The Amago clan (also spelled Amako) was founded in 1392, when Sasaki Takahisa, who was orphaned at the age of three, took the new surname Amago, meaning “son of a nun,” in honor of the nun who raised him. Since the Sasaki family descended from Emperor Uda (866–931), the Amago clan traced its lineage back to this emperor. From around 1396, the Amago clan's headquarters was the mountain castle of Gassan-Toda in Izumo Province. Until the start of the Onin War, the Amago clan remained a minor clan in the service of the Kyogoku clan, which was also a descendant of the Sasaki clan. The Amago clan historically held the position of vice-governor of Izumo Province.
Amago Tsunekata was the eldest son of Amago Kiyosada and was named Matashiro in his childhood. At the age of fifteen, he was already working as his father's deputy and overseeing the taxation of goods passing through the province. In 1477, Tsunekata succeeded his father as vice-governor and was granted the right to use a character from the name of Governor Kyogoku Masatsune. Taking advantage of the power vacuum that had formed after the Onin War, Tsunehisa began to actively expand his possessions, confiscating the lands of temples, shrines, and small landowners. This led to a conflict with the governor, who in 1484 dismissed Tsunehisa and his father from all their posts and took away their castle, Gassan-Toda. Having lost his support, Tsunekisa was forced to wander until he received support from Yamanaka Katsusige and other allies of the Amago clan. After that, Gassan-Toda Castle passed into the possession of the Enya clan.
Two years later, Tsunekisa was able to regain the castle. According to one version of events, during the New Year celebrations of 1487, his men dressed up as festival dancers, infiltrated the fortress, and suddenly attacked the Enya clan warriors, who were not expecting an attack. During the battle, the new owner of the castle was killed. After capturing Gassan-Toda, Tsunekhisa began to systematically subjugate the local feudal lords and by 1508 had established complete control over the province of Izumo, finally overthrowing the power of the Kyogoku clan.
The expansion of the Amago clan's influence soon led Tsunekisa into conflict with his powerful neighbor, the Ouchi clan. Taking advantage of the absence of the head of the Ouchi clan, Yoshioki, who twice—in 1508 and 1511—marched on Kyoto, Tsunekisa began to spread ideas of rebellion against the Ouchi clan's rule among the minor feudal lords of the Chugoku region. In October 1518 (some sources date this event to 1513), Tsunekisa invaded Hoki Province. At that time, one of his vassals, Sakurai Soteki, rebelled and was besieged in his castle by the troops of Amago Masahisa, Tsunekisa's eldest son and heir. During the siege, Masahisa was killed by an enemy archer.
The death of his son deeply shook Tsunekisa, and he intended to retire, handing over leadership of the clan to his brother Amago Hisayuki. However, Hisayuki refused to take over, and Tsunekisa reconsidered his decision. He later appointed his grandson, Amago Akihisa, as his heir.
In 1522, Tsunekisa invaded Aki Province and accepted the oath of allegiance from Mori Motonari, the future influential feudal lord of the Chugoku region. The following year, in 1523, he again opposed the Ouchi clan, instructing Motonari to besiege Kagamiyama Castle, which was defended by Kurata Fusanobu. The castle resisted stubbornly and was taken only thanks to the strategic talents of Mori Motonari, who, resorting to cunning, persuaded the uncle of the castle commander, Kurata Naonobu, to betray him. At the same time, Tsunekhisa attempted to take Kanyama Castle, but failed.
Despite Motonari's success, Tsunekisa ordered Naonobu's execution, fearing the growing influence of his vassal, even though Motonari asked for his life to be spared. This decision caused mistrust between the two leaders, and two years later, Mori Motonari left the Amago clan and became a vassal of the Ouchi clan.
In 1528, after the death of Ouchi Yoshioki, Tsunekisa intensified his actions against the Ouchi clan and directed his forces to capture the province of Iwami, known for its rich Iwami Ginzan silver mines, which often made the territory a battleground for local feudal lords. However, Tsunekisa's ambitious plans were temporarily interrupted by a two-year rebellion led by his third son, Enya Okikisa (1497–1534), who was dissatisfied with the distribution of the inheritance. In 1532, the rebellion was suppressed by the troops of Tsunekisa's brother, Amago Haruyuki, and Okikisa himself committed suicide. Despite the victory, the internal conflict weakened the Amago clan.
After these events, Tsunehisa abdicated in favor of his grandson Amago Akihisa (Haruhisa), but continued to participate in the most important affairs of the clan.
Amago Tsunekisa was an outstanding strategist and skilled administrator. Among his achievements, the construction of the magnificent Shinto shrine Kitsugi in Izumo Province in 1530 stands out. At the height of his power, Tsunekisa ruled over most of the Chugoku region, including the provinces of Inaba, Hoki, Izumo, Iwami, Oki, Harima, Mimasaka, Bizen, Bitchu, Bingo, and Aki. Tsunehisa died in 1541 and was buried alongside his father at Tokōji Temple.
See also
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Watanabe (Hanzo) Moritsuna
Moritsuna was the son of Watanabe Takatsuna, a vassal of the Matsudaira clan. He was the same age as Tokugawa Ieyasu and was held hostage with him by the Imagawa clan. In 1557, Moritsuna joined Ieyasu.
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Ban Naoyuki
He was also known as Ban Danemon. In the early stages of his military career, he served under Kato Yoshiaki, one of the so-called “Seven Spears of Shizugatake,” who later became the ruler of the Aizu region in Mutsu Province. Naoyuki held the position of commander of the arquebusiers (teppo taishō).
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Asakura Toshikage
The Asakura family, who claimed kinship with several emperors, lived in the province of Echizen. Its representatives were considered hereditary vassals of the Shiba clan. From the mid-15th century until their defeat by Oda Nobunaga's army in 1573, which resulted in the final destruction of the Asakura clan, they were a significant military and economic force.
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Asakura Yoshikage
Yoshikage was the eldest son of Asakura Takakage. He began ruling in 1548 at the age of fifteen, and during his reign he twice defeated the Ikko-ikki forces, in 1555 and 1564. Yoshikage supported the Saito family in their struggle against Oda Nobunaga in 1561–1567. When Ashikaga Yoshiaki fled Kyoto in 1565 after the assassination of his older brother, Shogun Ashikaga Yoshiteru, Yoshikage gave him refuge. However, he was unable to provide sufficient support for Yoshiaki's claim to the title of shogun, and Yoshiaki had to seek help from Oda Nobunaga.
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Asakura Norikage
Norikage came from the ancient samurai clan of Asakura, whose members considered themselves descendants of Prince Kusakabe, son of Emperor Tenmu (631–686). He was the eighth son of daimyo Asakura Takakage and was named Kotaro in childhood. Over time, Asakura Norikage became the pillar of the Asakura clan and was undoubtedly its most talented commander during that difficult period when the clan was experiencing internal difficulties, uprisings by the Ikko-ikki sect, and instability in the lands surrounding the capital. Although Norikage himself was never a daimyo, he served as an advisor to three generations of Asakura clan leaders. He spent his entire life on military campaigns. After his father's death in 1481, Norikage entered the service of his brother, Asakura Ujikage.
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Asai (Azai) Nagamasa
Asai Nagamasa inherited power from his father, Asai Hisamasa, when he was only fifteen years old. Both brave and impulsive, he proved himself a capable commander, managing to regain lands from the Rokkaku clan that had previously been lost by his father. After a territorial dispute with Oda Nobunaga over the province of Mino, Nagamasa formed an alliance with Nobunaga and married his sister Oichi, who was famous for her beauty. In 1570, when Oda Nobunaga declared war on the Asakura family, Nagamasa sided with the Asakura because he had long-standing ties with them. This unexpected move threatened Nobunaga's invasion of the Asakura lands by threatening him from the rear. Oda managed to save his army, not without the help of Tokugawa Ieyasu, but relations between Nobunaga and Asai were permanently damaged.
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Amano Yasukage
Yasukage was born into the family of the samurai Amano Kagetaka and was given the name Matagoro at birth. He later changed his name to Kageyoshi, and then to Yasukage. From an early age, Yasukage served Tokugawa Ieyasu and accompanied him when he was held hostage by Imagawa Yoshimoto. His loyalty and devotion to Ieyasu from a young age laid the foundation for Yasukage's future military and administrative career.
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Abe Masakatsu
Masakatsu came from the ancient Abe clan, whose progenitor, according to the Nihon Shoki chronicle, is considered to be Prince Ohiko-no-mikoto (2nd century BC), son of Emperor Kogen. From the Nara period (710–784), members of the Abe clan held high positions in the government, including at the ministerial level, and from the Heian period (794–1185) onwards, the clan gained widespread fame, which continued until the Edo period.
