The Story of the Japanese 01682 [Interlude] The Origins of Sengoku Daimyo
It is more interesting as a story when someone rises from the lower classes to become the ruler of the nation, isn't it? In that sense, I like Toyotomi Hideyoshi more than Takeda Shingen.
I have discussed the definition of Sengoku daimyo, but how exactly did they come into existence? Did the Shugo daimyo simply gain power and evolve into Sengoku daimyo?
The origins of Sengoku daimyo can be divided into four categories. Let's look at them one by one.
1. Cases where the Shugo became Sengoku daimyo directly
This can be considered the most straightforward case.
- The Takeda clan, Shugo of Kai
- The Imagawa clan, Shugo of Suruga
- The Ouchi clan, Shugo of Suo
- The Otomo clan, Shugo of Bungo
- The Shimazu clan, Shugo of Satsuma
These fall into this category.
2. Cases where the Shugo-dai (deputy Shugo) gained more power than the Shugo and became Sengoku daimyo
This is a case where the Shugo-dai gained power locally while the Shugo was in the capital.
- The Nagao clan, Shugo-dai who expelled the Shugo Uesugi clan in Echigo
- The Amago clan, Shugo-dai who expelled the Shugo Kyogoku clan in Izumo
- The Asakura clan, Shugo-dai who expelled the Shugo Shiba clan in Echizen
- The Oda clan, Shugo-dai who turned the Shugo Shiba clan into puppets in Owari
These fall into this category.
3. Cases where the Kokujin (local lords) gained more power than the Shugo and Shugo-dai and became Sengoku daimyo
Kokujin refers to those who had lived in a province for a long time and became local lords by organizing the farmers. There are cases where they surpassed the Shugo and Shugo-dai to gain power.
- The Matsudaira clan (Tokugawa clan), who won the struggles between Kokujin in Mikawa while receiving support from the neighboring daimyo, the Oda clan
- The Mori clan, who gained power in Aki while navigating between the neighboring daimyo, the Ouchi and Amago clans
- The Chosokabe clan, who expelled the provincial governor Ichijo clan in Tosa
- The Ryuzoji clan, who defeated the Shugo Shoni clan in Hizen
These fall into this category. These provinces share the commonality that existing powers like the Shugo and Shugo-dai had declined, and the Kokujin were competing for influence.
4. Cases where someone who drifted in from a completely different region became a Sengoku daimyo
This is a very rare case.
- Hojo Soun, also known as Ise Soryu, who invaded Izu under shogunal orders and settled there
- Saito Dosan, a monk who drifted into Mino and gained power by defeating local influential figures
These are examples.
All biographies of Saito Dosan are interesting, but they are full of stories that are quite questionable in terms of historical fact.