, also known as , was a 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 , but were called "Later Hōjō" to differentiate between the earlier Hōjō clan who h ...

, one of the major powers in Japan's

Sengoku period The was the period in History of Japan, Japanese history in which civil wars and social upheavals took place almost continuously in the 15th and 16th centuries. The Kyōtoku incident (1454), Ōnin War (1467), or (1493) are generally chosen as th ...

. Although he only belonged to a side branch of the 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 In feudal Japan to early modern Japan (1185–1868), a ''rōnin'' ( ; , , 'drifter' or 'wandering man', ) was a samurai who had no lord or master and in some cases, had also severed all links with his family or clan. A samurai became a ''rō ...

'' who rose to power almost overnight in Kantō; however, he belonged to a prestigious family in the direct employment of the Ashikaga shogunate, and enjoyed important family connections. It has been said that Sōun was born at the Takakoshi castle in

Okayama is the prefectural capital, capital Cities of Japan, city of Okayama Prefecture in the Chūgoku region of Japan. The Okayama metropolitan area, centered around the city, has the largest urban employment zone in the Chugoku region of western J ...

. 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 was a Provinces of Japan, province of Japan in the area of Japan that is today western Shizuoka ...

, a major daimyō from a prestigious cadet branch of the Ashikaga family. About 1475, under the

cognomen A ''cognomen'' (; : ''cognomina''; from ''co-'' "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 hereditar ...

of Ise Shinkuro, he worked for Imagawa, the constable of

Suruga Province was an Provinces of Japan, old province in the area that is today the central part of Shizuoka Prefecture. Suruga bordered on Izu Province, Izu, Kai Province, Kai, Sagami Province, Sagami, Shinano Province, Shinano, and Tōtōmi Province, Tōtōm ...

, 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 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. In 1491, he was able to take Horigoye after the death of Kantō kubō Ashikaga Masatomo, gaining control of

Izu Province was a province of Japan in the area now part of Shizuoka Prefecture and Tokyo. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "''Izu''" in . Izu bordered on Sagami and Suruga Provinces. Its abbreviated form name was . The mainland portion of Izu Prov ...

. He then adopted the surname of Hōjō and the given name of Sōun or Sozui. He gained control of

in 1493, avenging a wrong committed by a member of the Ashikaga family which held the

shogunate , officially , was the title of the military rulers 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, except during parts of the Kamak ...

. 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 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". In 1519, Sōun died in Nirayama 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 * Wife: Nan’yoin-dono * Concubines: ** Katsurayama-dono ** Kennyoji-dono * Children: ** Hōjō Ujitsuna 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 15th-century births 1519 deaths Go-Hōjō clan Daimyo