最上義光歴史館
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The Fall of Kaneyama Castle
With Lord Yoshiaki growing more powerful by the day, there was scarce a lord in the domain who did not submit to his rule. However, in the Sakenobe region, which lay on the outskirts of the domain, there was a lord by the name of Sasaki Tenzen who occupied Kaneyama Castle and showed no inclination to yield to Lord Yoshiaki’s command. When a messenger was dispatched to Tenzen, instructing him to present himself in Yamagata without delay, Tenzen was greatly incensed. “From the days of old, no member of the Sasaki family has ever submitted to the Mogami family in Yamagata – why should we do so now? Lord Yoshiaki may have grown mighty in power, but it is unthinkable that I should disgrace the honorable family name by surrendering to him.” “Tenzen is but a youth in his sixteenth year, and it should be an easy enough matter to overcome him,” said Lord Yoshiaki upon hearing of Tenzen’s intransigence, and, leading a large force, he set off for Kaneyama Castle. When he and his men had neared their destination, they set fire to the surrounding lands and then retreated quickly, setting up camp outdoors that night. They pressed forward the next day before daybreak, and Lord Yoshiaki mounted a tall mountain in the vicinity so he could observe the situation of the castle for himself. Rugged cliffs rose on three sides of the castle, making an approach from those directions unfeasible, while the broad Sakegawa River bordered the castle on the remaining side. These geographical advantages made the castle quite secure and unassailable, and it was concluded that it would be impossible to bring this castle down by force. A starvation tactic was adopted instead, and the Mogami force proceeded to impose a tight siege on the castle. Intentionally leaving only the Sakegawa River side open, siege castles were constructed on the other three sides, and the Mogami soldiers dug ditches and built palisades around the mountain base. The Mogami force then settled down to wait for the food supplies within the castle to run out, and Lord Yoshiaki would himself visit the siege castles and reassure the Sakenobe inhabitants that all would be well, taking time out for falconry or other sport on days when the weather was fine. While Kaneyama Castle had its own water well, this single well was not enough to supply the water needs of the men within, and secret nightly expeditions were made to gather water from the mountain streams. Catching wind of this, the Mogami soldiers commenced to lay an ambush of men from the early evening each night, and while the water gatherers would emerge as usual, none would return alive. Tenzen realized that he could not allow this to go on, and one night he dispatched a group of water gatherers with a unit of over a hundred stalwart soldiers following stealthily behind. Quite unaware of this, the Mogami ambush surrounded what they assumed was the usual group of water gatherers. They were preparing to move in for the kill when they suddenly found some hundred enemy soldiers, divided into two parties, descending upon them with swords extended, and the startled Mogami soldiers were easily routed, scrambling over each other in their haste to flee. A Mogami warrior by the name of Takeda Hyōgo happened to be positioned nearby, and when he saw what was happening, he immediately leapt upon his horse and rode out to meet the enemy single-handedly. He cut two or three enemy soldiers down from their horses, sending sparks flying in the fury of his attack, but none of his retainers arrived to fight alongside him, and the large enemy force soon had him surrounded on all sides. He suffered three deep gashes, and when he finally fell, the enemy soldiers cut off his head and impaled it on the end of a sword, raising a cry of victory as they retreated back into the castle. By this point the Mogami side had at last become aware of the commotion, and reinforcements rode out to offer support, but when they arrived to find the enemy already safely ensconced within their castle, they were forced to return, deflated, to their original positions. Lord Yoshiaki was quite enraged to hear what had happened. “This is a castle that cannot possibly hold out against us for more than a month or two,” he said, “but by putting ourselves at risk for a matter of little consequence, we have allowed the enemy to achieve a victory over us. From this point on, I forbid any of the men to venture beyond our defenses.” As expected, the food supplies in the castle gradually began to dwindle, and cows and horses were being slaughtered for food when the castle garrison grew restless. “Rather than allowing ourselves to simply starve to death,” they said, “it is not better that we fight and die honorably while we still have the strength left to do so?” They opened the main castle gate and sallied forth in a body, but in line with Lord Yoshiaki’s orders, not a single one of the Mogami soldiers ventured beyond the palisades, instead remaining back with bowmen and arquebusiers, several ranks deep, at the ready. Realizing that any attempt to breach the Mogami defenses and tear down the palisades would simply make them easy targets to be picked off one by one, the enemy soldiers returned to the castle in defeat. There were diverging opinions as to what should be done next, but then a vassal by the name of Zushonosuke stepped forward to speak. “Though we may continue to entrench ourselves within this castle, there is no hope of victory for us here. Lord Tenzen, however, is still young, and there is much for your lordship to accomplish in the future. I have observed that Lord Yoshiaki has left the Sakegawa River border of our castle undefended, and I propose that we use this route to retreat to Shōnai for the time being.” His proposal was accepted, and that evening the entire enemy force piled into boats to escape into the domain of the Ignoble Lord, as he was so known, of Shōnai. When the Mogami night sentries observed what was happening, they hurried to report the news to the head encampment. “The soldiers of the castle garrison are making their escape tonight. Voices can be heard on the Sakegawa River, and the light of many torches may be seen.” Upon hearing the report of the sentries, Lord Yoshiaki showed little surprise. “I had expected this,” he said, “but I have an idea in mind, so if they wish to escape, allow them to do so.” The night passed, silent and still, and when the Mogami force advanced on the castle the next morning before daybreak, they found it devoid of any human presence, with only four or five gaunt horses left behind. Realizing what had taken place, the Mogami soldiers rued the opportunity that had been missed. “With no food supplies remaining,” they said, “the enemy would not have had the strength to put up a resistance, and it would have been easy enough to take the castle. It is indeed deplorable that we failed to finish them off when we had the chance.” “I myself was well aware of the situation,” said Lord Yoshiaki, addressing his men, “but Tenzen is a skilled warrior in his own right, in addition to being a member of the noble Sasaki family. I have spared his life and allowed him to make his escape in the hopes that we may in time be able to turn him to our side. I presume that he has fled to the protection of Mutō Mitsuyasu of Shōnai, he who they call the Ignoble Lord.” His lordship was quite correct, for after the Ignoble Lord met his downfall, Tenzen surrendered himself to Ujiie Owari no Kami and went forth to Yamagata to enter the service of Lord Yoshiaki. Proving himself to be a man of sharp wits in addition to valor, the domain of Sakenobe was eventually returned to him, and he was given the title Sakenobe Echizen no Kami and later appointed a regent of the Mogami clan. ―――――――――――――――――――― >>CONTENTS |
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The Extraordinary Strength of Nobesawa Noto no Kami
Lord Yoshiaki was well acquainted with the tales told of the uncommon strength of his vassal Nobesawa Noto no Kami, but one day he took it into his head to put this reputation to the test. From among his personal attendants and other retainers, he selected seven or eight of his most powerful men, and, garbed in light kimono, Lord Yoshiaki and this small band of men set off for Noto no Kami’s residence. When word of their approach reached the ears of Noto no Kami, he readied himself and went out alone into the great garden which lay outside a large room of his residence, waiting impatiently for the arrival of his guests. This took place during the seventh month, on the night of the full moon, and the scene was so flooded with moonlight that it seemed brighter even than midday. Reaching their destination, the seven or eight men accompanying Lord Yoshiaki – all of them at the peak of their physical prowess – ran quickly into the garden where Noto no Kami awaited them. When one and then another of them attempted to catch hold of Noto no Kami, he seized them with his hands and tossed them a distance of some thirteen or fourteen meters. Seeing that they were singly no match for him, the remaining four or five men set on Noto no Kami as one, surrounding him on all sides and grappling with him as they attempted to wrestle him to the ground. However, Noto no Kami had not earned his reputation for naught. He used his arms and legs to pull and fling them down easily, and then he turned on Lord Yoshiaki. The scene he had just witnessed left his lordship in no doubt that his own strength would be no match for the other man’s, and he took to his heels without even a single glance behind him. When Noto no Kami overtook him and seized him from behind, his lordship must have been at a loss for what to do, for he grabbed hold of the trunk of a withered cherry tree, some seventy-five centimeters in diameter, and held on for dear life. Noto no Kami mustered all of his strength to pull Lord Yoshiaki away from the tree, but his lordship clung even more tightly. As this powerful struggle continued, the earth surrounding the base of the tree began to give way, and the tree was suddenly wrenched from the soil, roots and all. Not even Noto no Kami had anticipated this outcome, and he released Lord Yoshiaki in his surprise. In a high good humor, his lordship addressed Noto no Kami. “Your strength far surpasses even the tales that are told of it,” his lordship said. “On that occasion when our army attempted to take Tendō while you still defended it, it is hardly surprising that you were able to sweep us up and send us packing on your own!” He bade Noto no Kami accompany him back to his castle, where he bestowed upon him many rich rewards. From that time forth, Noto no Kami was known by all the people in the domain as a man whose strength was indeed second to none. ―――――――――――――――――――― >>CONTENTS |
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最上義光の四男 山野辺義忠の成長期を探る
【四 義忠の従来の人物評とは】 これまでは、家臣の知行状を柱にして、その解明に努めてきた。こゝに先人達の述べられてこられた、義忠に関わる関連記事を取り上げて見る。いずれも概要のみの引用ではあるが、その代表的な『山辺郷土概史』などを中心に取り上げてみる。 イ、天正十六年、最上義光の第四子として山形城に生まれる。 ロ、天正十八年三歳の時、早くも人質となって徳川家康のもとに送られている。 ハ、家康の城に在営中、早くも老政治家家康の慧眼に映じ、「将来恐るべき怪童である」と賞賛された。 二、義光は秀吉に接近することは容易ではなかったらしく、その都度、家康の労を煩わし……その恩義に報いるため、家親(義光次男)を人質に入れたが、小田原参陣の折り義忠を人質に入れることを約束した。 ホ、[水戸藩国老山野辺家系図]に、関ヶ原御陣之節、父出羽守義光、義忠ヲ以テ証人ニ差上ゲ…… ヘ、義忠の一生は実に波乱重畳を極め、その発端は関ヶ原戦に際し義光の人質となり、家康の下に赴いた。時に齢十三歳、在府僅かに一年に過ぎなかったにもかかわらず、家康の慧眼に映じ、将来恐るべき怪童であると言わしめた。 以上、話しが少し重複したが、後に水戸藩士となる山野辺氏の家系図は、関ヶ原戦の際に人質として家康のもとに行ったとしているが、果たして事実であったろうか、疑問の残る話しである。また天正十八年(1590)三歳の時、人質となり家康のもとへと云っているが、この年は関白秀吉の奥州の陣の年であり、義光が次男の家親を、家康に差し出した年である、同じこの年に三歳の幼児の義忠を、共に家康のもとに送られるだろうか。 このように、義忠の成長期の動向についての評価は、全く実の有る正しい見方から、かけ離れたものになってしまっているようだ。 義忠の成長期を語る中で、石川、鮎貝氏を取り上げている文献等が、少しは見られるようだ。ここに三点の事典の類いを取り上げてみよう。 ト、『戦国大名家臣団事典』(昭五十六年 新人物往来社) 某年二月九日、石河太左衛門に宛てた光茂(義忠)書状と伝えられる文書(石川文書)によると、光茂は石河に百石を給しており、山野辺氏には家中も多く、年寄などの重臣や近習もいたらしい…… チ、『日本歴史地名大系』(平二年 平凡社) 楯岡村 天正二十年二月二八日の二通の楯岡聖王丸充行状写によれば、最上義光の四男満茂が楯岡城主で、「楯岡ニ南谷地田之内、知明堰ニ壱万苅之所」を石川与三右兵衛尉に、「楯岡之内、谷地田并知明堰二壱万五千苅之所」を、鮎貝摂津守宗信に宛行っている。 リ、『戦国時代人物事典』(平二十一年 歴史群像編集部) 楯岡光直 〜寛永六、甲斐守、楯岡城主、義守の子、義光の弟、幼名聖王丸、楯岡氏は最上氏の一族であるが、義光時代の当主満茂との関係は未詳、文禄元年(1592)二月二十八日付で、家臣に知行を与えた文書が残っており、この時期にはすでに楯岡城主となっていたことがわかる。一族の重臣として一万六千石を領す、……元和八年、最上氏改易により、小倉城主細川忠利に預けられた。 山辺光茂 義忠とも、最上義光の四男、山辺城主、長谷堂合戦屏風左隻に山辺右衛門太夫として登場するが、当時まだ十三才であり、先陣に加わったかは未詳…… 以上、ここに三点の図書を取り上げた。(ト)、(チ)では義忠と例の「知行状」との関連について述べてはいる。しかし、(リ)の楯岡光直の履歴を見ると、支離滅裂というか、全く意味を為さない記述となっている。楯岡甲斐守光直の人間像が、全く否定されているといっても過言ではない。 しかし、これはこの稿の筆者自身の意図で書かれたものではなく、編集の段階で第三者の手により前後の意味を解せず省略し、簡潔にまとめ上げた結果、このような記述となったのであろう。 このように、郷土史や事典などから、義忠関連の記事を拾ってみたのだが、首をかしげたくなるような箇所が所々に見られることだ。特に「天正十八年三歳の時、人質として家康のもとへ……」とするは、この年は秀吉の奥州出陣の際に、義光が次男の家親を徳川家康に差し出した年である。この年に幼少の義忠をも、重ねて差し出すであろうか。また、一方では関ヶ原戦に於いて、証人として差し出したとも云っている。 このように、義忠の証人(人質)問題を採って見ても、確たる証拠の無いまゝに、今日まで時が流れてきてしまったようだ。 ■執筆:小野未三 前をみる>>こちら 次をみる>>こちら |
(C) Mogami Yoshiaki Historical Museum
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最上義光歴史館/財団法人山形市文化振興事業団