Ouchi clan

A powerful clan in the Chugoku region in the Middle Ages. It is said that during the reign of Empress Suiko, Prince Rinsho, the third son of King Seongmyeong of Baekje, came to Suo Province and was given the surname Tatara. The clan likely had iron smelting technology and came from the Korean Peninsula. They were influential figures in the Suo Kokuga (provincial government office) in the mid-12th century, and since Morifusa, they have inherited the title of Suo Gonnosuke and are known as Ouchi no Suke. During the Kamakura period, the clan held many of the provincial government offices and effectively controlled the local governing apparatus. They were also Kamakura Gokenin (vassals of the Kamakura government) and members of the Rokuhara Hyojoshu (council of councilors). Hiroyo expanded his influence into Western China in the early period of the Northern and Southern Courts, and built the foundation for the development of the Ouchi clan by moving their base from Ouchi Village to Yamaguchi. His son Yoshihiro further expanded his influence, becoming the guardian of five provinces: Suo, Nagato, Buzen, Izumi, and Kii, but was defeated and killed in the Oei Rebellion in 1399 (Oei 6). This caused his influence to decline for a time, but after Moriharu, he played an important role as a powerful figure in the Muromachi Shogunate's strategy for Kyushu. Masahiro fought as a leading figure in the Western Army during the Onin War, Yoshioki took control of the shogunate as deputy kanrei, and Yoshitaka became the shugo (military governor) of seven provinces, Suo, Nagato, Aki, Bingo, Iwami, Buzen, and Chikuzen, and boasted the greatest power in the Western Provinces. In 1551 (Tenbun 20), his vassal Sue Harukata defeated Yoshitaka and supported his nephew Yoshinaga, but in 1555 (Koji 1) he was defeated and killed in a battle with Mori Motonari at Itsukushima, and the Ouchi clan was destroyed in 1557. The Ouchi clan made efforts to establish diplomatic relations with other countries, including trading with Korea and China. He also encouraged scholarship and the arts, and developed a unique Yamaguchi culture, such as by allowing Xavier to spread Christianity. The provincial laws enacted by the Ouchi clan during the Muromachi and Sengoku periods are called the Ouchi Family Wall Inscriptions (Ouchi Family Law Inscriptions).

[Toyomoto Hinomoto]

"The True Records of the Ouchi Clan, edited by Kondo Seiseki (1885/republished in 1974, Matsuno Shoten)" ▽ "Research on the History of the Ouchi Clan, by Misono Ikuo (1959, Yamaguchi Prefecture Local History Society, Ouchi Clan History Publication Committee)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

中世中国地方の雄族。推古(すいこ)朝に百済(くだら)聖明王(せいめいおう)の第3子琳聖太子(りんしょうたいし)が周防国(すおうのくに)にやってきて、多々良(たたら)の姓を賜ったと伝える。鉄製錬技術をもち、朝鮮半島から渡来した氏族であろう。12世紀中ごろの周防国衙(こくが)での有力者で、盛房(もりふさ)以来周防権介(ごんのすけ)を世襲し大内介と称す。鎌倉時代には、一族で国衙在庁の多くを占め、現地支配機構を実質的に掌握した。また鎌倉御家人(ごけにん)でもあり、六波羅評定衆(ろくはらひょうじょうしゅう)にもなっている。弘世(ひろよ)は南北朝時代初期に西中国に勢力を拡張し、その本拠を大内村から山口に移すなど大内氏発展の基礎を築いた。その子義弘(よしひろ)はさらに勢力を拡張して周防、長門(ながと)、豊前(ぶぜん)、和泉(いずみ)、紀伊の5か国の守護となったが、1399年（応永6）に応永(おうえい)の乱を起こして敗死した。これによりその勢力は一時衰えたが、盛見(もりはる)以後、室町幕府の九州経略上の実力者として重きをなした。政弘(まさひろ)は応仁(おうにん)の乱において西軍の重鎮として戦い、さらに義興(よしおき)は管領代(かんれいだい)として幕政を掌握し、義隆(よしたか)は周防、長門、安芸(あき)、備後(びんご)、石見(いわみ)、豊前、筑前(ちくぜん)7か国の守護となり、西国随一の勢力を誇った。1551年（天文20）家臣陶晴賢(すえはるかた)は義隆を滅ぼし、その甥(おい)義長(よしなが)を擁立したが、1555年（弘治1）厳島(いつくしま)で毛利元就(もうりもとなり)と戦い敗死、1557年大内氏は滅亡した。大内氏は、朝鮮、中国との貿易を行うなど歴代対外通交に努めた。また学問、芸能を奨励し、ザビエルにキリスト教布教を許すなど独特の山口文化を展開した。なお室町・戦国時代に大内氏が逐次制定した分国法を大内家壁書(かべがき)（大内氏掟書(おきてがき)）という。

［外園豊基］

『近藤清石編著『大内氏実録』（1885／再刊・1974・マツノ書店）』▽『御薗生翁甫著『大内氏史研究』（1959・山口県地方史学会大内氏史刊行会）』

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