Uesugi Norizane (上杉憲実)
Norizane UESUGI (1410 - March 31, 1466?) was a busho (Japanese military commander) in the middle of the Muromachi period. His father was shugo (provincial constable) of Echigo Province, Fusakata UESUGI, who was born in the Yamanouchi-Uesugi clan and became a member of the Echigo-Uesugi clan, and Norizane was a third child. His wife was a daughter of the Isshiki clan. He had children, Noritada UESUGI, Fusaaki UESUGI, Shusei, Hoko, Shutai and so on. His childhood names were Kujakumaru and Shiro. He served as Awa no kami (Governor of Awa Province). He served as Kanto Kanrei (A shogunal deputy for the Kanto region), and he was also noted for the reestablishment of Ashikaga school and Kanazawa Library.
Biography
He was Kanto Kanrei (A shogunal deputy for the Kanto region). He was born in Echigo Province. After War of Zenshu UESUGI was resolved in Kamakura in 1416, he became an adopted son of Kanto Kanrei, Norimoto UESUGI (theYamanouchi-Uesugi clan) in 1418, and went down to Kamakura. Kanto Kanrei was an important post to assist Kamakura kubo (Governor-general of the Kanto region) at Kamakura Government, the regional office of Muromachi bakufu (Japanese feudal government headed by a shogun), and it is said that he assumed office as Kanto Kanrei at the age of 10 due to the death of Norimoto in 1419, and it is confirmed that he took office of Kanto Kanrei in the next year, 1420. He became a provincial constable of Kozuke Province and Izu Province. In 1423, he went to the conquest of the Oguri clan in Hitachi Province who rose in revolt.
After the death of Yoshimochi ASHIKAGA, the 4th seii taishogun (literally, "great general who subdues the barbarians") in 1428, Yoshinori ASHIKAGA became the 6th shogun by drawing lots. Norizane's lord, Kanto-Kubo Mochiuji ASHIKAGA, was dissatisfied that he wasn't elected as a potential successor of shogun and attempted to go up to Kyoto at the head of an army, however Norizane dissuaded this. Norizane consistently made an effort to mediate between Kamakura Government and Bakufu; when Mochiuji ignored changing the name of an era by Bakufu, Norizane worried about Mochiie's relationship with Bakufu and dispatched envoy in order to apologize about Mochiuji's behavior to Bakufu in 1431, and in the next year, 1432, he returned shoryo (territory) to Bakufu that was dispossessed by Kamakura Government, and also in the same year, Shogun Yoshinori's geko (go down to the province) to Fuji was discussed in Bakufu, Norizane urged them to postpone his geko on the lookout for disturbing situation in Kanto region, and he sent gifts to Mansai who was Monzeki (successor of a temple) of Sanbo-in of Daigo-ji Temple. There is evidence that Bakufu tried to grasp movement of Kamakura through Norizane, and it is considered that there was a feud between Mochiuji who continuously took an attitude of confrontation against Yoshinori and a moderate Norizane.
Eikyo War
In 1436, Masayasu OGASAWARA, a provincial constable of Shinano Province under control of Bakufu and the local ruling family, Yorikiyo MURAKAMI, disputed over territories, and Mochiuji attempted to dispatch troops to save the Murakami clan who asked Kamakura Bakufu for support, however, Norizane protested against him, saying that Shinano was beyond Kanto Kanrei's jurisdiction and prevented the dispatch of troops, and the Ogasawara clan won in this battle. In the next year, 1437, when Mochiuji made a plan to dispatch troops to Shinano Province again, the rumor spread that Mochiuji dispatched the troops to kill Norizane, therefore, Norizane's side also gathered troops and this caused a state of tension. Although Mochiie visited Norizane and had a meeting, Norizane went down to Fuijisawa, Sagami Province, and after he let the legitimate child go to the territory Kozuke, he went into Kamakura. While Mochiuji asked Norizane to stay in the post, Norizane resigned from the post of Kanrei, a feud between them remained to be unresolved.
In June in 1438, when Mochiie's legitimate child, Kenomaru (Yoshihisa ASHIKAGA) reached the manhood, Norizane advised Mochiuji to be received ichiji-hairyo of shogun (honorary use one Chinese character from the name of his lord) for his son following the custom, however, Mochiuji ignored this advice and named him 'Yoshihisa.'
Around this time the rumor was going around that Mochiuji tried to assassinate Norizane, therefore Norizane was absent from the ceremony of Yoshihisa's genpuku (celebrate one's coming of age). In August, Norizane vanished from Kamakura and went down to Hirai-jo Castle in his territory, Kozuke Province. After Mochiuji gave the banner to the Isshiki clan for the suppression of Norizane in August, he dispatched troops and went to the war himself. Against this situation in Kanto region, Bakufu defeated Mochiie's suppression army. In October, Norizane arrived at an encampment in Bubaigawara, Musashi Province, and defeated the spearhead army, the Isshiki and Ogasawara army. After Kamakura army was defeated by Bakufu army, Mochiuji entered into priesthood in Eian-ji Temple, (Kamakura City). Although Norizane pleaded with Bakufu for Mochiie's life and Yoshihisa's assumption of Kanto-kubo, Yoshinori didn't accept this and ordered Norizane to kill Mochiuji. In 1439, Norizane attacked Eian-ji Temple against his will, and Mochiuji and Yoshihisa killed themselves (Eikyo War).
Becoming a priest and retirement
After the war, Norizane left future affairs in his brother, Kiyokata UESUGI's hand, and retreated to Izu Kokusei-ji Temple to become priest and called himself Untoan Chotokogan. In 1440, the Yuki clan led Mochiuji's bereaved child and raised an army against the bakufu (Yujki War). Bakufu ordered Norizane to return to the political world, and Norizane went into the war unavoidably. After that, Norizane retired from the world again.
In 1441, Yoshinori ASHIKAGA was assassinated in Kakitsu War. Bakufu ordered Norizane to make a come back as Kanto Kanrei for order restoration in Kanto region, however Norizane turned down this and made their children, except his second son, Fusaaki UESUGI, become priests. Norizane ordered their children not to return to secular life. In 1447, when Mochiuji's bereaved child, Shigeuji ASHIKAGA, became Kanto-kubo, Norizane's first son, Noritada UESUGI returned to secular life and took the post of Kanto Kanrei. Norizane disowned Noritada, saying that he was disloyal to his father. As Norizane felt uneasiness, Shigeuji, who thought that Norizane was a desire for revenge for the death of his father, assassinated Noritada in 1454 and started Kyotoku War.
After this, he set out on a journey of pilgrimage in various districts and it is said that he went to Kyoto and Kyushu. In 1452, he counted on the Ouchi family and stayed there, and he died at the age of 57 in Dainei-ji Temple in Nagato Province.
Personal Profile
Norizane had high motive for Confucianism, and since 1432, he had been involved in the reestablishment of Ashikaga School, and he also made a great achievement for cultural projects such as donating books including the Five Classics texts of Confucianism.
Although his intelligence had been noted since he was a child, Kasai (main retainer), Kagemasa NAGAO, executed government affairs for Norizane in his first years as Kanto Kanrei.
Even though the post, Kanto Kanrei, was Kamakura-kubo's subordinate, shogun in Kyoto had its appointive power. This made Norizane's position of mediator between Bakufu in Kyoto (Yoshinori) and Kamakura Bakufu (Mochiuji) more difficult.
Because Norizane had high motive for Confucianism, it is described that he severely regretted that he betrayed his lord, Mochiuji, as a result, and tried to kill himself after Eikyo War ("Eikyoki"). After that, he refused the repeated requests from Bakufu that he returned to the post and he showed pessimistic behavior such as making a tour of various districts.
When he died in Dainei-ji Temple, one of the best artist monk of the day, Sotan described Norizane as '人皆その風を望み、敬せざる無し、忽ち逝去を聞き、感すべき慕うべきなり' ("Inryoken Nichiroku" [Inryoken's Diary]), and this indicates that he was respected.