Ukita Yoshiie (宇喜多能家)
Yoshiie UKITA (year of birth unknown - 1534) was a military commander during the Sengoku Period (Period of Warring States)(Japan). Yoshiie was also called Hei no Saemonnojo and his name was mentioned as being Governor of Izumi Province. Yoshiie was a child of Hisaie UKITA, father of Okiie UKITA and grandfather of Naoie UKITA.
As part of the Akamatsu clan, Yoshiie served Deputy Military Governors Norimune URAGAMI and Muramune URAGAMI and held territory at Toishi-jo Castle of Toyohara no sho Estate in Bizen Province. Yoshiie's grandchild Naoie UKITA became known for his resourcefulness however, Yoshiie was an individual of outstanding wisdom and courage and he enjoyed the profound trust of Norimune and Muramune.
At that time during the latter 15th century, the Uragami clan was ruling Bizen Province as Shugodai (acting Military Governors) of the Akamatsu clan. The Ukita clan becomes known around this time as hikan (low-level bureaucrats) to the Uragami clan. However, with the outbreak of the Onin War in 1467, Bizen Province also became entangled in the world of the Warring States and, between 1483 to 1484 there was an outbreak of fighting known as the Fukuoka (Setouchi) battles. The underlying cause of the fighting was due to the powerful Matsuda clan and others (who had served as military governors of Bizen Province early in the Muromachi Period) trying to grasp control of Bizen Province from the Akamatsu and Uragami clans. The Uragami and Matsuda clans ensued in a battle for power in Bizen Province. There are documents that Yoshiie's father Hisaie as the head of the Ukita family addressed his subordinates around in 1496 however, the family head ship has already shifted to Yoshiie in 1499. It is supposed that that Yoshiie inherited the role of family head around this time.
In particular, some internal discord erupted in relation to the inheriting of the role of head of the Uragami family which resulted in Norimune URAGAMI and 村国 URAGAMI battling each other in 1499. Norimune lost the battle and held up in Shirahata-jo Castle which was then encircled by 村国 and, when Norimune was just on the verge of capitulating, family members started fleeing and abandoning him. At the time, Yoshiie made his thoughts known and rallied the garrison to fight hard which in due course lead to 村国 withdrawing his troops.
In the winter of 1502 as supreme commander of the Uragami forces, Yoshiie engaged in battle with the Matsuda forces and, after crossing the Yoshiii-gawa River engaged in hard fighting with and he himself killed the enemy commander 有松右京進 in the vicinity of Shijikai village.. The following year, Yoshiie together with the Uragami forces, crossed over Yoshii-gawa River and proceeded on to Kamitsumichi County to fight a decisive battle with the Matsuda forces. Motokatsu MATSUDA personally led his troops and arranged his ranks at Kasaiyama in Mino County whereupon both armies clashed on the rock-strewn river bed of the Asahi-gawa River (Okayama Prefecture). The Matsuda forces surrounded the Uragami forces with a formation of troops streaming down from the hills however, seeing this, Yoshiie commanded the entire Ukita army to move reinforcements up by crossing the Asahi-gawa River. Yoshiie's helmet was penetrated by an arrow and he was struck by lances however, he fought on defiantly and gained control of the melee which caused the Matsuda forces to take flight.
Norimune was succeeded by Muramune however, who found himself in discord with the independently minded Yoshimura AKAMATSU and, in 1518 departed to his Mitsuishi-jo Castle. However, Yoshimura saw this as a good opportunity to expand his powerbase, rallied his troops and marched on Mitsuishi-jo Castle. For the Uragami clan this attack by someone as close to the family as Yoshimura caused a commotion within the castle and many fled. However, Yoshiie actively worked to secure the trust of his soldiers and officers and as a result, they withstood the fierce attacks of the Akamatsu forces and at length, the Akamatsu forces took flight during the Battle of Funasakatoge.
In 1520 Yoshimura AKAMATSU raised an army again and sent Norimoto KODERA to capture eastern Mimasaka Province and 村国 URAGAMI in Mitsuishi-jo Castle. The Akamatsu forces overwhelmed the Urakami forces in eastern Mimasaka Province however, Yoshiie rallied those few troops that held their ground and by launching early morning attacks he was able to muster his troops and hold his own with the Akamatsu forces. In particular, Muramune successfully double-crossed the Kodera clan retainers which resulted in the Akamatsu forces retreating from eastern Mimasaka Province. Yoshimura's influence waned as a result of these repeated defeats whereas, Muramune's power grew. Muramune at last invaded into Harima Province (and control of the west part of the province), whereupon Yoshimura AKAMATSU was forced to retire to the confines of his home where later on (1521) Yoshimura was killed. This is where the tables were reversed and the Uragami clan (of lowly origins) found themselves ruling the elite.
In 1523 Muramune URAGAMI launched an expedition to Harima Province to attack 村国 URAGAMI and the Kodera clan (possibly Norimoto) who were supporters of Harumasa AKAMATSU (Yoshimura's son). However Yoshiie's second son Shiro UKITA who was in the advance force was killed in battle when he fell for a ruse by 村国. Hearing of the death, Yoshiie himself made a point of seeking the location to die, engaged the enemy in hard fought battle and was ultimately victorious. Hearing of Yoshiie's hard fought battles, the kanrei (shogunal deputy) Takakuni HOSOKAWA gifted Yoshiie a fine horse and exquisite iron pot. In 1524 he passed the family estate to his son Okiie and then Yoshiie entered the Buddhist priesthood.
(There are also documents that show he possibly retired at this time, not in 1531.)
Apparently Yoshiie retired to Toishi-jo Castle in 1531 following the death in battle of lord Muramune, when defeated at the Battle of Daimotsu by the combined forces of Harumoto HOSOKAWA and Motonaga MIYOSHI. In 1534 he committed suicide at Toishi-jo Castle following a surprise attack from Morizane SHIMAMURA, ta retainer of the Uragami Clan and the lord of Takatori-jo Castle of Naganuma-sho Manor, a ridge across, who had previously been on bad terms with him. (Subsequently, after Toishi-jo Castle came into the possession of Kunitada UKITA discord erupted within the Ukita clan and rumors of a decree to kill malcontents) his Buddhist posthumous name being 常玖 or 常珍.
Apparently Okiie was a feeble minded person (or pretended as such) and escaped with the six year old Naoie when Toishi-jo Castle was about to surrender. A revival of the fortunes of the Ukita clan were planned during the time of the grandson Naoie.
Furthermore, a 1524 portrait that was painted of Yoshiie as the Buddhist priest 九峰宗成 of Nanzen-ji Temple in Kyoto is part of the Okayama Prefectural Museum collection and designated as an Important Cultural Asset of the prefecture.