Omura clan

Lord of Omura Domain in Hizen Province. It is said that the clan began when Fujiwara no Sumitomo's grandson Naozumi moved from Iyo Ozu to Omura, Sonogi County, Hizen (Omura City, Nagasaki Prefecture) in 994 (Shoreki 5) and took the name Omura. During the Kamakura period, he strengthened his control over the area by serving as land steward for Fujitsu and Sonogi counties, and during the Nanboku-cho period, he joined the Southern Court and became embroiled in conflicts between local lords. In 1474 (Bunmei 6), he was pursued by forces from Arima and temporarily weakened, but in 1480 he regained his former territory and strengthened his control, and during the reign of Omura Sumitada, he governed the Sonogi region. Sumitada became Japan's first Christian feudal lord in 1563 (Eiroku 6), and later opened the port of Nagasaki, donated Nagasaki and the nearby town of Mogi to the Society of Jesus, and sent a young envoy to Rome. However, due to a conflict with the Ryuzoji clan, he was forced to submit to them in 1480 (Tensho 8) and was ordered to leave his castle, but after Ryuzoji Takanobu was defeated and killed in 1484, he regained control over the Sonogi region. When Toyotomi Hideyoshi marched to Kyushu, Omura Yoshisaki accompanied him, and his former territory was assured. Even during the Edo period, he was a feudal lord with a stipend of 27,972 koku in both the eastern and western Sonogi counties, and continued to rule the region until the abolition of the feudal domains and the establishment of prefectures. After the Meiji period, he became a member of the nobility and gained the rank of count.

[Nagano, Japan]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

肥前国(ひぜんのくに)大村藩主。藤原純友(ふじわらのすみとも)の孫直澄(なおずみ)が994年（正暦5）に伊予大州(おおず)より肥前彼杵(そのぎ)郡大村（長崎県大村市）に入部して大村氏を称したことに始まるという。鎌倉時代には、藤津(ふじつ)、彼杵2郡の地頭職(じとうしき)につき在地掌握を強め、南北朝時代には南朝方に属して在地領主相互間の争いの渦中に入った。1474年（文明6）には、有馬勢に追われ、一時弱体化するが、1480年に旧領を回復して支配力を強め、大村純忠(すみただ)の代には彼杵地方を統轄した。純忠は、1563年（永禄6）に日本最初のキリシタン大名となり、のち長崎を開港し、また長崎とその付近の茂木(もぎ)をイエズス会に寄進し、ローマに少年使節を派遣した。しかし龍造寺(りゅうぞうじ)氏との抗争では、1480年（天正8）に臣従を余儀なくされ、居城の退去も命じられたが、1484年龍造寺隆信(たかのぶ)の敗死によって、ふたたび彼杵地域の支配権を回復した。豊臣秀吉(とよとみひでよし)の九州出陣には、大村喜前(よしさき)が従陣し、それによって旧領が安堵(あんど)された。江戸時代においても東西の彼杵郡2万7972石の大名であり、同地域を支配して廃藩置県まで続いた。明治以後華族に列し伯爵の地位を得た。

［長野　暹］

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