する出雲尼子氏と結んだ。翌12年備中で毛利氏と戦い,これを破った。天正2(1574)年前将軍足利義昭の仲介によって毛利氏と和睦する。同年本城を岡山に移した。同5年天神山城(岡山県佐伯町)の旧主浦上宗景を攻めて没落させた。しかし,同年播磨に侵入してきた織田信長の部将羽柴(豊臣)秀吉と戦い,敗れた。同7年信長と和睦し,再び毛利氏と対立。その抗争のさなか,岡山城で病没した。梟雄と評されるが,その見直しも提唱されている。<参考文献>『岡山市史2』,立石定夫『戦国宇喜多一族』

(平野明夫)

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