Sasaki Yoshikiyo
Sasaki Yoshikiyo (佐々木 義清, 1161–1242) was a samurai member of the Minamoto clan, who was the founder of Izumo-Genji clan.
Background
Sasaki Yoshikiyo was born as the 5th son of Sasaki Hideyoshi, who was the head of the Sasaki clan of Uda-Genji (Uda-Gen clan), based on Sasaki-no-sho, Gamo-gun Manor in Ōmi Province.His father Hideyoshi Sasaki, who fought against the Taira clan in the Hōgen (1156) and Heiji Wars (1160). As a result, Hideyoshi was defeated in the Heiji war. Hideyoshi was deprived of his feudal estate, and moved away to Sagami Province. Shibuya Shigekuni who was a samurai of Sagami had been respecting Hideyoshi's bravery. That is why he sheltered Hideyoshi in his territory and had his daughter marry Hideyoshi. Sasaki Yoshikiyo was born in Sagami in 1161 as the 5th son of Sasaki Hideyoshi. His mother was a daughter of Shibuya Shigekuni.Although Yoshikiyo had four elder brothers, they were by different mothers. Yoshikiyo grew up in Sagami, and got married to a daughter of Ōba Kagechika.
Early military career
When Minamoto no Yoritomo (head of the Genji clan) raised an army for order to overthrow the Taira clan (Heike) in 1180, Yoshikiyo's step brothers sided with the Yoritomo. Shibuya Shigekuni who was Yoshikiyo's maternal grandfather sided with the Taira clan, and Oba Kagechika who was his father-in-law became the head of the Tairas' army. Shigekuni's longtime kindness made Hideyoshi unable to make up his mind. As the result, although he sided with the Tairas officially, he sided with Yoritomo in fact. His son Yoshikiyo also worried about the same problem, but he decided to side with the TAIRA clan finally. Yoshikiyo, who was on the Tairas' side, won the Battle of Ishibashiyama, which turned out to be the first fight of a series of wars. On the other hand, Yoritomo, who was on the Genji side, won the Battle of Kise-gawa, which broke out the next. Yoshikiyo surrendered to Yoritomo side, and after that, he sided with the Minamotos and fought in the Genpei War. In 1185, The Tairas were overthrown in Battle of Dan-no-ura. After the war ended, his four elder step brothers were praised about their distinguished military services by Yoritomo, and they got their own feudal estate. But since only Yoshikiyo had been on the enemy side at first, he just could not get any prizes. However, he kept on working seriously without blaming to this. In 1221, the Jōkyū War broke out. He sided with Bakufu (Kamakura Shoguneto) and won a victory in this war. His distinguished military services and his old achievements were praised by Bakufu and he became the governor of both Oki Province and Izumo Province.
The end of his life
Since he became the governor of Oki and Izumo he emigrated to Izumo. In 1242, Yoshikiyo died at age 81.Since his posterity prospered at the place, the person in future generations called him "founder of Izumo Genji".
His family (Izumo Genji clan)
- grandfather:Sasaki Tametoshi
- father:Sasaki Hideyoshi
- himself:Sasaki Yoshikoyo
- eldest daughter:Nogi Mitsutsuna's wife
- adopted son:Nogi Mitsutsuna (Nogi Maresuke's ancestor)
- eldest son:Sasaki Masayoshi
- second son:Sasaki Yasukiyo
- Yasukiyo's eldest son:Oki Yoshishige
- Yasukiyo's 2nd son:Oki Tokikiyo
- Yasukiyo's 3rd son:Enya Yoriyasu
- Yasukiyo's 4th son:Toda Yoshiyasu
- Yasukiyo's 5th son:Sasaki Shigekiyo
- Yasukiyo's 6th son:Gotō Motoaki
- Yasukiyo's 7th son:Sasaki Yorikiyo
- Yasukiyo's 8th son:Takaoka Muneyasu
- Yasukiyo's 9th son:Koshi Yoshinobu
- Yasukiyo's 10th son:Komazaki Kiyomura
- Yasukiyo's 11th son:Sasaki Kiyoyoshi
- Yasukiyo's eldest daughter:Momoi Yorinao's wife
- Yasukiyo's 2nd daughter:Sasaki Munetsune's wife
- Yasukiyo's 3rd daughter:Azuma Rokurōzaemon's wife
- himself:Sasaki Yoshikoyo
- father:Sasaki Hideyoshi
References
- Kitagawa, Hiroshi and Bruce T. Tsuchida, eds. (1975). The Tale of the Heike. Tokyo: University of Tokyo Press.
- Azuma Kagami
- Genpei Jōsuiki