Minamoto no Yoshitomo

Japanese: 源義朝 - みなもとのよしとも

Year of death: 11/01/11 (1160.2.11)
Year of birth: Security 4 (1123)
A samurai of the late Heian period. The eldest son of Minamoto Tameyoshi. His mother was the daughter of Fujiwara Tadakiyo. He grew up in Bando and was called "Kazusa Soji." After coming of age, he attempted to unify the samurai groups of southern Kanto, with his base in Kamakura, Sagami Province. In particular, he is well known for his involvement in the Oba-Mikuriya Seizure Incident in Sagami Province in 1144 and the local control dispute in Soma-Mikuriya, Shimousa Province from 1143 to 1145, which resulted in the subjugation of the Oba and Chiba clans, and is rich in historical documents. Later, as his wife's family, the Atsuta Daiguji family (Fujiwara clan), had produced many people related to Taikenmon'in (Emperor Toba's Empress Dowager Fujiwara Shoshi), he was selected by the retired Emperor Toba and appointed as Shimotsuke no Kami with the rank of Junior Fifth Rank in 1153, and the following year he also served as Umasuke. During the Hogen Rebellion, together with Taira no Kiyomori, he played an active role in leading the eastern clan as the core of the military power of Emperor Goshirakawa. After the rebellion, he was appointed Left Horse Captain and was allowed to enter the palace, but lost his father Tameyoshi and many of his younger brothers who sided with Emperor Sutoku. After this, Shinzei, a close aide to Emperor Goshirakawa, and Fujiwara no Nobuyori came into conflict. Kiyomori, who had become a rival as a warrior, formed a marriage alliance with Shinzei, so Yoshitomo allied with Nobuyori. Furthermore, with the cooperation of Fujiwara no Tsunemune and others who were trying to bring Emperor Nijō into direct rule, Yoshitomo took advantage of an opportunity while Kiyomori was on a pilgrimage to Kumano in December 1159 (Heiji Rebellion) to launch a coup d'état (Heiji Rebellion). This was initially successful, with Yoshitomo appointed as Governor of Harima and his eldest son Yoritomo as Vice-Captain of the Right Guard, but the situation changed dramatically when Kiyomori returned to Kyoto. Yoshitomo was defeated in a battle with Kiyomori, who had welcomed the retired emperor and the emperor, and attempted to escape to the eastern provinces in hopes of making a comeback, but on the way he was killed along with his wet-mother son, Kamata Masakiyo, by Nagata Shoji Tadanori in Chita County, Owari Province. <References> Yasuda Motohisa, "Minamoto no Yoshitomo" ("Jinbutsu Nihon no Rekishi" Volume 5), same author, "Basic Research on Early Japanese Feudalism", Ueyokote Masataka, "Minamoto clan during the Insei period" ("Research on the Gokenin System"), Gomi Fumihiko, "Research on Society during the Insei Period"

(Minoru Noguchi)

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

Japanese:

没年：永暦1.1.3(1160.2.11)
生年：保安4(1123)
平安後期の武士。源為義の長男。母は藤原忠清の娘。坂東に育ち「上総曹司」と称された。成人ののち,相模国鎌倉を本拠として南関東の武士団の統合をはかった。なかでも天養1(1144)年の相模国大庭御厨押領事件や康治2(1143)年から久安1(1145)年にかけての下総国相馬御厨の現地支配権紛争への介入によって大庭,千葉氏を服属させたことは史料にも恵まれてよく知られている。その後,妻の実家である熱田大宮司家(藤原氏)が待賢門院(鳥羽天皇の中宮・藤原璋子)の関係者を輩出していたことから,鳥羽上皇の抜擢を受け,仁平3(1153)年には従五位下下野守に叙任され,翌年にはさらに右馬助を兼ねた。保元の乱では平清盛と共に後白河天皇方の軍事力の中核として東国の家人たちを率いて活躍。乱後,左馬頭に任じ,昇殿をゆるされたが,崇徳上皇方についた父為義や多くの弟たちを失った。こののち後白河院の近臣信西と藤原信頼が対立。武門としてライバルとなった清盛が信西と姻戚関係を結んだため,義朝は信頼と提携。さらに二条天皇の親政をはかろうとする藤原経宗らの協力を得て,平治1(1159)年12月,清盛の熊野詣の隙をねらってクーデタを決行した(平治の乱)。これは一時成功をおさめ,義朝は播磨守,嫡子頼朝は右兵衛権佐に任じたが,清盛が京都に帰還を果たすと情勢は一変。義朝は上皇・天皇を迎え入れた清盛との合戦に敗退し,再挙を期して東国への脱出を試みたが,途中,尾張国知多郡で長田庄司忠致によって,乳母子の鎌田正清と共に誅殺された。<参考文献>安田元久「源義朝」(『人物日本の歴史』5巻),同『日本初期封建制の基礎研究』,上横手雅敬「院政期の源氏」(『御家人制の研究』),五味文彦『院政期社会の研究』

(野口実)

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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