Ishikawa Hirosue (石川広季)
Hirosue ISHIKAWA (year of birth unknown - March 30, 1248) was a busho (Japanese military commander) in the early Kamakura period. He was the seventh family head of the Mutsu Ishikawa clan, which followed Yamato-Genji (Minamoto clan). He was the second son of Motomitsu ISHIKAWA. He was the father of Mitsusada ISHIKAWA. He filled a post of Jushiinoge (Junior Fourth Rank, Lower Grade) Daizen no daibu (Master of the Palace Table). His wife was a daughter of FUJIWARA no Asateru.
Since his elder brother Shigekatsu ISHIKAWA suffered many diseases, Hirosue succeeded his father who entered the Buddhist priesthood.
In 1183, he ordered a member of his family, Koji NARITA, to lead troops to aid MINAMOTO no Yoritomo who raised an army to subjugate the Taira family.
After the fall of the Taira clan, Yoritomo led large forces to Shirakawa no seki (Shirakawa Barrier) in Mutsu Province to attack the Oshu-Fujiwara clan in 1189. Since Hirosue was sick, he left his army to Mitsuyuki ODERA, a member of his family, as a myodai (a substitute) to welcome Yoritomo. When the large forces arrived at Fujita, Yoritomo prayed for a victory in Hachiman-gu Shrine, which MINAMOTO no Yoriyoshi had established as a branch shrine by enshrining a deity there.
At this time, Yoritomo composed a waka poem, 石川の館の麓の河隈に明賀の松の影そ映ふ (The shadow of pine trees of Meiga was mirrored on the river at the foot of the residence of Ishikawa).
After Yoritomo defeated the Oshu-Fujiwara clan and conquered Oshu (Mutsu province), he donated part of Shida-gun as an offering to Hachiman-gu Shrine and triumphantly returned to Kamakura. Mitsuyuki also went back to Ishikawa.
When Kaneto OKAWA, an old retainer of the Fujiwara clan, rose in rebellion by collecting the remnants of a defeated party in 1190, Mitsuyuki was summoned to raise an army for suppression.
Hirosue, Mitsuyuki and Mitsumasa YABUKI met Yorotomo in Kamakura in 1197, and were ordered to lead a visit to Zenko-ji Temple. In Kyoto, Hirosue was appointed to Jushiinoge (Junior Fourth Rank, Lower Grade) Daizen no daibu (Master of the Palace Table), Mitsuyuki was appointed to Jugoinoge (Junior Fifth Rank, Lower Grade) Hyobu-shoyu (junior assistant minister of the Hyobusho Ministry of Military) and Mitsumasa was appointed to Jugoinoge (Junior Fifth Rank, Lower Grade) Gyobu no shoyu (Junior Assistant Minister of Justice).