Ōtomo Yoshinao

Ōtomo Yoshinao (大友 能直, January 29, 1172 - December 20, 1223) was a Japanese samurai lord and gokenin of the early Kamakura period. He was a close retainer of shogun Minamoto no Yoritomo, even called his "matchless favorite", and served as Governor of Buzen and Bungo Provinces, Defense Commissioner of the West and Lieutenant of the Left Division of Inner Palace Guards (Sakon no shōgen) under the Kamakura shogunate. He was the founder of the Ōtomo clan. He held the court rank of Junior Fifth Rank, Lower Grade.

Life

Early life Kondō Ichihōshimaru was born on January 29, 1172, the son of Kondō Yoshishige, the head of Furushō township in Sagami Province. Regarding his parentage, there is a theory that he was the illegitimate son of Minamoto no Yoritomo, but this theory has been widely refuted by modern historians. It has been concluded that he was in fact a descendant of the Fujiwara clan. he succeeded the position of Defense Commissioner of the West previously held by his adoptive father Nakahara no Chikayoshi,

In 1189, he participated in the Battle of Ōshū.

Ōtomo Yoshinao's descendants served as Governor of Buzen and Bungo Provinces for generations further establishing the power of Ōtomo clan in these two provinces. The clan would expand their power in Bungo Province along with the Shiga clan, founded by Yoshinao's eighth son Shiga Yoshisato, There is a viewpoint that this theory was created to recall the memories about the relationship of Yoritomo and Yoshinao for the fictitious parent-child relationship of Takauji and the Ōtomo brothers.

Family

Adoptive father: Nakahara no Chikayoshi Father: Kondō Yoshishige Mother: Tone no Tsubone (daughter of Hatano Tsuneie) Wife: Shinmyō (daughter of Hatakeyama Shigeyoshi) Eldest son: Ōtomo Chikahide Eighth son: Shiga Yoshisato Son: Takuma Yoshihide Son: Ōtomo Tokinao Son: Motoyoshi Arinao Son: Ōtomo Chikanao Son: Ōtomo Satoyoshi Son: Ōtomo Asanao Son: Ichimada Tokikage Son: Washio Hidenao Son: Buzen Yoshimoto Son: Nakahara no Yasuhiro Daughter: Hōjō Tomotoki's wife