Rokkaku Yoshikata | |
|---|---|
六角 義賢 | |
 Rokkaku Yoshikata's portrait | |
| Head ofRokkaku clan | |
| In office 1552–1559 | |
| Succeeded by | Rokkaku Yoshisuke |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1521 |
| Died | 19 April 1598 (aged 76–77) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | Ashikaga Shogunate |
| Unit | Rokkaku clan |
| Battles/wars | Battle of Norada (1560) Battle of Kannonji (1568) Siege of Kanegasaki (1570) Ishiyama Hongan-ji War (1574–1580) |
Rokkaku Yoshikata (六角 義賢; 1521 – 19 April 1598) was a samurai head of theRokkaku clan during Japan'sSengoku period.[1] He wasshugo (governor) and laterdaimyō of an area of southernŌmi province, he served as castellan ofKannonji Castle. He later became aBuddhist monk, under the nameShōtei.
The son ofRokkaku Sadayori, Yoshikata fought in many of the battles for control of theKyoto area during this period. In 1549, he became allied withHosokawa Harumoto againstMiyoshi Chōkei, and succeeded his father as head of the family in 1552. After a number of victories against the Miyoshi, the tides turned; Yoshikata and his Hosokawa allies in service of theshōgunAshikaga Yoshiteru began to experience a string of defeats. In 1558, theshōgun reconciled his differences with theMiyoshi clan, putting an end to the conflict.
Seeing an opportunity,Azai Hisamasa of northern Ōmi invaded the Rokkaku territory. Defeated, theAzai clan was forced to become vassals to the Rokkaku. Yoshikata entered the Buddhist priesthood in 1559, passing on his status within the family to his sonRokkaku Yoshisuke, but remained active in the family's battles nevertheless. Yoshikata led his clan's forces to battle the following year againstAzai Nagamasa, seeking to maintain his control over the Azai and their territory. He was sorely defeated in this, thebattle of Norada, which marked the beginning of the decline of the Rokkaku clan.
In 1563, one of their chief vassals,Gotō Katatoyo, killed someone insideKannonji Castle (seeKannonji Disturbance). Distrust between the Rokkaku lords and their retainers reached the point that Yoshikata and his son were driven from the castle. They returned soon afterwards, however, through the mediation ofGamō Sadahide andGamō Katahide.
In 1565, the Rokkaku were again attacked by the Azai; and the invading forces were contained.
In 1568,Oda Nobunaga, in the service ofshōgunAshikaga Yoshiaki, asked the Rokkaku to join his army, and was refused. Defeated in the ensuing battle, the Rokkaku were driven from their castle, settling inKōka, their clan effectively eliminated asdaimyō.[2]
In 1570, afterSiege of Kanegasaki, the Rokkaku were defeated byShibata Katsuie at Chōkōji castle, and again at Bodaiji castle, eventually submitting to Nobunaga. At Nobunaga's orders, Yoshikata was imprisoned inIshibe castle, held bySakuma Nobumori. He escaped four years later in 1574, fleeing toShigaraki. There, he lived in seclusion, aiding local movements, and theIshiyama Hongan-ji, against Nobunaga.
Yoshikata died at the age of 77 in 1598. During his life, he studiedarchery underYoshida Shigemasa, and began his own school of horsemanship, the Sasaki-ryū.
During the Sengoku period, Japan's social and legal culture evolved in ways unrelated to the well-known history of serial battles and armed skirmishes. A number of forward-looking daimyos independently promulgated codes of conduct to be applied within a specific han or domain. Few examples of these daimyo-made law codes have survived, but the legal framework contrived by the Rokkaku clan remains amongst the small number of documents which can still be studied:
Works cited