Ryujouji (genus)

The Ryujoji family was founded in 1186 by Fujiwara no Suye . The genus came from Hizen province on the island of Kyushu .

Since 1336, the samurai family of Ryujouji has been in alliance with Ashikaga Takaudzi , the first shogun from the Ashikaga dynasty. In the struggle for power over Ryujoji Island, they were defeated by the Otomo clan in the east and the Shimazu clan in southern Kyushu.

Originally, the Ryujoji clan was in vassal dependence on the Shoni clan, whose representatives held the posts of shugo (military governor) in the provinces of Tikuzen and Hizen.

In the sixteenth century, Ryujoji Takanobu significantly expanded its holdings. He destroyed the clan Shoni and seized its territory. He also waged war against the Shimazu and Arima clans, was defeated, and was killed. His successor was the son of Ryujouji Masai (1556-1607), who in 1587 entered into an alliance with Toyotomi Hideyoshi against the hostile Shimazu clan. In the same year, he participated in the Toyotomi Hideyoshi military campaign against the Shimazu clan in Kyushu. After the defeat of Shimazu, Toyotomi Hideyoshi confirmed the ownership of the principality of Saga with an income of 350,000 koku of rice for Ryujoji Masaie. In 1590, Masaye gave up power in favor of his young son Takafusa (1586-1607). The actual ruler of the Saga was the military leader Nabeshima Naoshige (1537-1619), a vassal of the Ryujoji family. In 1607, father and son, Masaye and Takafusa, committed suicide. The Principality of Saga passed into the possession of Nabesima Naoshige and his descendants.

• Ryujoji Iekane (1454–1546), a vassal of the Shuni clan, defeated the Otomo clan in 1506
• Ryujoji Takanobu (1530-1584), the 19th head of the Ryujoji family (1548-1578), Iekane's grandson
• Ryujoji Masai (1556-1607), 20th head of the Ryujoji family (1578-1590), son and successor to Takanobu
• Ryujouji Takafusa (1586-1607), 21st (last) head of the clan (1590-1607), daimyo sagi (1590-1607)

• Turnbull S. Samurai, Moscow , AST, 2008 ISBN 978-5-17-040815-3