Naganori Asano

Lord of Ako Castle in Harima, 53,500 koku. Branch of the Hiroshima Asano family. His wife was Asano Nagaharu's eldest daughter (Yozen-in). In 1645 (Shoho 2), Asano Naganao was transferred from Kasama, Hitachi (Ibaraki Prefecture) to Ako and built Kariya Castle. Naganori was his grandson and succeeded his father Nagatomo in 1675 (Enpo 3). In 1680, he was promoted to Takumi no Kami, Junior Fifth Rank. In 1701 (Genroku 14), he was ordered by the shogunate to prepare a meal for the imperial envoys, but his relationship with his instructor, the high-ranking official Kira Yoshinaka, seemed to have deteriorated, and on March 14, just before the arrival of the imperial envoys and the Imperial Court envoys sent from Kyoto as a return gift for the shogunate's New Year's greetings, he attacked Kira in the Pine Corridor of the inner citadel of Edo Castle out of "personal grudge," but he only slightly injured Kira and was captured. He was immediately forced to commit seppuku and his territory was confiscated. He is buried at Sengakuji Temple in Takanawa, Edo. In a famous incident, his surviving retainers murdered Kira in December 1702 in an attempt to restore the lost honor of their lord.

[Tahara Tsuguro]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

播磨(はりま)赤穂(あこう)城主、5万3500石。広島浅野家の分家。妻は浅野長治(ながはる)の長女（瑤泉院(ようぜいいん)）。1645年（正保2）浅野長直(ながなお)が常陸(ひたち)（茨城県）笠間(かさま)から赤穂に転封となり加里屋(かりや)城を築いたが、長矩はその孫で1675年（延宝3）に父長友(ながとも)の跡を継いだ。1680年、従(じゅ)五位下内匠頭(たくみのかみ)。1701年（元禄14）幕府から勅使の御馳走(ごちそう)役を命ぜられたが、その指南(しなん)役である高家肝煎(こうけきもいり)の吉良義央(きらよしなか)との間柄が悪化した様子で、3月14日幕府の年賀の答礼として京都から派遣された勅使・院使が到着する直前に、江戸城本丸の松之廊下で「私の遺恨」から吉良に斬(き)りつけたが、軽傷を与えただけで捕らえられ、ただちに切腹させられ領地は没収された。墓は江戸・高輪(たかなわ)の泉岳寺(せんがくじ)。その遺臣らが失われた主家の名誉を回復せんとして、翌1702年12月吉良を殺害した事件は有名である。

［田原嗣郎］

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