Keigin-ni

Keigin-ni (慶けいぎん尼あま) was a Japanese noble woman member of Ryūzōji Clan during the Sengoku period. Often referred to as the "Widow of the Ryūzōji," her life was intertwined with the fortunes of the Ryūzōji clan. She was described as a courageous woman and always carried a short sword named ''Fumonshu''.^[1]

Biography

Born as the daughter of Ryūzōji Tanekazu, the sixteenth head of the prestigious Muranaka-Ryūzōji, the primary branch of the Ryūzōji clan, Keigin-ni's destiny was sealed from birth. She would go on to become the formal wife of Ryūzōji Kaneie, and their union produced a direct heir named Ryūzōji Takanobu. However, it is suggested that Kaneie's second and third sons, Ryūzōji Nobukane and Ryūzōji Naganobu, may have had a different mother. ^[2]

Tragedy Strikes

In 1545, the Ryūzōji clan faced a tragic turn of events when Kaneie was assassinated, allegedly as part of a plot orchestrated by Baba Yorichika, a senior retainer of the Shōni clan.

A Second Marriage and Family Dynamics

In 1556, Keigin-ni embarked on a new chapter of her life by marrying Nabeshima Kiyofusa, a loyal retainer of the Ryūzōji clan. This union resulted in her becoming the stepmother of Kiyofusa's lineal heir, Nabeshima Naoshige. As a result, Takanobu and Naoshige were not only cousins but also in-laws to each other.^[3]

A Critical Moment at the Battle of Imayama

In 1570, during the intense Battle of Imayama, Saga Castle found itself besieged by a formidable army under the command of Ōtomo Sōrin. The dire situation led to a loss of morale within the castle walls, with Takanobu and Nobuo contemplating surrender to the Ōtomo. Keigin-ni, displaying remarkable courage and wisdom, confronted Takanobu, rebuking him for his timidity. She urged him to rely on Nobumasa and launch a daring nighttime assault against the Ōtomo forces on Mount Ima. This pivotal decision, inspired by Keigin-ni's leadership, led to the successful counterattack against the besiegers. Throughout this crucial period, Keigin-ni played an instrumental role in shaping decisions, fostering unity, and providing unwavering support to Takanobu.^[4]

A Supportive Role After Takanobu's Passing

Following Takanobu's demise in the Battle of Okitanawate in 1584, Keigin-ni continued her active involvement in the governance of the province, extending her support to Ryūzōji Masaie, who assumed leadership of the clan.^[2]

In 1587, Masaie joined the forces of Toyotomi Hideyoshi against the Shimazu clan. In the same year, he was confirmed as head of the Saga Domain (350,000 koku), later the control of the domain passed to Nabeshima Naoshige

Legacy and death

Keigin-ni died on 1 March 1600 (in the 5th year of Keichō). While historical records suggest she lived to the remarkable age of ninety-two, there are varying theories regarding her true age. Keigin-ni's enduring legacy remains a testament to her resilience, leadership, and dedication during a tumultuous period in Japanese history.^[4]

References

^ 川副かわそえ博ひろし著ちょ、川副かわそえ義よし敦あつし考こう訂てい『五ご州しゅう二に島とうの太守たいしゅ龍造寺りゅうぞうじ隆信たかのぶ』（佐賀新聞社さがしんぶんしゃ、2006年ねん）104頁ぺーじ
^ ^a ^b 川副かわそえ博ひろし著ちょ、川副かわそえ義よし敦あつし考こう訂てい『五ご州しゅう二に島とうの太守たいしゅ龍造寺りゅうぞうじ隆信たかのぶ』（佐賀新聞社さがしんぶんしゃ、2006年ねん）362頁ぺーじ
^ 宮本みやもと義己よしみ「龍造寺りゅうぞうじ隆信たかのぶの母はは―慶けい誾尼―」小和田こわだ哲男てつお編者へんしゃ『戦国せんごくの女性じょせいたち』（河出書房新社かわでしょぼうしんしゃ、2005年ねん）
^ ^a ^b 軍記ぐんき物ぶつである『肥こえ陽ひ軍記ぐんき』には記述きじゅつがあるが、『北きた肥こえ戦せん誌し（九州きゅうしゅう治乱ちらん記き）』には見みられない。

Sources

Yoshimi Miyamoto, "Ryuzoji Takanobu's Mother: Keishinni," edited by Tetsuo Owada, "Sengoku Women" (Kawade Shobo Shinsha, 2005)
Suzuki (Miyajima) Atsuko, "About Ryuzoji Takanobu and Mother Keishini," Saga University Regional Studies Creation Project ed. Saga Studies II (Iwata Shoin, 2014)

佐賀新聞社さがしんぶんしゃ (2006/12).『五ご州しゅう二に島とうの太守たいしゅ龍造寺りゅうぞうじ隆信たかのぶ』. ISBN 4882981610

[1] 川副かわそえ博ひろし著ちょ、川副かわそえ義よし敦あつし考こう訂てい『五ご州しゅう二に島とうの太守たいしゅ龍造寺りゅうぞうじ隆信たかのぶ』（佐賀新聞社さがしんぶんしゃ、2006年ねん）104頁ぺーじ

[:0-2] 川副かわそえ博ひろし著ちょ、川副かわそえ義よし敦あつし考こう訂てい『五ご州しゅう二に島とうの太守たいしゅ龍造寺りゅうぞうじ隆信たかのぶ』（佐賀新聞社さがしんぶんしゃ、2006年ねん）362頁ぺーじ

[3] 宮本みやもと義己よしみ「龍造寺りゅうぞうじ隆信たかのぶの母はは―慶けい誾尼―」小和田こわだ哲男てつお編者へんしゃ『戦国せんごくの女性じょせいたち』（河出書房新社かわでしょぼうしんしゃ、2005年ねん）

[:1-4] 軍記ぐんき物ぶつである『肥こえ陽ひ軍記ぐんき』には記述きじゅつがあるが、『北きた肥こえ戦せん誌し（九州きゅうしゅう治乱ちらん記き）』には見みられない。

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v t e Prominent people of the Sengoku and Azuchi–Momoyama periods
Emperor	Go-Kashiwabara Go-Nara Ōgimachi Go-Yōzei
Three major daimyō	Oda Nobunaga Toyotomi Hideyoshi Tokugawa Ieyasu
Shōgun	Ashikaga Yoshiharu Ashikaga Yoshiteru Ashikaga Yoshihide Ashikaga Yoshiaki Tokugawa Hidetada
Other daimyō	Amago Tsunehisa Amago Haruhisa Asakura Yoshikage Ashina Moriuji Akechi Mitsuhide Azai Nagamasa Chōsokabe Motochika Date Terumune Date Masamune Hatakeyama Yoshitaka Honda Tadakatsu Hōjō Sōun Hōjō Ujimasa Hōjō Ujiyasu Ii Naomasa Imagawa Yoshimoto Imagawa Ujizane Isshiki Yoshimichi Itō Yoshisuke Kitabatake Tomonori Kuroda Nagamasa Matsunaga Hisahide Miyoshi Nagayoshi Mogami Yoshiaki Mōri Motonari Ōuchi Yoshitaka Ōuchi Yoshinaga Ōtomo Sōrin Rokkaku Yoshikata Ryūzōji Takanobu Saitō Dōsan Saitō Yoshitatsu Sakai Tadatsugu Sakakibara Yasumasa Satomi Yoshitaka Sanada Yukitaka Sanada Masayuki Sanada Nobuyuki Satake Yoshishige Sagara Yoshihi Shimazu Yoshihisa Shimazu Yoshihiro Tachibana Dōsetsu Takeda Nobutora Takeda Shingen Tōdō Takatora Uesugi Kagekatsu Uesugi Kenshin Uesugi Norimasa Ukita Naoie Uragami Munekage Yamana Toyokuni Yamana Suketoyo
Swordsmen	Marume Nagayoshi Hikita Bungorō Kamiizumi Nobutsuna Miyamoto Musashi Mizuno Katsushige Sasaki Kojirō Tadashima Akiyama Tsukahara Bokuden Tsutsumi Hōzan Yagyū Munenori Yagyū Munetoshi Shinmen Munisai Itō Ittōsai
Advisers and strategists	Kobayakawa Takakage Kuroda Yoshitaka Naoe Kanetsugu Takenaka Shigeharu Usami Sadamitsu Yamamoto Kansuke
Ninja, rogues and mercenaries	Mochizuki Chiyome Fūma Kotarō Hatsume no Tsubone Hattori Hanzō Ishikawa Goemon Katō Danzō Kirigakure Shikaemon Kōzuki Sasuke Nakamura Chōbei Ohama Kagetaka Sugitani Zenjūbō Saika Magoichi Suzuki Sadayu Suzuki Shigehide Suzuki Shigetomo Suzuki Magoroku Igasaki Dōshun Umemura Sawano
Monks and other religious figures	Ankokuji Ekei Hongan-ji Kennyo Hon'inbō Sansa Ishin Sūden Jion Koji Kashin Nankōbō Tenkai Rennyo Sessai Chōrō Shimozuma Chūkō Shimotsuma Rairen Shimozuma Rairyū Takuan Sōhō
Female castellans	Ashikaga Ujihime Chacha Miyohime Munakata Saikaku Nene Onamihime Otazu no Kata Otsuya no Kata Seishin-ni Tachibana Ginchiyo
Female warriors	Akai Teruko Fujishiro Gozen Ichikawa no Tsubone Ikeda Sen Kaihime Kamehime Katakura Kita Katō Tsune Komatsuhime Kushihashi Teru Maeda Matsu Myōki Myōrin Numata Jakō Ōhōri Tsuruhime Okaji no Kata Okyō no Kata Omasa Oni Gozen Shigashi Shirai no Tsubone Ueno Tsuruhime Yuki no Kata
Other women	Lady Acha Akohime Asahihime Lady Chaa Chikurin-in Gōhime Lady Goryū Dota Gozen Gotokuhime Tsumaki Hiroko Lady Hayakawa Hosokawa Gracia Irohahime Izumo no Okuni Jukei-ni Shimazu Kameju Lady Kasuga Keigin-ni Kitsuno Konoe Sakiko Kōzōsu Kyōgoku Maria Kyōgoku Tatsuko Kyōun'in Matsuhime Megohime Lady Myōkyū Naitō Julia Nōhime Odai no Kata Oeyo Oichi Oinu Ohatsu Lady Ōkurakyo Ōmandokoro Ono Otsū Ōtomo-Nata Jezebel Rikei Lady Saigō Lady Sanjō Seien-in Seikōin Senhime Sentōin Tobai-in Toyotomi Sadako Tomo Lady Toida Tokuhime Tōshōin Lady Tsukiyama Yamauchi Chiyo Yoshihime Yoshihiro Kikuhime
Foreign people in Japan	Alessandro Valignano Francis Xavier Gaspar Coelho Jacob Quaeckernaeck Jan Joosten van Lodensteijn Julia Ota Luís Fróis Soga Seikan Wakita Naokata Wang Zhi William Adams Yasuke
See also	List of samurai from the Sengoku period