[Part 2] What is the Mogami Yatsudate, a confederation of local lords in Dewa Province? | Members of the Mogami Yatsudate, a confederation of local lords in Dewa Province

Representative local figures who made up the Mogami Eight Shields

Now, let's take a look at the members of the Mogami Eight Shields

As mentioned earlier, during the Tensho Mogami Rebellion, they sided with the combined forces of Yoshimori, the father of Mogami Yoshiaki, and his son-in-law, Date Terumune

Ultimately, the Mogami Eight Shields were defeated by Yoshimitsu, but it was not a battle that could be settled in a short period of time

Even for Yoshimitsu, conquering the Eight Shields was not easy, and the conflict continued even after his father, Yoshimori, was defeated. He not only used pure military force, but also employed political marriages and stratagems to sow internal division within the Eight Shields and ultimately subdue them

This demonstrates just how powerful the Mogami Eight Shields were, and how skilled the local lords were as soldiers

Furthermore, while the term "local samurai" might evoke images of ancient local magnates or medieval, semi-samurai, semi-farming forces, many of the constituent clans of the Mogami Eight Shields actually traced their ancestry back to high-ranking samurai families, just like the Mogami clan

In other words, it could be said that it was a situation where any clan could have reigned as the king of the region, which is one of the factors that further complicates the history of the Sengoku period in Tohoku

Now, let's take a look at some of the most prominent members of the Mogami Eight Shields, who were deeply involved in the Tensho Mogami Rebellion

Yorizumi Tendo

who played a central role among the eight guards of the Mogami clan,Tendō Yorizumiwas born around 1568 as the son of Yorishige, the 16th head of the Tendō clan and lord of Tendō Castle.

Having inherited the position of party leader at the tender age of twelve following his father's death, Yorizumi was destined to face the harsh struggle for survival in the turbulent times of Dewa Province

The Tendo clana branch of the Satomi clan, whose founder was Yoshitoshi, the son of Minamoto no Yoshishigewarrior who played an active role on the Southern Court side during the Nanboku-cho periodNitta Yoshisada, ais also the main branch of the Nitta clan, which included

Thus, although the Tendo clan were simply local lords, they were a clan that traced its lineage back to a prestigious family

Yorizumi's mother was the daughter of Kokubun Moriuji, a senior retainer of the Date clan, and his sister Tendō Gozen married Mogami Yoshiaki, so the Date and Mogami families were directly related by marriage

However, as we have seen, the forces in the Mogami region and the Date clan were constantly in conflict and reconciliation, and even the alliance forged through political marriages was not enough to bring about complete peace

As previously mentioned, during the "Tensho Mogami Rebellion" of 1574, an internal conflict within the Mogami clan between Yoshimitsu and his father, Yoshimori, the Eight Shields of the Mogami clan, including Tendō Yorizumi, cooperated with the alliance between Yoshimori and Date Terumune

However, even after suppressing the internal conflict, Mogami Yoshiaki was unable to defeat Yorizumi and the other eight leaders, and it can be said that the marriage of Tendō Gozen was a political maneuver carried out within the context of such peace negotiations

However, in 1582, Lady Tendō passed away after giving birth to her third son. The peace between the Tendō and Mogami clans was dissolved, and Yoshimitsu once again launched an attack on Yorizumi

The battle reached a stalemate due to the strong defenses of Tendō Castle, their base, and the formidable strength of the Eight Shields. However, eventually, due to a divisive tactic by the Mogami clan, Nobusawa Mitsunobu, a member of the Eight Shields, defected. This event led to the fall of Tendō Castle in October of Tenshō 12 (1584)

Yorizumi fled to his mother's family, the Kokubun clan, and took refuge with Akiho Naomori, a local lord of Mutsu Province

Eventually, during the Bunroku era (1592-1596), they were granted a high-ranking position and territory by Date Masamune, and adopted the second son of Masakage Rusu (Date), who was Masamune's uncle, and succeeded to the Tendo clan as "Tendo Shigeyori."

Nobezawa Mitsunobu

Nobusawa Mitsunobuwas born in 1544, the thirteenth year of the Tenbun era, as the son of Nobusawa Mitsushige, the lord of Nobesawa Castle in Dewa Province.

The Nobesawa clanSilver Minepossessed a strong economic base, including the Nobesawa

Mitsunobu was known for his unparalleled bravery, and even his enemy, Mogami Yoshiaki, eventually devised a plan to separate him from the Eight Shields. Mitsunobu's defection triggered the collapse of this alliance of local lords

From this, we can infer that Mr. Nobusawa played a crucial role as the operational leader, second only to Mr. Tendo, the leader of the group

Mogami Yoshiaki's divisive tactic involved a traditional political marriage, in which he married his daughter, Matsuo-hime, to Mitsunobu's son, Matagoro. It is said that Mitsunobu pleaded for the life of Tendō Yorizumi (Yorihisa) in exchange for joining Yoshiaki's ranks, suggesting that a complex political negotiation took place that cannot be simply described as betrayal

As mentioned earlier, Yorizumi was able to escape without being pursued, as per his oath, and this incident clearly demonstrates that the existence of Nobusawa Mitsunobu was a major obstacle for the Mogami Eight Shields

Furthermore, there's an interesting legend about Man'en, who is known for his immense strength

The story goes that his mother was a celestial maiden, and his father, Mitsushige, followed her advice to build Nobezawa Castle, which"Kiriyama Castle"is also known as

Furthermore, there is a magnificent legend that when Yoshiaki Mogami and 7 or 8 of his subordinates attacked Mitsunobu to test his strength, they were easily repelled, and Mitsunobu pulled up Yoshiaki, who was clinging to a cherry tree, along with the tree itself

His mysterious birth and somewhat humorous legend of immense strength seem to be a mournful memory that conveys to this day the bravery of Man'en

On March 14, 1591 (Tensho 19), Nobusawa Mitsunobu died of illness in Kyoto, the capital city where he had accompanied Mogami Yoshiaki

Iida Harima no Kami

Iida Harima-no-kami's birth year is unknown. He was originally a local lord based in what is now Hon-Iida, Murayama City, and it has been suggested that his name may have been "Nobukane."

Iida Castle, their base of operations, was located on a hill approximately 300 meters north-south and 200 meters east-west. After becoming a vassal of Mogami Yoshiaki, he was granted a fief of 2,000 koku, and according to a document called the "Mogami Yoshiaki's Register of Vassals," his fief was said to be as high as 7,000 koku

This suggests that Iida Harima-no-kami's territory possessed extremely high productivity, and it also indicates that he made a significant contribution as a member of the Mogami Eight Shields, particularly in terms of supplying provisions

After the collapse of the Hachitate clan, he became a retainer of Mogami Yoshiaki and participated in the Dewa campaign in 1600. He was on his way to relieve Hataya Castle, which was located in what is now Higashimurayama County, but received news of its fall en route

However, Harima-no-kami did not retreat, but instead rescued the fleeing villagers while holding back the advancing Uesugi army, buying time for them to escape, and ultimately met a heroic death in battle

His comrade, Tani Kashiwa Sagami-no-kami, witnessed the death of Harima-no-kami in battle and, in a desperate act, charged into the Uesugi army. There is a legend that he retrieved Harima-no-kami's head, suggesting that he was a warrior with a strong sense of chivalry who was deeply admired by his comrades

Obanazawa Tozaemon

Obanazawa Tozaemonwas a local lord who was based in the area of ​​present-day Obanazawa City, and the area where Obanazawa Elementary School is located, which is thought to be the site of his castle, still retains the place name "Tate" (meaning "mansion" or "house").

Although Obanazawa Tate is not a mountain castle but a flatland castle built on plains, it is situated on the tip of a terrace facing the Tanigawa River, a tributary of the Mogami River

As one of the eight castles of Mogami, it is believed that it was abandoned after being attacked due to the defection of Nobusawa Mitsunobu, as mentioned earlier, and after Obanazawa Castle fell

Although the exact remains indicating the castle site are unclear, the fact that a magistrate's office was later established there suggests that the location met excellent geographical requirements

Furthermore, Obanazawa was known as a transportation hub during the Edo periodthe Ushu Kaido,. It was also a transportation hub connecting to Murayama, Mogami, Shinjo, and Osaki during the Sengoku period.

It appears that controlling these land route junctions was a powerful backbone for Mr. Obanazawa

Tateoka Inaba-no-kami

Tateoka Inaba-no-kami Mitsuhidewas the lord of Tateoka Castle, located in what is now Murayama City, and was originally a member of the Mogami clan.

The founder of the Tateoka clan was Mitsukuni, the fourth son of Mogami Mitsunao, the third head of the Mogami clan. It is believed that when many branches of the family broke away from the Mogami clan during the Sengoku period, the Tateoka clan, a branch family, also joined the Eight Shields

In the conflict with Mogami Yoshiaki, the clan was ultimately defeated after Nobusawa Mitsunobu left, but thereafter, Mitsushige, the seventh head of the clan who succeeded Mitsuhide, pledged allegiance to the Mogami clan and later moved to Yurihonjo in Akita and adopted the name "Honjo clan."

While the details of Tateoka Mitsuhide's achievements are not well known, it is said that among his subordinates was Asano Kazuma Genshigeji, the father of Hayashizaki Jinsuke Shigenobu, who is famous as the founder of Iaijutsu (sword drawing technique). From this, one can imagine that he was a warrior-like individual who was diligent in training in martial arts such as swordsmanship

Mitsuhide himself was defeated in an attack by Mogami Yoshiaki and others in 1580, and committed suicide

Nagatoro Saemonnojo

, the lord of Nagatoro Castle, which was located in what is now Higashine City,Nagatoro Saemon-no-joit is said that the castle was captured in 1584 when Nobusawa Mitsunobu defected from the Mogami Eight Shields.

Nagatoro Castle was built by the local Nishine clan around the time of the Nanboku-cho period, and later came under the control of the Mogami clan, with the fourth head of the clan, Mogami Mitsuie, reportedly using it as a retirement residence

It is said that the castle was only fully developed after Nagatoro Saemon-no-jo was defeated and Mogami Yoshiaki took control, but it is not a mountain castle, but a flatland"square-shaped concentric style"castle of a type called

It is said that there were originally four baileys, but the details are unclear, and no remains of them survive. However, the existing outer moat alone measures approximately 200 meters on each side, suggesting that it was a considerably large base in its heyday

It gives the impression of a defensive residence rather than a castle, and it's possible that it functioned as a kind of administrative center

Considering these circumstances, it could be argued that the Mogami Eight Shields were not simply a coalition of powerful local lords, but rather the result of an organic collaboration of groups capable of fulfilling a wide variety of functions and roles

Rokuta Hyōe

one of the eight pillars ofthe Mogami clan, are not well known.

However, in present-day Rokuda, Higashine City,"Tatenokoshi,"and it is said that Rokuda Tate, where Hyoe had his base, is located, seemingly cut off by National Route 13.

Although it is now difficult to confirm the remains, the Higashine area where Rokuta Shield once stood indicates a strategically important location

Located at a crucial transportation hub, with Murayama and Obanazawa to the north, Tendo to the south, and Sagae to the west, this region clearly plays a vital role as a defense base in times of emergency

This suggests that an exceptionally strong and capable group had taken root in this area

Nariu Hoki no Kami

The members of the Mogami Eight Shields were ultimately defeated by the forces of Mogami Yoshiaki, and many were driven from their homelands or killed in battle. However, even Nobusawa Mitsunobu, who defected, showed signs of trying to uphold his principles, such as pleading for the life of his leader, Tendō Yorizumi (Yorihisa)

is a little differentof Naruse Hoki-no-kami.

Hoki-no-kami was a chief retainer of the Tendo clan and a close confidant who fought against the Mogami forces. However, when Tendo Castle was attacked by Nobuzawa Mitsunobu, it is said that it was Hoki-no-kami's retainers who set fire to the castle. Hoki-no-kami then took the genealogy of the Dewa Oshu Tandai (governor of Oshu Province) that had been kept there and presented it as a gift to Mogami Yoshiaki. In other words, Hoki-no-kami was also secretly collaborating with them

Thus, the Mogami Eight Shields collapsed, but instead of receiving any reward, Hoki no Kami was punished for his betrayal and banished. In other words, he was used by Mogami Yoshiaki, but it also suggests that, in the culture of the time, the spirit of one's defection was directly linked to their evaluation

At the site of Naruse-tate, which served as the base of the Governor of Hoki Province, a stone monument and an information board stand, and it is still possible to see remnants such as earthworks and moats

[Series] What was the "Mogami Yatsudate," a coalition of local lords in Dewa Province?

Tohoku Rokken Trivia Media NEFT

[Part 1] What was the "Mogami Yatsudate," a coalition of local lords in Dewa Province? | The rivalry between the Mogami and Date clans, powerful figures in Tohoku during the Sengoku period

https://jp.neft.asia/archives/52242

To begin with, when you think of "warlords of Tohoku during the Sengoku period," who comes to mind? While there are countless stories of brave and fierce generals, the most famous is undoubtedly Date Masamune, the first lord of the Sendai domain, known as the "One-Eyed Dragon." However, Masamune's rise to prominence as a powerful figure in Tohoku was marked by fierce struggles, and his maternal uncle, Mogami Yoshiaki, who became the first lord of the Yamagata domain, remained a formidable obstacle. In the Tohoku region, not only were there powerful warlords like the Date and Mogami clans, but also numerous local lords vying for power, making unification difficult...

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Tohoku Rokken Trivia Media NEFT

[Part 2] What is the Mogami Yatsudate, a confederation of local lords in Dewa Province? | Members of the Mogami Yatsudate, a confederation of local lords in Dewa Province

https://jp.neft.asia/archives/52246

Representative Local Lords Who Made Up the Mogami Eight Shields Now, let's take a look at the members who made up the Mogami Eight Shields. As mentioned earlier, during the Tensho Mogami Rebellion, they sided with the combined forces of Yoshimori, the father of Mogami Yoshiaki, and his son-in-law, Date Terumune. Ultimately, the Mogami Eight Shields were defeated by Yoshiaki, but it was not a battle that could be settled in a short period of time. Even for Yoshiaki, conquering the Eight Shields was not easy, and the conflict continued even after he defeated Yoshimori. He not only used pure military force, but also employed political marriages and stratagems to sow internal divisions within the Eight Shields and bring them under control.

Tohoku Rokken Trivia Media NEFT

[Part 2] What was the "Mogami Yatsudate" alliance of local lords in Dewa Province? | The allies of the Yatsudate and the trigger for the Tensho Mogami Rebellion

https://jp.neft.asia/archives/52250

Other Forces that Allied with the Mogami Eight Shields We have looked at an overview of the Mogami Eight Shields, a coalition of local lords in Dewa Province, but these were not the only forces that allied with Mogami Yoshimori and Date Terumune. There were other forces that took a stance of cooperating with the Eight Shields, and it would not be an exaggeration to say that this was more of a war involving Dewa and Mutsu Provinces than simply an internal conflict within the Mogami clan. In this section, let's take a look at some of the representative forces that allied with the Eight Shields. Hosokawa Naomoto First, there is Hosokawa Naomoto, the lord of Oguni Castle in Dewa Province. Oguni Castle is now located in the Mogami...

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Koroku Taito( History writer and novelist )

to Enjoying Life.
" - Honorable Mention for "The Land of Star Readings" at the 3rd Misato Western Treasury Literary Awards.
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competition. - "Swordsman's Communications" at the 9th Historical and Period Novel Grand Prizes, "Exhilarating! Entertainment Swordsman Award" (book publication project in progress).
- 5th Dan in Iaido, 4th Dan in Jodo.

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