, also known as was Japanese ''daimyo'' and the first head of the
Later Hōjō clan
The was one of the most powerful samurai families in Japan in the Sengoku period and held domains primarily in the Kantō region. Their last name was simply Hōjō (北条) but in order to differentiate between the earlier Hōjō clan with the ...
, one of the major powers in Japan's
Sengoku period
The was a period in History of Japan, Japanese history of near-constant civil war and social upheaval from 1467 to 1615.
The Sengoku period was initiated by the Ōnin War in 1467 which collapsed the Feudalism, feudal system of Japan under the ...
. Although he only belonged to a side branch of the main, more prestigious Ise family, he fought his way up, gaining territory and changing his name in imitation of the illustrious
Hōjō.
Biography
Traditionally Soun held a reputation of a ''
rōnin
A ''rōnin'' ( ; ja, 浪人, , meaning 'drifter' or 'wanderer') was a samurai without a lord or master during the feudal period of Japan (1185–1868). A samurai became masterless upon the death of his master or after the loss of his master's ...
'' who rose to power almost overnight in Kantō; however, he belonged to a prestigious family in the direct employment of the
Ashikaga shogunate
The , also known as the , was the feudal military government of Japan during the Muromachi period from 1336 to 1573.Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005)"''Muromachi-jidai''"in ''Japan Encyclopedia'', p. 669.
The Ashikaga shogunate was establ ...
, and enjoyed important family connections. It has been said that Sōun was born at the
Takakoshi castle in
Okayama
is the capital city of Okayama Prefecture in the Chūgoku region of Japan. The city was founded on June 1, 1889. , the city has an estimated population of 720,841 and a population density of 910 persons per km2. The total area is .
The city is ...
.
His sister was married to
Imagawa Yoshitada
was the father of the famed Imagawa Ujichika and the 9th head of the Imagawa clan.
Yoshitada spent most of his time invading Tōtōmi Province, attacking the Katsumada and Yokota clans. However, after Yoshitada thought he had destroyed the clan ...
, a major daimyō from a prestigious cadet branch of the Ashikaga family.
About 1475, under the
cognomen
A ''cognomen'' (; plural ''cognomina''; from ''con-'' "together with" and ''(g)nomen'' "name") was the third name of a citizen of ancient Rome, under Roman naming conventions. Initially, it was a nickname, but lost that purpose when it became here ...
of Ise Shinkuro, he worked for Imagawa, the constable of
Suruga Province
was an old province in the area that is today the central part of Shizuoka Prefecture. Suruga bordered on Izu, Kai, Sagami, Shinano, and Tōtōmi provinces; and was bordered by the Pacific Ocean through Suruga Bay to the south. Its abbrevia ...
, and eventually became an "independent leader" with a number of warriors joining him.
Shinkuro became a retainer in the Imagawa clan, and when Yoshitada died in battle in 1476, Shinkurō mediated the succession dispute between supporters of Yoshitada's son
Imagawa Ujichika
was a Japanese ''daimyō'' of the Sengoku period. He was the 10th head of the Imagawa clan of Suruga Province.
Ujichika was the son of Imagawa Yoshitada.
He was the husband of Jukei-ni.
Biography
In 1476, Ujichika father, Yoshitada, invaded ...
and Yoshitada's cousin, Oshika Norimitsu. This proved a temporary peace. When Norimitsu again attempted to gain control of the Imagawa clan, Sōun came to Ujichika's defense, killing Norimitsu. Sōun was rewarded by Ujichika with
Kōkokuji Castle
was a Sengoku period ''yamashiro''-style Japanese castle located in the Negoya neighborhood of the city of Numazu, Shizuoka, Numazu, Shizuoka prefecture. The ruins have been protected as a Historic Sites of Japan, National Historic Site since 197 ...
.
In 1491, he was able to take Horigoye after the death of
Kantō kubō
(also called , , or ) was a title equivalent to ''shōgun'' assumed by Ashikaga Motouji after his nomination to ''Kantō kanrei'', or deputy shōgun for the Kamakura-fu, in 1349.Kokushi Daijiten (1983:542) Motouji transferred his original title t ...
Ashikaga Masatomo, gaining control of
Izu Province
was a province of Japan in the area of Shizuoka Prefecture. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "''Izu''" in . Izu bordered on Sagami and Suruga Provinces. Its abbreviated form name was .
The mainland portion of Izu Province, comprising the ...
. He then adopted the surname of Hōjō and the given name of Sōun or Sozui.
He gained control of
Izu Province
was a province of Japan in the area of Shizuoka Prefecture. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "''Izu''" in . Izu bordered on Sagami and Suruga Provinces. Its abbreviated form name was .
The mainland portion of Izu Province, comprising the ...
in 1493, avenging a wrong committed by a member of the
Ashikaga family which held the
shogunate
, officially , was the title of the military dictators of Japan during most of the period spanning from 1185 to 1868. Nominally appointed by the Emperor, shoguns were usually the de facto rulers of the country, though during part of the Kamakur ...
. With Sōun's successful invasion in Izu province, he is credited by most historians as being the first "Sengoku ''daimyō''".
After building a stronghold at Nirayama, Hōjō Sōun secured
Odawara Castle
is a landmark in the city of Odawara in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan.
History
Odawara was a stronghold of the Doi clan during the Kamakura period, and a fortified residence built by their collateral branch, the Kobayakawa clan, stood on the ...
in 1494, the castle which would become the center of the Hōjō family's domains for nearly a century. In an act of treachery, he seized the castle after arranging for its lord to be murdered while out hunting.
In 1516, he laid siege to the castle of
Arai,
and "was virtual master of all
Sagami Sagami may refer to:
* Sagami, an 11th-century ''waka'' poet
*Sagami Province, an old province in Japan
*Sagami River, a river in Kanagawa and Yamanashi
*Sagami Bay, a bay south of Kanagawa Prefecture in Honshū
*Sagami Line, a railway roughly along ...
".
[
In 1519, Sōun died in ]Nirayama Castle
is a hilltop castle, now largely ruins, built by Hōjō Sōun in the Izu Province in 1493.
Originally, Sōun had his main castle at Kōkokuji Castle. After building Nirayama Castle, Sōun made it his main castle and kept on living in the castle ...
and passed on the newly built Hōjō domains to his son Ujitsuna, who subsequently changed the clan name from the original Ise to Hōjō and posthumously renamed his father to Hōjō Sōun. In 1521, Ujitsuna built Sōun-ji temple dedicated to his father.
Family
* Father: Ise Morisada
* Mother: Daughter of Isa Sadanori
* Adoptive father: Ise Sadamichi Ise may refer to:
Places
* Ise, Mie, a city in Japan
**Ise Grand Shrine, a Shinto shrine located in Ise, Mie
* Ise Ekiti, a city in Nigeria
*Ise, Norway, a village in Norway
*Ise Province, an ancient province of Japan
*River Ise, a tributary of the ...
* Wife: Nan’yoin-dono
* Concubines:
** Katsurayama-dono
** Kennyoji-dono
* Children:
** Hōjō Ujitsuna
was the son of Hōjō Sōun, founder of the Go-Hōjō clan. He continued his father's quest to gain control of the Kantō (the central area, today dominated by Tokyo, of Japan's main island).
Biography
In 1524, Ujitsuna took Edo Castle, whic ...
by Nan’yoin-dono
** Hojo Ujitoki (d.1531) by Nan’yoin-dono
** Katsurayama Ujihiro (d.1538/1539) by Katsurayama-dono
** Chosoin-dono married Miura Ujiin by Kennyoji-dono
** Hōjō Genan (1493-1589) by Kennyoji-dono
** Seishoin-dono by Kennyoji-dono
References
*
Biography of Hojo Soun at Samurai-Archives.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hojo, Soun
1432 births
1456 births
1519 deaths
Go-Hōjō clan