Go-Hojo clan

The Hojo kamon.

The Hôjô were founded by Ise Shinkuro (Sôun) and therefore were no relation to the earlier family of Regents (shikken), whose name was apparently borrowed for its prestige value. They ruled from Odawara castle in Sagami province from around 1520 until their defeat at the hands of Toyotomi Hideyoshi in 1590. During that time they expanded throughout the Kanto at the expense of the Uesugi and by 1590 could claim control of much of the region. Although the Hôjô enjoyed martial success, their domestic developments make them a favorite subject among scholars.

Hojo clan genealogy

The origins of the Ise family are unclear, and certain scholars place their homeland as Bitchû Province while others maintain that they were Kyoto natives.

Though the clan suffered a significant defeat at the 1590 siege of Odawara, a branch of the family was granted a domain at Sayama in Kawachi province, and continued to rule throughout the Edo period.

Members of the Go-Hôjô clan

Hôjô Sôun(Nagauji) 北条早雲(長氏）(1432-1519) Hôjô Ujitsuna 北条氏綱 (1487-1541) Son of Sôun Hôjô Ujiyasu 北条氏康 (1515-1571) Son of Ujitsuna Hôjô Ujimasa 北条氏政 (1538-1590) Son of Ujiyasu Hôjô Ujiteru 北条氏照 (1539-1590) Son of Ujiyasu Hôjô Ujihide 北条氏秀 (1554-1579) Son of Ujiyasu, adopted by Uesugi Kenshin and took the name Uesugi Kagetora Hôjô Ujinao 北条氏直 (1562-1591) Son of Ujimasa Hôjô Ujitsugu 北条氏次 (1585?-1672) Son of Ujitsugu and daughter of Tokugawa Ieyasu Hôjô Ujiyoshi 北条氏燕 (1830-1891), second-to-last lord of Sayama domain

Grave of the five Hôjô lords, plus Ujitsugu (far left), established in 1672 in Sôunji, Yumoto.

References

• Initial text from Sengoku Biographical Dictionary (Samurai-Archives.com) FWSeal & CEWest, 2005