Yoshikata Rokkaku

A sengoku daimyo in southern Omi. Son of Rokkaku Sadayori (Sasaki Sadayori). Also known as Sasaki Yoshikata. He made Kannonji Castle in Gamou County his residence. Along with his father, he served Shoguns Ashikaga Yoshiharu and Yoshiteru, fighting against the Miyoshi and Nagano clans in Kyoto and nearby provinces, and was involved in the political struggles of the Sengoku period. In 1552 (Tenbun 21), he inherited the family headship upon his father's death. In 1558 (Eiroku 1), he served Ashikaga Yoshiteru and fought against Miyoshi Nagayoshi at Shirakawa, Kyoto, and a peace agreement was reached, successfully placing Yoshiteru in Nijo Castle. He handed over the family headship to his son Yoshisuke (later Yoshiharu), shaved his head, and took the name Bakkansaijotei. He continued to hold real power thereafter, dispatching forces to Kyoto on multiple occasions, but his control over his vassals weakened after the Kannonji Incident in 63 (Eiroku 6), in which he killed his senior vassal Goto Tajima-no-kami and his son. The power of the Azai clan in northern Omi was also growing, and in 68, before Oda Nobunaga came to Kyoto accompanied by Ashikaga Yoshiaki, he left his castle and retreated to the Koga mountains, never to regain his power. In 67, together with Yoshiharu, he enacted the Rokkaku Clan Code, which is noteworthy in both content and form as a warring nation law. He died on March 14, 1603. His legal name is Baishinin Yaten Toa.

[Keiichi Miyajima]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

南近江(みなみおうみ)の戦国大名。六角定頼(さだより)（佐々木定頼）の子。佐々木義賢ともいう。蒲生(がもう)郡観音寺(かんのんじ)城を居城とした。父とともに将軍足利義晴(あしかがよしはる)および義輝(よしてる)を奉じて、京都や近国で三好(みよし)氏や長野氏と戦い、戦国期の政争に関与した。1552年（天文21）に父の死により家督を継いだ。1558年（永禄1）足利義輝を奉じて、京都白河で三好長慶(ながよし)と戦い、和議が成立して、義輝を二条城に入れることに成功した。家督を子の義弼(よしすけ)（のち義治(よしはる)）に譲り、剃髪(ていはつ)して抜関斎承禎(ばっかんさいじょうてい)と称した。その後も実権を握り、京都に再三出兵したが、63年（永禄6）の重臣後藤但馬守(たじまのかみ)父子を殺害した観音寺騒動により、家臣団への統制力は弱まった。また、北近江の浅井氏の勢力が増しており、68年には、足利義昭(よしあき)を奉じて上洛(じょうらく)する織田信長の前に城を去り、甲賀(こうが)山中に退き、以後勢力を回復できなかった。なお、67年に義治とともに「六角氏式目」を制定したが、これは戦国家法として、内容、形式ともに注目すべきものである。慶長(けいちょう)3年3月14日没。法号梅心院弥天藤阿。

［宮島敬一］

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