Matsuura Party

A name given to a small group of warriors based in the Matsuura region of Hizen Province (a coastal region facing the Genkai Sea in both Saga and Nagasaki prefectures). Since the Heian period, a clan claiming to be descendants of the Saga Genji clan has settled in the area and used a single-character name. They initially served as sacrificial offerings to the Uno no Mikuriya, but by the end of the Heian period they had become warriors and developed into a group of warriors with a naval character. They were often considered to be habitual pirates who invaded the Korean coast, and were referred to as the Matsuura Party, with a heavy degree of derogatory connotation. These Matsuura Party clans were based in various parts of the complex coastline, and no head of the clan was recognized. After the establishment of the Kamakura Shogunate, they were granted the territories they based in and became Gokenin (vassals of the shogun). During the Kamakura period, there was little movement toward clan unity, but after the Nanboku-cho period, there was an active movement to form ikki keidaku (groups of rebels) with the intention of acting together as a clan. Not only members of the clan but also residents of other clans participated in these ikki keidaku, and they had the character of a regional alliance. There has been much research into this form of party for medieval samurai groups.

[Seno Seiichiro]

"A Study of the Matsuura Clan, by Naganuma Masami (1957, Kyushu University National History Research Lab)" ▽ "A Study of the Chinzei Gokenin, by Seno Seiichiro (1975, Yoshikawa Kobunkan)" ▽ "The History of the Japanese Facing the Sea and Neighboring Countries - Abe no Hirafu, General of the Asuka Period / The Sea and Matsuura Island in the Middle Ages, by Majima Setsuro (2003, Ikuhosha)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

肥前(ひぜん)国松浦(まつら)地方（佐賀・長崎両県の玄界灘(げんかいなだ)に面する海岸地方）に割拠した弱小武士団に対する呼称。平安時代以来、嵯峨(さが)源氏の子孫と称する一族が土着し、名前に一字名を用いた。初めは宇野御厨(うののみくりや)の贄人(にえびと)として活動していたが、平安時代末期には武士化して、水軍的性格を有する武士団に発展した。しばしば朝鮮沿岸を侵す海賊の常習者とみられ、多分に蔑視(べっし)の意味を込めて松浦党と称された。これら松浦党は複雑な海岸線の各地に割拠し、一族を統率する惣領(そうりょう)的存在は認められない。鎌倉幕府成立後は、割拠する所領を安堵(あんど)されて御家人(ごけにん)となった。鎌倉時代には一族的団結を図る動きは希薄であったが、南北朝時代以後は、一族として共同の行動を意図して、一揆契諾(いっきけいだく)を結ぶ動きが活発となった。この一揆契諾には一族のみならず、他氏族の住人も参加しており、地域連合的性格を有していた。中世武士団の党的形態として多くの研究がある。

［瀬野精一郎］

『長沼賢海著『松浦党の研究』（1957・九州大学国史研究室）』▽『瀬野精一郎著『鎮西御家人の研究』（1975・吉川弘文館）』▽『真島節朗著『海と周辺国に向き合う日本人の歴史――飛鳥の将軍・阿倍比羅夫／中世の海と松浦島』（2003・郁朋社）』

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