Kawagoe Shigekazu (河越重員)
Shigekazu KAWAGOE (years of birth and death unknown) was a Japanese military commander of Kawagoe Yakata, Iruma District, Musashi Province in the Kamakura period. His common name was Saburo. He was the third son of Shigeyori KAWAGOE. Shigefusa KAWAGOE and Shigetoki KAWAGOE were his brothers; Satogozen, a legitimate wife of MINAMOTO no Yoshitsune, was his sister.
Career
In December, 1185, as his father Shigeyori KAWAGOE and his brother Shigefusa KAWAGOE were involved in MINAMOTO no Yoshitsune's rebellion, their territories were confiscated by the order of MINAMOTO no Yoritomo, and they were deliberately killed by him. Yoritomo approved the ownership of their former territory for Shigeyori's wife, a widow of nun (Hikinoama's daughter), and told chief farmers in the territory to follow her order.
In Shigetada HATAKEYAMA Rebellion on July 17, 1205, he joined the army led by Yoshitoki HOJO to defeat Shigetada with his brother Shigetoki KAWAGOE. In Jokyu War in June, 1221, he followed Yasutoki HOJO and did remarkable services in Kyoto.
On May 14, 1226, he was appointed as Sokengyo (General Superior Officer) of Rusudokoro (the absentee office of the provincial governor) in Musashi Province. It is for this reason that the position of the Kawagoe clan in Musashi Province was restored. Subsequently, the position of Sokengyo of Rusudokoro was inherited by Shigekazu's son, Shigesuke KAWAGOE.