History of Bushu-Matsuyama Castle

1338 Muromachi Bakufu was established in Kyoto

1416 Uesugi Zenshu’s revolt against Ashikaga Mochiuji Ⅳ (Kamakura Kubo: Shogunate)

1438 Ashikaga Mochiuji aimed at Shogun in Muromachi Shogunate, but he was suppressed by Uesugi Norizane, Kanto Kansei (a shogunal deputy of Kanto region).

1449 Uesugi Norizane baca me a Buddhist priest and Ashikaga Mochiuji’s son, Shigeuji assumed Kamakura Kubo.

1454 Ashikaga Shigeuji killed Uesugi Norizane’s son, Noritada.

1457 Ohta Doukan built Edo castle.

1458 Ohta Doukan asked to repair Bushu-Matsuyama castle.

1474 Ashikaga Shigeuji attacked Bushu-Matsuyama castle and Ueda Tuna was killed.

1482 Ashikaga Shigeuji moved to Koga district from Kamakura and he was called as Koga Kubo.

1486 Ohta Dokan was killed by Ohgiyatsu Uesugi Sadamasa.

Ohgiyatsu Uesugi competed for hegemony against Yamanouchi Uesugi.

1494 Ohgiyatsu Uesugi asked Hojo Sohun for supporting, but this action derived Hojo family’s invasion to Kanto region.

1505 Yamanouchi Uesugi suppressed Ohgiyatsu Uesugi.

1524 Hohjo Ujitsuna Ⅱ, successor of Hohjo Soun, the founder of Odawara castle took away Edo castle donated by Ohgiyatsu Uesugi Tomooki. 

1537 Hohjo Ujitsuna took away Kawagoe castle. After Tomooki’s death, his successor Uesugi Tomosada run away to Bushu-Matsuyama castle.

Ujitsuna chased to attacked Bushu-Matsuyama castle and burnt down its neighbors such as some temples and shrines. 

In the meantime, there was the Tanka(Japanese tradition poem with thirty one syllables) between Yamanaka Shuzen, Samurai general and Nambata Danjo, a chief retainer of Bushu-Matsuyama castle.

Note) Refer to two poems in main text in detail.

Uesugi Tomosada built #3 Dorui (earthen walls) to protect from Hojo’s attack.

1545 Uesugi Tomosada became reconciled to Uesugi Norimasa, Kanto Kanrei and Ashikaga Haruuji, Koga Kubo. Their big army (80,000 soldiers) attempted to attack Kawagoe castle in order to recapture. However they failed to regain the castle due to Hojo Ujiyasu’s troop (8,000 soldiers).

During the fight, Uesugi Tomosada and Nambata Danjo lost their life. On the other hand, Uesugi Norimasa and Koga Kubo run away to their territory.

Hojo Ujiyasu attached to control Bushu-Matsuyama castle.

Uesugi Norimasa visited Uesugi Kagetora to hand over his family name and a shogun’s deputy for the Kanto region.

1560 Oda Nobunaga conquered Imagawa Yoshimoto.

1561 Uesugi Terutora(Kenshin) attacked Bushu-Matsuyama castle dominated by Hojo family. Uesugi Norimatsu became a load of Bushu-Matsuyama castle.

1562 Hojo Ujiyasu surrounded to force the castle to give up.

Uesugi Norimatsu asked Uesugi Kenshin thru Ohta Sukemasa, a load of Iwatsuki castle to support the castle by using army dogs.

Hojo Ujiyasu requested Takeda Shingen to send reinforcements and two armies surrounded the castle by over 50,000 soldiers.

When Uesugi Shingen came nearby to support Uesugi Norikatsu, the castle was already captured by Hojo family.

1563 Uesugi Kenshin vented his anger by attacking Kisai castle on the way home. 

1569 Takeda Kenshin reconciled with Hojo Ujimasa Ⅳ. Hojo Ujimasa appointed Ueda Tomonao as a load of the castle and Ueda family endeavored to stabilize Bushu-Matsuyama town.

1590 Bushu-Matsuyama castle was surrendered by Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s troops (80,000 soldiers) such as Maeda Toshiie and Uesugi Kagekatsu and others at time of attacking Odawara castle.

1600 Sekigahara war was occurred and Tokugawa Ieyasu manipulated to rule the country.

Bushu-Matsuyama castle was closed and its region was controlled by the Tokugawa shogunate.

(E&OE)