Hojo Soun (Ise Moritoki)
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N 35° 15.419 E 139° 09.268
54S E 332110 N 3903103
Quick Description: Located outside the Odwara train station. Hojo Soun was a 15th century Samurai.
Location: Japan
Date Posted: 3/2/2008 9:06:38 AM
Waymark Code: WM39RJ
Views: 39
Long Description:From Wikipedia.com
("http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H%C5%8Dj%C5%8D_S%C5%8Dun"
target="_blank">visit link)
Hojo Soun (1432 – September 8, 1519) was the first head of the late
Hojo clan, one of the major powers in Japan's Sengoku period. Born
Ise Moritoki, he was originally known as Ise Shinkuro, a samurai of
Taira lineage from a family of little importance or power, he
fought his way up, gaining territory and changing his name to the
illustrious Hojo.
According to some sources, he was a lowly samurai or ronin, but
he had some important family connections. His sister was married to
Imagawa Yoshitada, a member of a fairly powerful samurai family.
When Yoshitada died in battle in 1476, Shinkuro 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, Soun came to Ujichika's defense, killing
Norimitsu. Soun was rewarded by Ujichika with Kokukuji castle. He
gained control of Izu Province in 1493, avenging a wrong committed
by a member of the Ashikaga family which held the shogunate. With
Soun's successful invasion is Izu province, he is credited by most
historians as being the first "Sengoku Daimyo".
Soon afterwards, he secured Odawara, the castle which would
become the center of the Hojo family's domains for nearly a
century. Supposedly, he seized the castle after arranging for its
lord to be murdered while out hunting. Soun then took Kamakura, the
old Shogunal capital, in 1512, and the castle of Arai in 1518.
Soun died the following year, and passed on the newly build Hojo
domains to his son Ujitsuna, who subsequently changed the clan name
from the original Ise to Hojo and postumously renamed his father to
Hojo Soun.