Mr. Momoi - Momo no Uji

A powerful clan of the Ashikaga clan. Seiwa Genji. It began when Yoshitane, the son of Ashikaga Yoshikane, ruled Momoi-go, Gunma-gun, Kozuke Province (Shinto Village, Kitagunma-gun, Gunma Prefecture). The clan split into two branches from Yoshitane's grandsons, Taneuji and Yorinao, and Taneuji's grandson Hisayoshi joined Nitta Yoshisada's attack on Kamakura, while Momoi Hyobu-no-taifu (possibly Hisayoshi's son Moriyoshi) belonged to Ashikaga Takauji and became the guardian of Noto for a time. The family believed to be his descendants served as attendants and clerks for the shogunate. On the other hand, Yorinao's grandson Naotsune initially served Takauji and became the governor of Ecchu, but after the Kanno Disturbance he continued to resist, mainly in the Hokuriku region, and fell into decline along with his clan. However, there is a theory that his grandson Naotsune became the founder of Kowakamai.

[Makoto Ogawa]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

足利(あしかが)一門の豪族。清和源氏(せいわげんじ)。足利義兼(よしかね)の子義胤(よしたね)が上野国(こうずけのくに)群馬(くるま)郡桃井郷（群馬県北群馬郡榛東(しんとう)村）を領したのに始まる。義胤の孫の胤氏(たねうじ)・頼直(よりなお)から2流に分かれ、胤氏の孫尚義(ひさよし)は新田義貞(にったよしさだ)の鎌倉攻めに加わり、桃井兵部大輔(ひょうぶのたいふ)（尚義の子盛義か）は足利尊氏(たかうじ)に属して一時能登(のと)守護となり、その子孫とみられる一族は幕府の御供衆(おともしゅう)、番頭(ばんとう)などを勤めた。一方、頼直の孫の直常(なおつね)は、初めは尊氏に属して越中(えっちゅう)守護などとなるが、観応(かんのう)の擾乱(じょうらん)以来北陸を中心に抵抗を続け、一族とともに没落した。しかしその孫に直詮(なおあき)が出て幸若舞(こうわかまい)の創始者となったとする説がある。

［小川　信］

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