Michi no Shima no Shimatari

A military aristocrat from Mutsu Province. He was also born in the Shimaashi family of Maruko and Ojika no Muraji. He was deeply involved in the military struggles of the Nara period, such as the Tachibana no Naramaro Rebellion and the Fujiwara no Nakamaro Rebellion. In particular, during the Nakamaro Rebellion, he shot and killed Nakamaro's Kuzumaro together with Sakanoue no Karitamarō, and was awarded the rank of Junior Fourth Rank and the surname Sukune for his achievements. He subsequently held various positions, including sword-granting shoshosho and Sagami no Kami, Konoe no Ingai no Chujo, Shimousa no Kami, Harima no Kami, and Uchi no Umaya no Kami, among others. In 769 (Jingo Keiun 3), as the Mutsu Ookuni no Miyatsuko, he requested that 62 powerful lords in Mutsu change their surnames, and in 770 (Hōki 1), he investigated the truth behind the escape of Emishi (the Emishi people) to rebel lands. This was a rare case of a local powerful lord becoming an aristocrat.

[Kenichi Yano]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

陸奥(むつ)国出身の軍事貴族。丸子(まるこ)嶋足、牡鹿連(おじかのむらじ)嶋足にもつくる。橘奈良麻呂(たちばなのならまろ)の乱、藤原仲麻呂の乱など奈良朝の政争に軍事的に深くかかわる。とくに仲麻呂の乱では、坂上苅田麻呂(さかのうえのかりたまろ)とともに仲麻呂の男訓儒麻呂(くずまろ)を射殺し、その功によって従(じゅ)四位下(げ)、宿禰(すくね)姓を賜う。その後、授刀少将兼相模守(さがみのかみ)、近衛(このえ)員外中将、下総(しもうさ)守、播磨(はりま)守、中衛中将内厩頭(うちのうまやのかみ)などを歴任。769年（神護景雲3）には陸奥大国造(おおくにのみやつこ)として、陸奥の豪族62人の改姓を請い、770年（宝亀1）には蝦夷(えみし)の賊地逃亡の虚実を調査している。地方豪族の貴族化した希有(けう)なケースである。

［矢野建一］

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