Asakura Clan

A feudal lord during the Sengoku period. His real surname was Kusakabe. He was originally from Asakura (Yabu City), Yabu County, Tajima Province (Hyogo Prefecture), hence the Asakura clan. During the Nanboku-cho period, under Hirokage, he entered Echizen (Fukui Prefecture). During the Onin War (1467-1477), Takakage (Toshikage) took advantage of the internal conflict within his master, the Shiba clan, to seize control of Echizen. From then on, until Yoshikage, he ruled Echizen for over 100 years over five generations. The "Seventeen Articles of Asakura Toshikage" (Toshikage Articles) are famous as a forerunner of provincial law. Takakage's grandson, Sadakage, suppressed the Ikko Ikki rebels in a clan dispute and established control over his territory. His son, Takakage, became a valet and companion of the Ashikaga Shogun, and often followed orders, intervened in internal conflicts in neighboring countries, and supported the Muromachi Shogunate during the Warring States period. Yoshikage often dispatched troops to Kaga in response to the Battle of Kawanakajima, and secured the back of the Echigo Uesugi clan. With the rise of Oda Nobunaga, Yoshikage fought against Nobunaga many times, including the Battle of Tezutsuyama in Tsuruga and the Battle of Anegawa, but was defeated in the Battle of Tonezaka (Tone, Tsuruga City, Fukui Prefecture) in 1573 (Tensho 1) and was destroyed.

[Makoto Mizuto]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

戦国大名。本姓日下部(くさかべ)氏。もと但馬国(たじまのくに)（兵庫県）養父(やぶ)郡朝倉（養父市）の出身であるところから朝倉氏を称す。南北朝時代、広景のときに越前(えちぜん)（福井県）に入る。応仁(おうにん)の乱（1467～1477）のとき、孝景(たかかげ)（敏景(としかげ)）が主家斯波(しば)氏の内紛に乗じ、越前の支配権を奪取。以後、義景(よしかげ)まで5代、100余年の間越前を統治した。「朝倉敏景十七箇条」（孝景条々）は分国法の先駆をなすものとして著名。孝景の孫の貞景(さだかげ)は同族争い、一向一揆(いっこういっき)を抑え領国支配を確立。その子孝景は足利(あしかが)将軍の供衆(ともしゅう)、相伴衆(しょうばんしゅう)となり、よく命に応じ、近隣諸国の内紛に介入、戦国時代の室町幕府体制を支えた。義景はしばしば川中島の戦いに呼応して加賀に出兵、越後上杉氏の背後を安からしめた。織田信長の台頭を迎え、敦賀(つるが)天筒山(てづつやま)の戦い、姉川の戦いと何度も信長と干戈(かんか)を交えたが、1573年（天正1）刀祢坂(とねざか)（福井県敦賀市刀根(とね)）の戦いに破れ滅亡した。

［水藤　真］

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