Tachibana no Kiminari (橘公業)
TACHIBANA no Kiminari (公業) (years of birth and death unknown) was a busho (Japanese military commander) of the Tachibana family from the late Heian period to the early Kamakura period. His name was also written as 公成. Because he was the second son of TACHIBANA no Kiminaga, he was commonly called Kitsuji, which literally meant "Tachibana the second." His legal name was Koren. It is said that he was an excellent archer. His elder brother was TACHIBANA no Kimitada. He was originally following his father, who was a Kenin (retainer) of TAIRA no Tomomori.
In 1180, he gave up the Taira family and became a direct retainer of the Minamoto clan. As a reward for his success during the battle in the Oshu Region, he was appointed as the landlord of the Shorokuto Island in the Dewano-kuni Province (presently Oga City, Akita Prefecture). During the War of Kaneto OKAWA in 1189, he escaped in front of the enemy and temporarily made MINAMOTO no Yoritomo mad. However, after all, his fighting back the enemy after waiting for the reinforcements was appraised as an appropriate act. After the war, he not only retained his territory in the Shorokuto Island but also was granted Akita-gun County in the Dewano-kuni Province (presently Minamiakita-gun, Katagami City, and Akita City of Akita Prefecture).
In December, 1209, he had some secret love affairs with the wife of the gokenin (an immediate vasal of the shogunate)Tomochi MIMASAKA and almost ended up in a battle with Tomochi. The commotion was such that it could be calmed only by the mediation by Tokifusa HOJO, who took the command from MINAMOTO no Sanetomo.
In 1236, he transferred his original territoy Uwa-gun County of Iyo-no-kuni Province to Kintsune SAIONJI. In exchange, he was granted Kishima-gun County of Hizen-no-kuni Province, Tanega-shima Island of Osumi-no-kuni Province, Soeda no sho estate of Buzen-no-kuni Province, and Kume-go Region in Kuma-gun County of Higo-no-kuni Province. His descendants became prosperous in the wide area centering in Hizen Province. They took the name of their previous territory Sorokuto Island and prospered as the Sorokuto family.