[Series ④: The role of the previous nine years and the role of the second three years] Mr. Kiyohara's participation in the war completely changed the flow of the role of the previous nine years

Daiwa Consilio
2023.12.19
Last updated: 2024.09.12

table of contents

1 What are the roles of the previous nine years and the latter three years (Zenkunen no Eki and Gosannen no Eki)?
2 Kiyohara's 10,000 troops join forces with the Kokufu army led by Yoriyoshi!
- 2.1 Who is Mr. Kiyohara of Dewa?
3 Allied forces invading Okurokun
- 3.1 An elegant anecdote from the Battle of Kinogawa that is passed down to this day.
- 3.2 Kinugawa fence (Namiki mansion) ruins＜Information＞
4 Battle of Kuriyagawa, downfall of the Abe clan
5 summary
6 Serialization: The role of the first nine years, the role of the second three years

It is said that the father and son of Minamoto no Yoriyoshi and Yoshiie, who were defeated by Abe Sadato in the Battle of the Yellow Sea, worked hard to regain their fighting strength.

However, due to two major defeats following Onikiribe, he was unable to gather as many soldiers as he had hoped, and had to recruit troops in the Kanto and Tokai regions as well.

On the other hand, the Abe clan expanded from its base in Okuroku-gun (Iwate Prefecture) to the area of influence of the Kokufu, showing off its strength to the extent that it began collecting taxes and conscripting troops.

Yoriyoshi believed that if things continued as they were, the Abe clan would be strengthened, and the prestige of the Minamoto clan that had built up in the eastern region would be greatly shaken, let alone subdued, so he tried to draw the Kiyohara clan, which was growing its influence in Dewa (Akita Prefecture), into his side. .

What are the roles of the previous nine years and the latter three years (Zenkunen no Eki and Gosannen no Eki)?

Battle painting from the previous nine years, Tokyo National Museum collection Source: National Institute for Cultural Heritage Collections Integrated Search System

It was fought in Tohoku (Iwate Prefecture and Akita Prefecture) from 1051 (Eisho 6) to 1062 (Kohei 5) and from 1083 (Eiho 3) to 1087 (Kanji 1) at the end of the Heian period. There are two campaigns.

The War of the Nine Years was a campaign in which the Minamoto clan, dispatched by the imperial court, quelled the rebellion of the Abe clan, which was growing in power in Mutsu (Iwate Prefecture), with the help of the Kiyohara clan.

After that, an internal conflict arose in the Kiyohara clan, which had strengthened its control from Mutsu to Dewa (Akita prefecture), and the dispute over the family headship developed into a battle during the War of the Third Year, and the Minamoto clan was also here. is deeply involved.

These two campaigns led to the establishment of the Oshu Fujiwara clan in Hiraizumi, Iwate Prefecture, and the bond between the Minamoto clan and the samurai of eastern Japan deepened, leading to the establishment of the Kamakura shogunate under Minamoto no Yoritomo.

Kiyohara's 10,000 troops join forces with the Kokufu army led by Yoriyoshi!

Source: Wikipedia Takenori Kiyohara From “Maeken Kojitsu” Illustration: Yosai Kikuchi

The Kiyohara clan, which is expanding its influence in Semboku in Dewa (around Semboku City, Daisen City, and Yokote City, Akita Prefecture), was an Emishi (Emishi) who followed the Imperial Court and was called a "Fushuu", but between the Kokufu Army and the Abe Army. It was a neutral position in the battle.

Yoriyoshi persuades Mitsuyori Kiyohara to join the war on the side of the imperial court, but Yoriyoshi, who wants to be on his side no matter what, takes the action of dedicating his list to Mitsuyori.

At that time, dedicating a list meant becoming a vassal, and it shows that Yoriyoshi was desperate, but there is no record of how Mitsuyori felt about this act.

However, in July 1062, the Kiyohara clan decided to side with Yoriyoshi, and Mitsuyori dispatched 10,000 soldiers to Mutsu, with his younger brother Takenori as their general.

Who is Mr. Kiyohara of Dewa?

Its origins are ambiguous, and the most popular theory is that its founder was Kiyohara no Yoshimochi, who came from Kyoto to suppress the Ezo rebellion long ago, but there are other theories as well.

I don't know now whether he was moved by the courtesy of Yoriyoshi's vassals, or whether he saw it as an opportunity to destroy his rival, the Abe clan, but the Kiyohara clan probably saw it as a great chance to expand its reach.

Allied forces invading Okurokun

Taneyama Kogen, Oshu City, Iwate Prefecture

Yoriyoshi's army, now 13,000 strong by adding 10,000 troops from the Kiyohara army and 3,000 from the Kokufu army, gained an advantage over the Abe army, which had a strength of about 4,000 soldiers, and the Abe army built 12 forts (the Abe clan's Twelve Palisade) and attacked the allied forces.

However, Sadato was defeated at the opening battle of Komatsu no Saku (Ichinoseki City, Iwate Prefecture), and was defeated in the battle of Komatsu no Saku (Ichinoseki City, Iwate Prefecture). :Oshu City, Iwate Prefecture).

This tree-lined mansion was later called Koromogawa no Saku (Oshu City, Iwate Prefecture), and it is said that the later Kiyohara clan also set up their residence and government office there, making it the largest base of the Abe clan.

Fierce battles continue at three locations at Koromogawa Seki, south of the stockade, but the battle is eventually broken through and Abe's forces take control of the Chokai stockade near Isawa Castle to the north. Retired to Nosaku (Kanegasaki Town, Iwate Prefecture).

An elegant anecdote from the Battle of Kinogawa that is passed down to this day.

Source: Wikipedia From Minamoto no Yoshiie's "Maeken Kojitsu" Illustration: Yosai Kikuchi

In the ``Kokin Chomonshu'' written in the Kamakura period, there is the following passage about the Battle of Kinugawa.

As the battle is about to be decided, Yoshiie, the heir of the Minamoto clan, spots the fleeing enemy general, Sadato, and playfully calls out to him in the bottom line of the song, `` The length of his robe will fall apart!''

Sadato then looked back , ``As the years have passed and the threads have become thicker,'' and Yoshiie, who felt this was a strange response, let Sadato escape as a ``compassion for a samurai.'' An anecdote says that is.

Source: Sadato Abe from Wikipedia “Pre-Nine Years Battle Emaki” manuscript

``Kimono no Tate'' is a combination of ``clothing and armor'' and ``tate and shield,'' and Yoshiie said that ``the Kinugawa fence was torn as if the warp of a garment (the shield of armor) was fraying .'' Sadato replied, ``Over the years, the warp threads have become disarrayed and frayed.''

However, this very elegant anecdote is said to be a fabrication from later generations.

Kinugawa fence (Namiki mansion) ruins＜Information＞

Historic site name: Kinugawa fence (Namiki mansion) ruins
Location: Kinugawa Namiki-mae, Oshu City, Iwate Prefecture

Google Map

Battle of Kuriyagawa, downfall of the Abe clan

Sadato, who was defeated, once relied on the Chokai fence, but retreated further north to Kuriyagawa no Saku (Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture) at the northern end of the Okuroku District, and made a final stand against the Kokufu and Kiyohara forces. I challenged you to a fight.

The Kurigawa fence was built in conjunction with the Ubatonosaku, and is said to have been built over a wide area from Tatezaka/Tenshoji Temple in the western part of present-day Morioka City to the previous nine years.

The Satodate Ruins (Tenshoji-cho, Morioka City), which are natural fortresses using large and small rivers such as the Kitakami River, and high ground, are the Kurigawa fence ruins, and the Abedate Ruins (Abedate-cho, Morioka City) still exist. It is believed to be part of the Kamado fence.

Kitakami River flowing through Morioka City

In this battle, Sadato was deeply wounded and captured, his younger brother Muneto surrendered, Fujiwara no Tsunekiyo was also captured, and the Abe clan was destroyed, lasting 12 years. The nine-year role has come to an end.

Kurigawa fence ruins＜Information＞

Historic site name: Kurigawa fence ruins
Location: 1-4 Maekunen, Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture

Google Map

Kamado fence trace＜Information＞

Historic site name: Kamado fence ruins
Location: 13 Abedatecho, Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture

Google Map

The end of Abe Sadato and Fujiwara Kiyotsune

It is said that Sadato was seriously injured and took his last breath while being dragged out before Yoriyoshi.

It is also said that Kiyotsune betrayed Yoriyoshi during the Akuri River Incident, and that he also worked to obstruct the rebuilding of the National Army, so he held a deep grudge against Yoriyoshi and was beheaded by sawing with a rusted sword, which caused prolonged pain. .

summary

After the War of Nine Years, Minamoto no Yoriyoshi was praised for his subjugation of the Abe clan, and was given the title of Iyo Province (Ehime Prefecture) for his accomplishments, but this battle established a deep master-servant relationship between the Minamoto clan and the samurai of eastern Japan. became.

In addition, the six districts of Okuroku were given to the Kiyohara clan, who sided with Yoriyoshi, and the Kiyohara clan became a powerful force that spread to Mutsu and Dewa.

However, this later led to conflicts among the clans, and eventually led to the rise of the Oshu Fujiwara clan, which led to the rise of the Oshu Fujiwara clan (Continued with the previous nine years' role and the later three years' role ⑤).