Yamana clan
Encyclopedia
The was a Japanese samurai clan which was one of the most powerful of the Muromachi period
(1336-1467); at its peak, members of the family held the position of Constable (shugo
) over eleven provinces
. Originally from Kōzuke province
, and later centered in Inaba province
, the clan claimed descendance from the Seiwa Genji
line, and from Minamoto Yoshishige in particular. They were valued retainers under Minamoto no Yoritomo
, and counted among his gokenin
.
The Yamana were among the chief clans in fighting for the establishment of the Ashikaga shogunate
, and thus remained valued and powerful under the new government. They were Constables of five provinces in 1363, and eleven a short time later. However, members of the Yamana clan rebelled against the shogunate in 1391 and lost most of their land. Yamana Sōzen, likely the most famous member of the clan, would regain these lands in 1441. Through all of this the clan managed to somehow retain a great degree of reputation and power within the shogunate government; along with the Hosokawa
and Hatakeyama clan
s, they served as agents of the shogunate in resolving various disputes.
Sōzen would then become embroiled in a conflict with Hosokawa Katsumoto
over naming the shogun's successor; this conflict grew into the Ōnin War
, which destroyed much of Kyoto, and led to the fall of the shogunate and beginning of the Sengoku period
. In the end this cost the Yamana much of their former influence and land. By the end of the 16th century, the Yamana had been reduced to holding the better part of Inaba Province
. That area would be retained by the Yamana even until the end of the Edo Period
.
Muromachi period
The is a division of Japanese history running from approximately 1336 to 1573. The period marks the governance of the Muromachi or Ashikaga shogunate, which was officially established in 1338 by the first Muromachi shogun, Ashikaga Takauji, two years after the brief Kemmu restoration of imperial...
(1336-1467); at its peak, members of the family held the position of Constable (shugo
Shugo
was a title, commonly translated as "Governor," given to certain officials in feudal Japan. They were each appointed by the shogun to oversee one or more of the provinces of Japan...
) over eleven provinces
Provinces of Japan
Before the modern prefecture system was established, the land of Japan was divided into tens of kuni , usually known in English as provinces. Each province was divided into gun ....
. Originally from Kōzuke province
Kozuke Province
was an old province located in the Tōsandō of Japan, which today comprises Gunma Prefecture. It is nicknamed as or .The ancient provincial capital was near modern Maebashi. During the Sengoku period, Kōzuke was controlled variously by Takeda Shingen, Uesugi Kenshin, the late Hōjō clan, and...
, and later centered in Inaba province
Inaba Province
was an old province of Japan in the area that is today the eastern part of Tottori Prefecture. It was sometimes called . Inaba bordered on Harima, Hōki, Mimasaka, and Tajima Provinces.-History:The ancient capital, and the castle town, were at Tottori city...
, the clan claimed descendance from the Seiwa Genji
Seiwa Genji
The ' were the most successful and powerful of the many branch families of the Japanese Minamoto clan. Many of the most famous Minamoto warriors, including Minamoto Yoshiie, also known as "Hachimantaro", or God of War, and Minamoto no Yoritomo, the founder of the Kamakura shogunate, were descended...
line, and from Minamoto Yoshishige in particular. They were valued retainers under Minamoto no Yoritomo
Minamoto no Yoritomo
was the founder and the first shogun of the Kamakura Shogunate of Japan. He ruled from 1192 until 1199.-Early life and exile :Yoritomo was the third son of Minamoto no Yoshitomo, heir of the Minamoto clan, and his official wife, a daughter of Fujiwara no Suenori, who was a member of the...
, and counted among his gokenin
Gokenin
A was initially a vassal of the shogunate of the Kamakura and the Muromachi periods. In exchange for protection and the right to become shugo or jitō , in times of peace a gokenin had the duty to protect the imperial court and Kamakura, in case of war had to fight with his forces under the...
.
The Yamana were among the chief clans in fighting for the establishment of the Ashikaga shogunate
Ashikaga shogunate
The , also known as the , was a Japanese feudal military regime, ruled by the shoguns of the Ashikaga clan.This period is also known as the Muromachi period and gets its name from Muromachi Street of Kyoto where the third shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu established his residence...
, and thus remained valued and powerful under the new government. They were Constables of five provinces in 1363, and eleven a short time later. However, members of the Yamana clan rebelled against the shogunate in 1391 and lost most of their land. Yamana Sōzen, likely the most famous member of the clan, would regain these lands in 1441. Through all of this the clan managed to somehow retain a great degree of reputation and power within the shogunate government; along with the Hosokawa
Hosokawa clan
The ' was a Japanese samurai clan, descended from Emperor Seiwa and a branch of the Minamoto clan, by the Ashikaga clan. It produced many prominent officials in the Ashikaga shogunate's administration. In the Edo period, the Hosokawa clan was one of the largest landholding daimyo families in Japan...
and Hatakeyama clan
Hatakeyama clan
The ' was a Japanese samurai clan. Originally a branch of the Taira clan and descended from Taira no Takamochi, they fell victim of political intrigue in 1205, when Hatakeyama Shigeyasu, first, and his father Shigetada later were killed in battle by Hōjō forces in Kamakura...
s, they served as agents of the shogunate in resolving various disputes.
Sōzen would then become embroiled in a conflict with Hosokawa Katsumoto
Hosokawa Katsumoto
was one of the Kanrei, the Deputies to the Shogun, during Japan's Muromachi Period. He is famous for his involvement in the creation of Ryōan-ji, a temple famous for its rock garden, and for his involvement in the Ōnin War, which sparked the 130-year Sengoku period.His conflicts with his...
over naming the shogun's successor; this conflict grew into the Ōnin War
Onin War
The ' was a civil war that lasted 10 years during the Muromachi period in Japan. A dispute between Hosokawa Katsumoto and Yamana Sōzen escalated into a nationwide war involving the Ashikaga shogunate and a number of daimyo in many regions of Japan....
, which destroyed much of Kyoto, and led to the fall of the shogunate and beginning of the Sengoku period
Sengoku period
The or Warring States period in Japanese history was a time of social upheaval, political intrigue, and nearly constant military conflict that lasted roughly from the middle of the 15th century to the beginning of the 17th century. The name "Sengoku" was adopted by Japanese historians in reference...
. In the end this cost the Yamana much of their former influence and land. By the end of the 16th century, the Yamana had been reduced to holding the better part of Inaba Province
Inaba Province
was an old province of Japan in the area that is today the eastern part of Tottori Prefecture. It was sometimes called . Inaba bordered on Harima, Hōki, Mimasaka, and Tajima Provinces.-History:The ancient capital, and the castle town, were at Tottori city...
. That area would be retained by the Yamana even until the end of the Edo Period
Edo period
The , or , is a division of Japanese history which was ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family, running from 1603 to 1868. The political entity of this period was the Tokugawa shogunate....
.
Notable clan members
- Minamoto Yoshinori - first to take the name Yamana.
- Yamana Tokiuji - (late 14th c.) - fought in the Nanboku-choNanboku-choThe , spanning from 1336 to 1392, was a period that occurred during the formative years of the Muromachi bakufu of Japan's history.During this period, there existed a Northern Imperial Court, established by Ashikaga Takauji in Kyoto, and a Southern Imperial Court, established by Emperor Go-Daigo in...
Wars, first for the shogunate, and then against it. - Yamana Tsunehisa (early 15th c.)- shugo of Bingo provinceBingo Provincewas a province of Japan on the Inland Sea side of western Honshū, comprising what is today the eastern part of Hiroshima Prefecture. It was sometimes called , with Bizen and Bitchu Provinces. Bingo bordered Bitchū, Hōki, Izumo, Iwami, and Aki Provinces....
- Yamana Sōzen (1404-1473) - played a crucial role in sparking the outbreak of the Ōnin War.
- Yamana Koretoyo - Sōzen's son, fought against his father in the Ōnin War
- Yamana Toyokuni (1548-1626) - defeated by Toyotomi HideyoshiToyotomi Hideyoshiwas 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...
in 1580.