Nejime clan

• Japanese: 禰寝家 (Nejime ke)

The Nejime clan were descended from Taira no Koremori, whose grandson Kiyoshige took the name Nejime; members of the clan served as officials in Ôsumi province going back to ancient times. In the 14th century, they played a prominent role in fighting alongside the Shimazu clan in supporting Ashikaga Takauji and the Northern Court in the wars of the Nanboku-chô period.

From the Muromachi period onward, the Nejime focused on controlling trade. Nejime Shigehira in particular was active in trade with Ryûkyû and China.

In the 16th century, members of the Itô, Kimotsuki, and Tanegashima clans became embroiled in succession disputes over the headship of the Shimazu clan. After this, the Nejime and Kimotsuki rose up against the Shimazu. They attempted an amphibious attack on Kagoshima in 1571 but were rebuffed; the Shimazu defeated the Itô in the battle of Kizakihara the following year. Realizing their situation was dire, the Nejime capitulated to the Shimazu the next year, in 1573, becoming Shimazu retainers.

In the early modern period, one branch of the Nejime clan changed its name to Komatsu.

References

• "Nejime-shi," Satsuma Shimazu-ke no rekishi, Shôkoshûseikan official website.
• Initial text from Sengoku Biographical Dictionary (Samurai-Archives.com) FWSeal & CEWest, 2005