Japan is an amazing country, and this could not but affect its historical figures. A striking example of this is Uesugi Kenshin. He, who became a hero and a great commander, amazes modern scientists not only with his talent as a strategist, but also with the fact that even after death he is able to create intrigue. It lies in the fact that it is not known for certain whether Uesugi Kenshin was a woman or still a man. Be that as it may, his life left a tangible mark on Japanese history.
From the youngest son to the head of the clan
From a young age, Uesugi Kenshin was not considered as the leader of the clan, since the family of the famous warrior Nagao Tamekage had three more eldest sons who claimed this role. Uesugi, and then he was still called Toratie, was educated in a monastery. At the age of 14, a sharp turn in fate awaited him - the death of his father and the appointment of an older brother as the leader of the family, which did not suit the rest of the clan much, since this was preceded bykilling all rival brothers. Young Toratie, in order to avoid the fate of his two older brothers, enlisted the support of a local feudal lord and for several years waged an incessant struggle with a relative.
Ultimately, after defeating his brother's troops, the 17-year-old samurai heir led one of the most powerful clans in Echigo province. This played a big role in the further subjugation of the entire province. At this time, he began to bear the name of Kagetora.
How Kagetora became Kenshin
Shortly after the clan in Echigo came under the control of Nagao Kagetora, in 1551, Uesugi Norimasa, who suffered from the attack of Hojo Ujiyasu, asked for his protection. Kagetora turned out to be such a hospitable and generous host that Norimasa revealed a desire to adopt a young warrior, thus giving him the name of his kind - Uesugi. Together with the name, the lands of Kanto passed under his rule.
Eight years later, Uesugi Kagetora visited Kyoto to legalize his name. The shogun of Kyoto also gave him the opportunity to use the hieroglyph from his name. This great privilege was awarded only to outstanding personalities in Japan of those times. Thus, the name of the hero changed again: Uesugi Terutora.
The final version of the name received after the commander turned into a monk. From 1561 until the time of his death, his name was Uesugi Kenshin.
Protection of the province from Takeda Shingen
The period of unrest in Japan was characterized by the constant attacks of one feudal lordon another. The first opponent that Kagetora faced as Viceroy of Echigo Province was Takeda Shingen, who stopped his army on the border of the samurai's fiefdom.
The opponents turned out to be worthy of each other, since they had to measure their strength five times during 1553-1564 - no one wanted to give in. But against the backdrop of hostility, these two also experienced feelings of deep respect for each other. Despite the fact that the Japanese commander was in a state of protracted war with his opponent, he repeatedly showed nobility towards him, for which he gained respect from other enemies, such as the samurai Hojo, who said that after his death he would entrust the care of his family only Uesugi.
What battles have seen the armor of Uesugi Kenshin
Samurai was not only a good governor and master of his lands - he was also a great strategist, which allowed him to significantly expand his possessions.
From 1560 to 1577, he waged bloody wars with the provinces of Etchu and Noto. Most of these territories submitted to Uesugi Kenshin, difficulties arose only with the main castle of the province of Noto - Nanaoze. In 1577, thanks to the cunning of his enemies, he lifted the siege of the castle and hurried to the aid of his native land, and during this time the conquered territories returned under the control of the former owners. But their triumph did not last long, since in the same year the siege of Nanaoze was renewed and the castle fell under the onslaught of Kenshin, thereby securing the power of the samurai onNoto lands.
Echigo Dragon Death
As a rule, great warriors even spend the last hour of their lives with weapons in their hands and on the battlefield. But fate prepared Uesugi Kenshin another scenario. In 1577, the close samurai found the insensible body of their leader in an inappropriate place for such a moment - a restroom. The original version of Uesugi Kenshin's death was an intestinal disease, but later, in order not to undermine the authority of the great military leader, another version appeared, according to which he fell victim to ninja assassins.
The mystery of the identity of the samurai from Echigo
Uesugi Kenshin left not only a material legacy (a talented military leader seized a lot of land), but also a great intrigue about his gender. To this day, there are discussions about who this samurai was: a man or a woman. An examination of the body and grave of Kenshin could put an end to this issue, but, unfortunately, the data on the burial place were lost or hidden by the clan representatives in order to avoid its disbandment.
In favor of the fact that all the great battles were won by a woman, several facts speak at once:
- Some images, including self-portraits, hint at Uesugi's feminine nature.
- The commander avoided marriage all his life and did not have children, although his relations with the fairer sex were warm and friendly, but not a single acquaintance ended romantically.
- Kenshin himself identified himself with Bishamonten, the god of war and keeper of the treasures of the world. In the sanctuary of the beloved castle of the samurai wasa statue was erected to this deity, which had obvious female characteristics, which gave rise to some guesses.
- Modern scientists suggest that the disease that crippled the commander was associated with inflammation of the female genital organs. This is also supported by the historical records of that time, which note that every month Kenshin suffered from a certain ailment, which disappeared after a couple of days.
- The literary preferences of the samurai also raised doubts about his gender. According to contemporaries, he could be caught reading a novel about feelings and relationships.
Now it is not so important who Uesugi Kenshin was in the era of unrest, his instructive influence on descendants is much more important. By his example, he showed that a warrior must have not only courage and courage, but also nobility, human dignity.