Ichijō Kanesada

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Ichijō Kanesada (一条兼定? 1543 - July 27, 1585) was the succeeding ruling head over Ichijō family's Tosa Province, throughout the late Sengoku period of Feudal Japan. For one reason or the other, Kanesada was seen as a figure that possessed the quality of cruelty, over everything else, and was thus betrayed by many of his respective retainers as the years passed on. A man by the name of Chōsokabe Motochika--who was relatively a high ranking and influential figure beneath the rulership of Kanesada--was the first of many to rise up against Kanesada, effectively consuming the former's Tosa Province and driving him to the neighboring land of Bungo Province to the west, in 1574. Only a mere few months later in 1575 did Motochika strike once again upon his former lord, forcing Kanesada to desperately cling to the side of his nephew--Ōtomo Sōrin--converting to the religion of Christianity solely by means of obtaining populace support among the people of Bungo so that he may be able to reattain his territory in Tosa province. However, Sōrin was naturally a man that detested conflict without definite reasoning for resistance, and thus exiled Kanesada to Iyo Province's Kojima Island, killing two birds with a single stone. As Motochika took over Iyo shortly following this event, he allowed Kanesada to idly remain where he was, but may have been the leading figure behind Kanesada's death in 1585.

[edit] Cultural Portrayal

Up to present day Japan, Kanesada has had many variable stories created after him that justify that he enforced some means that can be regularly defined as 'cruel'. Many scholars have also used the evidence of Motochika's former usage of propaganda, against Kanesada as a means that justify why the latter may have performed the actions that he did, causing many to consider that Motochika may have created circumstances at which his lord was to be blamed for, at which Kanesada might somewhat be justified as at least partially innocent.

[edit] References

  1. Ichijo Kanesada - SamuraiWiki. (Samurai Archives) FWSeal & CEWest, 2005
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