Tales of the Japanese 01498 [Muromachi/Saigoku/Eve of the Great War] The Ambition of Yamana Sozen

Regarding the Buei Disturbance, Yamana Sozen made up his mind to bury Ise Sadachika. For Sozen, Sadachika was a political rival who had expelled his ally, Shiba Yoshikado, and it was also impossible to overlook the fact that Sadachika had married his daughter off to the Akamatsu clan. Sozen hated the Akamatsu clan so much that he regularly harassed them, such as by forcing Akamatsu Masanori to hand over a moon-haired horse during a Sarugaku performance held by the shogunate on April 10, 1464. He likely could not forgive Sadachika for calmly performing acts that benefited the Akamatsu.
However, it was uncertain whether Hosokawa Katsumoto would side with Sozen in his attempt to expel Sadachika.
Sozen and Katsumoto were father-in-law and son-in-law, and they had collaborated for many years. They had previously joined forces to oppose the Kanrei Hatakeyama Mochikuni and had even cooperated in the coup by the Yasaburo faction.
However, a rift formed in their relationship over the position of Kaga Shugo. Regarding the conflict between Togashi Naruharu and Yasutaka, Katsumoto supported Yasutaka, expelled Naruharu, and installed Akamatsu Masanori in the vacant North Kaga. Sozen, who had been in conflict with the Akamatsu family for many years, could not accept this appointment and began to support the expelled Naruharu. Thus, the composition of 'Hosokawa Katsumoto and Togashi Yasutaka vs. Yamana Sozen and Togashi Naruharu' was formed.
Furthermore, the two also clashed over the succession issue of the Shiba family. Between Katsumoto, who had traditionally supported Yoshitoshi, and Sozen, who had promised to marry his daughter to Yoshikado, the composition of 'Hosokawa Katsumoto and Shiba Yoshitoshi vs. Yamana Sozen and Shiba Yoshikado' was formed.
In other words, the relationship between the three, Ise Sadachika, Hosokawa Katsumoto, and Yamana Sozen, is as follows.
1. North Kaga: Sadachika = Supports Akamatsu Masanori, Katsumoto = Supports Akamatsu Masanori, Sozen = Supports Togashi Naruharu
2. Shiba Family: Sadachika = Supports Shiba Yoshitoshi, Katsumoto = Supports Shiba Yoshitoshi, Sozen = Supports Shiba Yoshikado
3. Hatakeyama Family: Sadachika = No particular interest, Katsumoto = Supports Hatakeyama Masanaga, Sozen = Supports Hatakeyama Masanaga
4. Shogun Family: Sadachika = Supports Ashikaga Yoshihisa, Katsumoto = Supports Ashikaga Yoshimi, Sozen = Supports Ashikaga Yoshimi
As Yoshihisa's guardian, Ise Sadachika naturally wished for Yoshihisa's early accession as Shogun. On the other hand, Katsumoto was Yoshimi's guardian and was preparing for his accession as Shogun. Sozen supported Yoshimi out of resentment toward Sadachika.
In summary, Ise Sadachika and Yamana Sozen were in the most serious conflict, and Hosokawa Katsumoto was positioned in the middle. Therefore, for Sozen, who wanted to eliminate Sadachika, there were two options:
- Win Katsumoto over to his side and conspire to eliminate Sadachika
- Eliminate both Katsumoto and Sadachika together
The former was the safer route, but the latter would create too many enemies, requiring him to bring in new allies. That was when Sozen set his sights on Hatakeyama Yoshinari.
Originally, Sozen had supported Hatakeyama Yasaburo and, through that connection, had supported Yasaburo's younger brother, Masanaga, but he likely did not have much attachment to him. Sozen must have thought that if he changed his stance and brought Yoshinari to his side, he could even defeat Katsumoto.
Sozen embarked on this dangerous gamble and gradually began to support Yoshinari.