Chiba Yoritane (千葉頼胤)
Yoritane CHIBA (December 16, 1239 – September 7, 1275) was a busho (Japanese military commander) in the mid Kamakura period. He was the 8th family head of the Chiba clan. He was a son of the 7th family head, Tokitane CHIBA. He was the father of the 9th family head, Munetane CHIBA, and the 10th family head, Tanemune CHIBA. His childhood name was Kamewakamaru. His common name was Chibanosuke.
His father, Tokitane died in 1241, and he succeeded to the family estate when he was as young as 3 years old. In 1247, when the Battle of Hoji occurred, a knot of Hidetane CHIBA, a family group of his clan was destroyed by the command of the bakufu (Japanese feudal government headed by a shogun), however, Yoritane was so young at that time that his family members, including his father's brother, Yasutane CHIBA, etc. took his duty. In 1249, at the time of the sengu (transfer of a deity to a new shrine building) of Katori-jingu Shrine, he distinguished himself in constructing Seishinden, Ichi no torii (the first archway), etc. However, Yoritame seems to have been fond of gambling, and an order to prohibit gambling was issued by the bakufu in 1250. When the Mongol invasion of Japan occurred, he went to the front as the Ikokukeigobanyaku (military service imposed to gokenin [immediate vassals of the shogunate] in the Kyushu area by bakufu in order to provide against the invasion of Yuan dynasty), and fought against Yuan (Dynasty) army, however, he got injured and died at the age of 37 on August 16, 1275. Thereafter, his son, Munetane CHIBA succeeded to him.