Footprints of Sourin Otomo (No.2)
Sourin Otomo was born in 1529.
His early childhood name was Shiohoushimaru, then it was changed to Goro until he reached adulthood. Although his mother had bad eyesight and was poor in health, she loved Sourin
calling him "Goro". Sourin felt comfortable when she touched
the back of his neck gropingly.
Sourin lost his mother in his young days; therefor, he had been yearning
for her image in his
life.
Over generations, the Otomo family received legal wives from the Ouchi family. However,
as conflicts with the Ouchi increased, the retainers who supported the
Otomo became
resentful to receive wives from the Ouchi. Therefore Sourin was arranged to get engaged to
a daughter from the Isshiki family. And the marriage was thought to be beneficial to be
appointed as Kyushu tandai by the house of Ashikaga.
However, Sourin himself became aware that he was ill-affected because his
mother was
from the Ouchi. After Sourin's mother died, his father, Yoshiaki got remarried, then
Shioichimaru was born. The retainers of Otomo tried to make Shioichimaru
succeed the
house. And Yoshiaki also thought so.
Yoshiaki had a younger brother, whom Yoshiaki's father appointed as head
of the house of
Kikuchi in Higo. The brother then changed his name to Yoshitake Kikuchi.
However he
revolted against Yoshiaki in conspiracy with Yoshitaka Ouchi, but was defeated.
Since then
he had plotted an assassination of Yoshiaki for 16 years, and finally,
Yoshiaki, his second wife,
and his son were killed in 1550. It was called "Nikai kuzure no hen" because their house was
the two-storied house.
It is not known exactly why Yoshitake was envious of Yohiaki. However, I thought that I
cannot stand the period of Civil War because the sin of Cain, who was supposed
to help his
brother but envied and killed him, didn't remain as the matter of individuals but turned out to
be the matter between countries.
(The Kyoto Glory Church Translation Committee is responsible for the wording
of this article.)