Ashina clan (Japan)

For the Turkic tribe, see Ashina tribe.

Ashina 蘆名
The Ashina clan mon
Parent house	Miura clan
Founder	Miura Yoshiaki
Cadet branches	Sagami-Ashina Aizu-Ashina

Ashina clan (Japanese: 蘆名氏, Hepburn: Ashina-shi) is a Japanese clan that emerged during the Sengoku period.[1]

History

The clan claims descent from Taira clan through the Miura clan.[1] Sometimes the kanji Kan-on characters "芦名" and "葦名" are used also. The name came from the area called Ashina in the city of Yokosuka in Kanagawa Prefecture.[2]

There were two branches of the clan: Sagami-Ashina (相模蘆名氏) and Aizu-Ashina (会津蘆名氏).^[citation needed] Sagami-Ashina originated when Miura Yoshitsugu's third son adopted the name Ashina. Aizu-Ashina was descended from Miura Yoshiaki's son Sawara Yoshitsuru.[2] During the Muromachi period the clan claimed the shugo of Aizu.[2] In 1589 the clan suffered a severe loss against Date Masamune at the Battle of Suriagehara, leading to the demise of the clan.[2]

In popular media

The Ashina play a prominent role in Futaroh Yamada's novel Yagyu Ninpocho where, following their defeat by Masamune, they went into hiding only to emerge years later as shinobi in service to the daimyō of Aizu. They also appear in the 2019 video game Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, which takes place in a fantasy version of the Sengoku Jidai. One other appearance of the clan is in Total War: Shogun 2. They are a non playable clan that the player may interact with.

List of Head Family

• (Founder) Miura Yoshiaki (1092–1180)

1. Sawara Yoshitsura, son of Yoshiaki
2. Sawara Moritsura, son of Yoshitsura
3. Ashina Mitsumori, son of Yoshitsura
4. Ashina Yasumori, nephew of Mitsumori
5. Ashina Morimune, son of Yasumori
6. Ashina Morikazu (1285–1335), son of Morimune
7. Ashina Naomori (1323–1391), brother of Morikazu
8. Ashina Norimori (1346–1407), son of Naomori
9. Ashina Morimune (1386–1434), son of Norimori
10. Ashina Morihisa (1416–1444), son of Morimune
11. Ashina Morinobu (1408–1451), brother of Morihisa
12. Ashina Moriakira (1431–1466), son of Morinobu
13. Ashina Moritaka (1448–1558), son of Moriakira
14. Ashina Morishige (1482–1521), son of Moritaka
15. Ashina Morikiyo (1490–1553), brother of Morishige
16. Ashina Moriuji (1521–1561), son of Morikiyo
17. Ashina Morioki (1547–1574), son of Moriuji
18. Ashina Moritaka (1561–1584), adopted son of Morioki
19. Ashina Kameomaru (1584–1586), son of Moritaka
20. Ashina Yoshihiro (1575–1631), descendant of Sawara Yoshitsura’s brother.
21. Ashina Moritoshi (1631–1651), son of Yoshihiro
22. Ashina Sentsurumaru (1650–1653), son of Moritoshi

References

1. Papinot, Jacques Edmond Joseph. (1906). Dictionnaire d’histoire et de géographie du Japon; Papinot, (2003). "Ashina," Nobiliare du Japon, p. 3 [PDF 7 of 80]; retrieved 2013-5-4.
2. "蘆名氏（読み）あしなうじ日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)「蘆名氏」の解説". kotobank. Retrieved 29 October 2021.