Araki Murashige

Biographical Overview & Key Facts

Subject:

Araki Murashige

Role / Field:

Feudal lord and tea master who served Oda Nobunaga before defecting to the Mori clan.

Born:

1535

Died:

1586-06-20

Century / Era:

1535s Historical Era

Database Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Wikipedia CC BY-SA 4.0

Origins & Early Life

Araki Murashige (荒木 村重; 1535 – June 20, 1586) was a retainer of Ikeda Katsumasa, head of the powerful "Setssu-Ikeda clan" of Settsu Province. Under Katsumasa, Murashige sided with Oda Nobunaga following Nobunaga's successful campaign to establish power in Kyoto. Murashige became a retainer of Oda Nobunaga and become daimyō (feudal lord) of Ibaraki Castle in 1573 and gained further notoriety through military exploits across Japan. In 1571, Murashige and Nakagawa Kiyohide killed Wada Koremasa, a senior retainer of the Ashikaga Shogunate, at the Battle of Shiraigawara. In 1574, Murashige along with Hashiba Hideyoshi captured Arioka Castle (Itami castle) from Itami Chikaoki.

Career & Major Achievements

Nobunaga gave Itami castle to Murashige. In 1576, he commanded part of Nobunaga's army in the ten-year siege of the Ishiyama Honganji. But in 1578, during the Siege of Miki, he was accused of sympathies to the Mōri clan, one of Nobunaga's enemies. Murashige retreated to Itami Castle (Hyōgo Prefecture) and held out there against a one-year siege by the forces of Oda before the castle fell in 1579. Araki escaped from the Siege of Itami (1579) and lived the rest of his life as a chanoyu disciple of Sen no Rikyū.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

He also served as a teaist and took the tea name of Dōkun 道薫. Rikyū shared some of his most detailed teachings with Murashige, one example being the well-known ‘Araki Settsu Kami-ate Densho’ (荒木摂津守宛伝書) manuscript. In the ‘Teaist Genealogy of All Generations Past and Present’ (Kokin Chajin Keifu 古今茶人系譜), Murashige is included as one of Rikyū’s Seven Sages. In 1580, Ikeda Tsuneoki beat Murashige at Siege of Hanakuma castle, who locked himself in the castle. Ultimately, he escaped and defected to the Mori clan.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1535: Birth of Araki Murashige — Feudal lord and tea master who served Oda Nobunaga before defecting to the Mori clan.
2. 1571: 1571 Milestone — In 1571, Murashige and Nakagawa Kiyohide killed Wada Koremasa, a senior retainer of the Ashikaga Shogunate, at the Battle of Shiraigawara.
3. 1573: 1573 Milestone — Murashige became a retainer of Oda Nobunaga and become daimyō (feudal lord) of Ibaraki Castle in 1573 and gained further notoriety through military exploits across Japan.
4. 1574: 1574 Milestone — In 1574, Murashige along with Hashiba Hideyoshi captured Arioka Castle (Itami castle) from Itami Chikaoki.
5. 1576: 1576 Milestone — In 1576, he commanded part of Nobunaga's army in the ten-year siege of the Ishiyama Honganji.
6. 1578: 1578 Milestone — But in 1578, during the Siege of Miki, he was accused of sympathies to the Mōri clan, one of Nobunaga's enemies.
7. 1579: 1579 Milestone — Murashige retreated to Itami Castle (Hyōgo Prefecture) and held out there against a one-year siege by the forces of Oda before the castle fell in 1579.
8. 1580: 1580 Milestone — In 1580, Ikeda Tsuneoki beat Murashige at Siege of Hanakuma castle, who locked himself in the castle.
9. 1586 (1586-06-20): Passing & Historical Legacy — Araki Murashige passed away on 1586-06-20, leaving an enduring historical legacy.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Araki Murashige

True or False: “Araki Murashige was executed by Oda Nobunaga after being accused of treason in 1579.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): He managed to escape the Siege of Itami in 1579 and subsequently lived out his life as a tea master.

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Frequently Asked Questions about Araki Murashige