Rokkaku Sadayori

• Birth: 1495
• Death: 1552
• Distinction: Warlord of Ômi
• Son: Rokkaku Yoshikata

Sadayori was the 2nd son of Rokkaku Takayori. As a youth he was sent to study at the Sôkokuji in Kyoto but returned to secular life after his elder brother was badly wounded in battle. He became lord of the Rokkaku and resided at Kannonji castle. He aided Ôuchi Yoshioki during the latter's tenure as kanrei and fought under him against Hosokawa Sumimoto at the battle of Funaokayama in 1511. He later clashed with the emerging Asai family of northern Ômi. It is sometimes said that Sadayori was a forerunner of sorts to the later shirowari policy- that is, allowing only one castle per province. In Sadayori's case, he ordered the abandonment of Otowa Castle in 1523 following an internal dispute within the Gamô house. This is thought to have been part of an effort to better control his retainers. He was at any rate a capable administrator and among his efforts was the stimulation of merchant activity at Kannoji. He died on 21 January 1552.

References

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