Mogami clan
Encyclopedia
The were Japanese daimyo
, and were a branch of the Ashikaga family
. In the Sengoku period, it was the Sengoku Daimyo which ruled Dewa Province
which is now Yamagata Prefecture
and Akita Prefecture
.
The Mogami clan is derived from the Shiba clan
that was a branch of the Ashikaga clan. In 1354, Shiba Iekane (斯波家兼) got orders from Ashikaga Takauji
, and fought against the Northern Court (北朝) army in Ōu (奥羽) region, Tohoku region
now.
In 1356, Iekane sent his son Shiba Kaneyori (斯波兼頼) to the Yamagata basin as a measure to cope with the Northern Court army. Kaneyori built Yamagata Castle in about 1360, and won against the Northern Court army in 1367. After that, he settled there and took the name “Mogami”, from the town in Dewa Province. This is the origin of the Mogami clan.
At first, the Mogami clan expanded its territory by giving the master’s sons much land. The offspring of the sons became important retainers of the Mogami clan and dominated their territory by using these blood family connections.
In the age of Mogami Mitsuie (満家) , however, their domination collapsed because the connections of the blood relationship weakened, and their power declined. In the end, Mogami Yoshisada (義定) lost to Date Tanemune
in 1514; as a result, The Mogami clan became dominated by the Date clan. After Yoshisada died, Mogami Yoshimori (最上 良守), 2 years old then, became the master in 1522.
In 1542, a war broke out between Date Tanemune and his son Date Harumune
. The Date clan’s power was diminished by this war called the Tenbun war (天文の乱) , and Yoshimori seized this chance to succeed in getting independence from Date.
In Mogami Yoshiaki
's time, he expanded the Mogami territory enormously. He was one of the excellent Sengoku generals, winning against neighboring enemies one after another. As a result, he was given about 200,000 koku
by Toyotomi Hideyoshi
after the Siege of Odawara
.
Yoshiaki supported Tokugawa Ieyasu
when the Battle of Sekigahara
broke out in 1600, and defended his territory against the attack of Uesugi clan
’s large army, and robbed the Uesugi clan of the Shonai area.
As a reward, he was given 570,000 koku by Ieyasu after the Battle of Sekigahara ended, and the Mogami fief became the fifth largest in Japan, excluding the lands held by the Tokugawa. Afterwards, Mogami Yoshiaki developed flood control of the Mogami River in his territory, which allowed for safer navigation of the river and also for irrigation to increase rice farming, and this was one of his great successes. He also reconstructed and expanded Yamagata Castle and the surrounding castle town.
In 1614, he died at Yamagata Castle. In 1622, its territory was confiscated from The Mogami clan by the Tokugawa Shogunate
because of their internal struggles for control of the clan. Afterwards, it became koke
(高家) and was allowed to continue until now.
Daimyo
is a generic term referring to the powerful territorial lords in pre-modern Japan who ruled most of the country from their vast, hereditary land holdings...
, and were a branch of the Ashikaga family
Ashikaga clan
The ' was a prominent Japanese samurai clan which established the Muromachi shogunate and ruled Japan from roughly 1336 to 1573.The Ashikaga were descended from a branch of the Minamoto clan, deriving originally from the town of Ashikaga in Shimotsuke province .For about a century the clan was...
. In the Sengoku period, it was the Sengoku Daimyo which ruled Dewa Province
Dewa Province
is an old province of Japan, comprising modern-day Yamagata Prefecture and Akita Prefecture, except for the city of Kazuno and the town of Kosaka. It was sometimes called .-Historical record:...
which is now Yamagata Prefecture
Yamagata Prefecture
-Fruit:Yamagata Prefecture is the largest producer of cherries and pears in Japan. A large quantity of other kinds of fruits such as grapes, apples, peaches, melons, persimmons and watermelons are also produced.- Demographics :...
and Akita Prefecture
Akita Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku Region of northern Honshu, the main island of Japan. The capital is the city of Akita.- History :The area of Akita has been created from the ancient provinces of Dewa and Mutsu....
.
The Mogami clan is derived from the Shiba clan
Shiba clan
The was a Japanese clan claiming descent from the Minamoto clan of the Heian era that held influence and territory in the provinces of Echizen province and Owari province to which they were governors during the Sengoku era. However, they were unable to make a transition to Sengoku-daimyo and lost...
that was a branch of the Ashikaga clan. In 1354, Shiba Iekane (斯波家兼) got orders from Ashikaga Takauji
Ashikaga Takauji
was the founder and first shogun of the Ashikaga shogunate. His rule began in 1338, beginning the Muromachi period of Japan, and ended with his death in 1358...
, and fought against the Northern Court (北朝) army in Ōu (奥羽) region, Tohoku region
Tohoku region
The is a geographical area of Japan. The region occupies the northeastern portion of Honshu, the largest island of Japan. The region consists of six prefectures : Akita, Aomori, Fukushima, Iwate, Miyagi and Yamagata....
now.
In 1356, Iekane sent his son Shiba Kaneyori (斯波兼頼) to the Yamagata basin as a measure to cope with the Northern Court army. Kaneyori built Yamagata Castle in about 1360, and won against the Northern Court army in 1367. After that, he settled there and took the name “Mogami”, from the town in Dewa Province. This is the origin of the Mogami clan.
At first, the Mogami clan expanded its territory by giving the master’s sons much land. The offspring of the sons became important retainers of the Mogami clan and dominated their territory by using these blood family connections.
In the age of Mogami Mitsuie (満家) , however, their domination collapsed because the connections of the blood relationship weakened, and their power declined. In the end, Mogami Yoshisada (義定) lost to Date Tanemune
Date Tanemune
was a Japanese daimyo of the Sengoku period. The son of Date Hisamune, he ruled the Date clan from 1514 until his death in 1578....
in 1514; as a result, The Mogami clan became dominated by the Date clan. After Yoshisada died, Mogami Yoshimori (最上 良守), 2 years old then, became the master in 1522.
In 1542, a war broke out between Date Tanemune and his son Date Harumune
Date Harumune
was a Japanese daimyo of the Sengoku period, who was the 15th head of the Date clan of Mutsu Province. Harumune was the son of Date Tanemune....
. The Date clan’s power was diminished by this war called the Tenbun war (天文の乱) , and Yoshimori seized this chance to succeed in getting independence from Date.
In Mogami Yoshiaki
Mogami Yoshiaki
was a daimyō of the Yamagata domain in Dewa Province, in the late Sengoku period and early Edo period.-Life:Mogami Yoshiaki was the first son of Mogami Yoshimori , and succeeded his father as daimyō of Yamagata...
's time, he expanded the Mogami territory enormously. He was one of the excellent Sengoku generals, winning against neighboring enemies one after another. As a result, he was given about 200,000 koku
Koku
The is a Japanese unit of volume, equal to ten cubic shaku. In this definition, 3.5937 koku equal one cubic metre, i.e. 1 koku is approximately 278.3 litres. The koku was originally defined as a quantity of rice, historically defined as enough rice to feed one person for one year...
by Toyotomi Hideyoshi
Toyotomi Hideyoshi
was a daimyo warrior, general and politician of the Sengoku period. He unified the political factions of Japan. He succeeded his former liege lord, Oda Nobunaga, and brought an end to the Sengoku period. The period of his rule is often called the Momoyama period, named after Hideyoshi's castle...
after the Siege of Odawara
Siege of Odawara (1590)
The third ' occurred in 1590, and was the primary action in Toyotomi Hideyoshi's campaign to eliminate the Hōjō clan as a threat to his power. The months leading up to it saw hasty but major improvements in the defense of the castle, as Hideyoshi's intentions became clear...
.
Yoshiaki supported Tokugawa Ieyasu
Tokugawa Ieyasu
was the founder and first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan , which ruled from the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. Ieyasu seized power in 1600, received appointment as shogun in 1603, abdicated from office in 1605, but...
when the Battle of Sekigahara
Battle of Sekigahara
The , popularly known as the , was a decisive battle on October 21, 1600 which cleared the path to the Shogunate for Tokugawa Ieyasu...
broke out in 1600, and defended his territory against the attack of Uesugi clan
Uesugi clan
The was a Japanese samurai clan, descended from the Fujiwara clan and particularly notable for their power in the Muromachi and Sengoku periods ....
’s large army, and robbed the Uesugi clan of the Shonai area.
As a reward, he was given 570,000 koku by Ieyasu after the Battle of Sekigahara ended, and the Mogami fief became the fifth largest in Japan, excluding the lands held by the Tokugawa. Afterwards, Mogami Yoshiaki developed flood control of the Mogami River in his territory, which allowed for safer navigation of the river and also for irrigation to increase rice farming, and this was one of his great successes. He also reconstructed and expanded Yamagata Castle and the surrounding castle town.
In 1614, he died at Yamagata Castle. In 1622, its territory was confiscated from The Mogami clan by the Tokugawa Shogunate
Tokugawa shogunate
The Tokugawa shogunate, also known as the and the , was a feudal regime of Japan established by Tokugawa Ieyasu and ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family. This period is known as the Edo period and gets its name from the capital city, Edo, which is now called Tokyo, after the name was...
because of their internal struggles for control of the clan. Afterwards, it became koke
Koke
A was a noble ranking below a daimyo in Japan during the Edo period. Their lands were assessed at less than ten thousand koku, making them ineligible for the rank of daimyo.Unlike hatamoto, whose duties were military, the kōke had certain privileged missions...
(高家) and was allowed to continue until now.