Hōjō Ujimasa

Hōjō Ujimasa (北条 氏政, 1538 – August 10, 1590) was the fourth head of the later Hōjō clan, and daimyō of Odawara. His childhood name was Matsuchiyo-maru (松千代丸). He was a son-in-law of Takeda Shingen.[1]

In this Japanese name, the surname is Hōjō.
Hōjō Ujimasa
北条 氏政
Hōjō Ujimasa
Head of Later Hōjō clan
In office
1571 – ?
Preceded byHōjō Ujiyasu
Succeeded byHōjō Ujinao
Personal details
Born1538
Sagami Province, Japan
DiedAugust 10, 1590(1590-08-10) (aged 51–52)
Odawara Castle, Sagami Province, Japan
Spouse(s)Ōbai-in
Hōshō-in
Children12, including Hōjō Ujinao
MotherZuikei-in
FatherHōjō Ujiyasu
RelativesLady Hayakawa (sister)
Hōjō Ujiteru (brother)
Hōjō Ujikuni (brother)
Hōjō Ujinori (brother)
Uesugi Kagetora (brother)
Imagawa Yoshimoto (maternal uncle)
Imagawa Ujizane (cousin and brother-in-law)
Takeda Shingen (father-in-law)
Takeda Katsuyori (brother-in-law)
Military service
Allegiance Later Hōjō clan
RankDaimyo
CommandsOdawara Castle
Battles/wars

Ujimasa commanded in many battles included Siege of Odawara (1561), Battle of Konodai (1564), Siege of Odawara (1569), Battle of Omosu (1580). He consolidating his clan's position, and retired in 1590. His son Hōjō Ujinao became head of the clan and lord of Odawara, but later that year they failed to hold Odawara against the forces of Toyotomi Hideyoshi (see Siege of Odawara (1590)). Ujimasa was forced to commit suicide along with his brother Ujiteru.

Like many samurai who committed seppuku in the face of shameful defeat, Ujimasa composed death poems:

Autumn wind of eve
Blow away the clouds that mass
O'er the moon's pure light.
And the mists that cloud our mind
Do thou sweep away as well.

(雨雲の おほへる月も 胸の霧も はらひにけりな 秋の夕風)

Now I'm about to disappear,
Wondering how I should grasp it.
From the emptiness I came,
Hence I shall return there.

(我が身今 消ゆとやいかに 思ふべき 空より来たり 空へ帰れば)

Grave of Hōjō Ujimasa and Ujiteru

Family
  • Father: Hōjō Ujiyasu
  • Mother: Zuikei-in (d. 1590), daughter of Imagawa Ujichika
  • Wives:
    • Ōbai-in (1543–1569), daughter of Takeda Shingen
    • Hōshō-in (d. 1590)
  • Children:
    • Hōjō Shinkurō (1555 – c. 1557) by Ōbai-in
    • Hōjō Ujinao by Ōbai-in
    • Ōta Gengorō (1563–1582) by Ōbai-in, son-in-law of Ōta Ujisuke
    • Ōta Ujifusa (1565–1592) by Ōbai-in, son-in-law of Ōta Ujisuke
    • Chiba Naoshige (d. 1627) by Ōbai-in, son-in-law of Chiba Kunitane
    • Hōjō Naosada by Ōbai-in
    • Hōjō Genzō
    • Hōjō Katsuchiyo (b. 1590) by Hōshō-in
    • daughter married Suzuki Shigeuji
    • daughter married Niwata Shigesada
    • daughter married Satomi Yoshiyori
    • daughter married Chiba Kunitane

Relatives

Hōjō Ujimasa appears in Koei's video games Kessen, Samurai Warriors 2, Samurai Warriors 3 and Warriors Orochi. He was also in Capcom's Sengoku Basara, Sengoku Basara 2, and Sengoku Basara 2 Heroes as an old man who was armed with spear and has both his ancestral spirits and ice attacks and assisted by Fuma Kotaro. He also appears in The Creative Assembly's Total War: Shogun, and Total War: Shogun 2. Professional wrestler Akito wrestled as Ujimasa for the Dramatic Dream Team promotion on February 10, 2013.[2]

See also

References
  1. Turnbull, Stephen (1987). Battle of the Samurai. London: Arms and Armour Press. p. 68. ISBN 0853688265.
  2. "Into The Fight シリーズ 2013 in Odawara". Dramatic Dream Team (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 2013-04-08. Retrieved 2013-02-10.
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