Re: Menjyu Brothers, the Most Loyal Warlords in the Provincial War Era (忠義に厚い毛受兄弟)

【In English】

Hideyoshi (秀吉) HASHIBA (later TOYOTOMI) and Katsuie (勝家) SHIBATA fought at the northern area of Ohmi (currently Shiga pref.) in Apr., 1583. The Shizugatake battle (賤ケ岳合戦) was said to end only within a few days, partly due to a tactical maneuvering by some warlords among the North army (Katsuie’s side).

Katsuie decided to kill himself at the battlefield, but one of the bravest pageboys under the commander, Katsuteru MENJYU (毛受勝照) stopped it and pleaded him to go back to the residence castle in Echizen (currently Fukui pref.) And Katsuteru and his brother Shigezaemon fiercely fought the Hideyoshi’s army, sacrificing themselves for Katsuie, holding Uma-jirushi commanders’ flags.
However, only 200 force size were soon forced into the defeat, and both were killed by the thousands of forces of the South army (Hideyoshi’s side.)


The loyal brothers were said to be buried with all the proper honors by the order of Hideyoshi, who was struck by the story.
There is the grave of the loyal brothers near my hometown. And they say that the grave has been taken care by the village people there generation and generation.

Zencho-ji temple (全長寺), which is an old temple nearby of more than 500 years, is known as the family temple of the loyal brothers.

【In Japanese (日本語訳)】

タイトル: 忠義に厚い毛受兄弟

羽柴秀吉(後の豊臣秀吉)と柴田勝家は、1583年4月に近江(現在の滋賀県)北部で戦いました。賤ケ岳合戦は、北軍(勝家側)の一部の武将による戦術的策略にも左右されて、わずか数日で終わったと言われています。

勝家は戦場で自決しようとしましたが、この大将のもとで最も勇敢な小姓の一人である毛受勝照がそれを止め、越前(現在の福井県)の居城に戻るよう懇願しました。そして、勝照と彼の兄弟である茂左衛門は、勝家の身代わりとなって馬印の旗を掲げて秀吉の軍と激しく戦ったとのことです。
しかし、わずか200人の軍勢ですぐに敗退し、南軍(秀吉方)の数千の軍勢に討ち取られてしまいました。

この話に感銘を受けた秀吉の命により、この忠義に厚い兄弟は手厚く葬られたということです。そして、私の故郷の近くにこの兄弟の墓があり、代々村民が大切に守ってきたといわれています。

そして、近くにある500年以上の古刹、全長寺はこの毛受兄弟の菩提寺として知られています。

The Forest of “Menjyu” (毛受の森)

The Death Poems of Menjyu brothers, Katsuie and Morimasa (毛受兄弟、柴田勝家そして佐久間盛政の辞世の句碑)

The Story of the Menjyu Brothers (毛受兄弟の遺徳)

The Rough Guide Map of Historical Places Associated with Menjyu Brothers (毛受兄弟史跡ガイドマップ)

Motion Pictures around the Forest (お墓周辺の動画)

Zencho-ji temple (1 of 2) 全長寺(1 of 2)

Zencho-ji temple (2 of 2) 全長寺(2 of 2)

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