22 坂上田村麻呂
光仁天皇が、御位を皇太子（桓武天皇）にお譲りになります時の詔に、「子を見る事
、親にしかず、とは、古人の言葉であるが、皇太子が若い時より孝行の徳を積んできた
事は、朕が最もよく承知している、孝は百行の基であるから、この皇太子ならば、善政
をしいて、国民を撫育するであろう」と云う意味をお述べになっております。まことに
その通り、桓武天皇は、父帝の御志をお継ぎになり、しばらく箍（たが）のゆるんでい
た国の綱紀を、再び締め直そうとされました。
さてこれまで永年の間、積もり積もった弊害を除いて、人心を新たにする為には、こ
のまま平城京においでになるのは宜しくないとのお考えで、遷都を御計画になり、初め
は一応長岡（京都府乙訓郡）へ遷されましたが、落ち着かず、数年後に改めて今の京都
の地を御選定になり、延暦十三年（西暦七九四年）ここへお移りになりました。之を平
安京と云います。初め長岡の都を造られた時、十年ばかり経っても完成せず、費用ばか
りかかって実績の無いのを見て、むしろ之を中止して今の京都を採用されるようにお勧
め申し上げたのは、和気清麻呂でありました。平安京は、平城京よりも広く、左には加
茂川を隔てて東山が連なり、右には桂川のあなたに西山が見え、そして東北の隅には比
叡山が巍然として聳えていて、山河秀麗の地であります。桓武天皇一たび此処に都を定
め給うて後、一時福原遷都などの企てがあったとは云え、明治天皇の御代に至るまで、
千七十四の長い間、京都は天皇のまします所であり、鎌倉や江戸の武力が強い時でも、
国民統合の中心、全日本人の心のふるさととして、京都は尊敬と親愛の対象でありまし
た。
桓武天皇は父帝より良い近臣を譲り受けられました。先ず和気清麻呂とその姉とが、
それです。（中略）
桓武天皇にお仕えして功績のあった人々数多い中に、文の方面において注意すべき人
物として、和気清麻呂をあげましたが、今度は武の方面で、代表的な将軍をお話ししま
しょう。それは、坂上田村麻呂であります。この人は、道鏡の秘密を探知して朝廷へ報
告し、革命を未然に防ぎ止めた功績を以て、正四位下にあげられた苅田麻呂の子です。
もとを尋ねると、後漢の霊帝から出て、阿知使主の代に我が国に帰化したのが、応神天
皇の御代でした。代々武道にすぐれ、殊に弓術に秀でていましたので陸奥鎮守将軍に任
ぜられました。東北地方は、前々から熱心に開拓が続けられてきましたが、天智天皇の
御代に阿倍比羅夫の勇敢なる征伐が、北海道まで進み、沿海州まで討つと云う勢いでし
たから、日本海の沿岸は、かなり奥まで平定されましたが、太平洋岸の方は中々困難が
多く、大体東は仙台、西は秋田を結ぶ線、それは地図に書けば、東がさがって、西があ
がる斜線ですが、その線までは大体安全、それより北へ出れば危ないと云う状態でした
。奈良時代には、大野東人と云う豪傑が、東北の反乱を討って、多賀城を築き、之を根
拠地として治めました。多賀城は、仙台の東北、塩釜の近くにあって、非常に雄大な規
模をもっています。その東人や、苅田麻呂の努力にも拘わらず、東北には、またしても
反乱が起こり、重要な官吏が殺されると云う不祥事が続出しました。そこで桓武天皇は
、苅田麻呂の子、坂上田村麻呂を起用して、征伐に向かわせられたのです。（中略）
胆沢城は延暦二十一年に、この人によって造られたのですが、それは多賀城よりは遥
か北です。つまり東人によっては宮城県の中程までが確保せられていたのが、今や田村
麻呂によって、岩手県の南部、一の関よりは奥までが平定せられたのです。この二つの
城の距離は、凡そ百十キロもあるでしょう。（以下略）
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22 Sakanoue no Tamuramaro, the Graet General
The decree given by Emperor Kounin when he retired contains words that can be
summarized as: "It is an ancient saying that parents know the child best. I am
the one who is most aware that Crown Prince has cultivated the virtue of filial
piety since the days of his youth. As filial piety the basis of all other
deeds, the Crown Prince will govern well, and care for the people."
As decreed, Emperor Kanmu followed the intentions of his father, and set about
tightening up law and order, which had been becoming lax.
In order to remove the ill effects of numerous practices over the years, and
to give a fresh start to the people, the Emperor decided to leave the Nara
Capital. He planned to move the capital first to Nagaoka (Otokuni District,
Kyouto Prefecture). This did not work out well, so a few years later he chose
the site which is the present day Kouto, and moved in the 13th year of Enryaku
era (794). This is called Heian Capital.
When the new capital was being constructed in Nagaoka, it was still not near
completion after ten years, with escalating costs and no results. The person
who recommended ending the project, and adopting the new site in Kyouto, was
Wake no Kiyomaro. The new Heian Capital was broader than Nara Capital. Divided
by Kamo River, to the left are the ranges of Higashiyama the Eastern Mountain,
and to the right one can view the ranges of Nishiyama, the Western Mountains
farther off Katsura River. At the northeastern corner Mt. Hiei towers
imposingly. This was a superbly beautiful city of mountains and rivers. After
Kanmu chose this city to be the capital, Kyouto remained the place where
Emperors resided for the next 1074 years, till the reign of Emperor Meiji (r.
1866-1912). During that period there were temporary arrangements such designs
for Fukuhara Capital. There were also times when the warriors in Kamakura and Edo
thrived. Yet Kyouto was the heartland and the central point of the unity of the
Japanese people, who admired and loved it.
Emperor Kanmu inherited a superb group of ministers from his father. First was
Wake no Kiyomaro and his elder sister. (an omission)
Many honorable men served Emperor Kanmu. I mentioned Wake no Kiyomaro because
he should be remembered in the field of letters. Now let us consider a man who represents
military affairs: Sakanoue no Tamuramaro. He was the son of Sakanoue no
Karitamaro, who detected the secret designs of Dokyou and reported it the
court, thereby preventing a revolution. For this service he was given the Lower
Fourth Rank, Senior. Originally, his ancestor came from Emperor Ling of the Later Han
Dynasty China. During the generation headed by Achi no Omi, the family
emigrated to Japan during the reign of Emperor Ohjin (latter harf of 4th
century). The family was known for skilled military expertise, particularly in
the use of bow and arrows; for this reason, they were appointed Pacifying
Guardian of the Northern Provinces.
The Northern Provinces had been progressively cultivated from olden times. It
was during the reign of Emperor Tenji (r. 661-671) when Abe no Hirafu bravely
subjugated Hokkaidou (Northern Island) and proceeded farther north to the
Siberian Coast. Peace was established along the Sea of Japan, mainly because of
this accomplishment. On the Pacific Coast side, there were great difficulties.
It was fairly safe up to the line drawn from Sendai to Akita, which is a
diagonal line on the map, where east is lower than the west. Above the line in
the north was hostile territory. During the Nara period (8th century), a heroic
figure called Ohno no Azumahito suppressed a rebellion in the Northern
Provinces, built a fort called Taga Castle and governed from there. Taga
Castle, which was an extremely grand edifice, was located northeast of Sendai,
near Shiogama.
But in spite of the efforts of Ohno no Azumahito and Sakanoue no Karitamaro,
continuous uprisings kept on taking place, in which high ranking officials were
murdered. Emperor Kanmu thus appointed Sakanoue no Tamuramaro, the son
Karitamaro, and sent him for suppression and control. (an omission)
Isawa Castle, quite far north og Taga Castle, was constructed by Sakanoue no
Tamuramaro in the 21st year of Enryaku era (802). Thus, Ohno no Azumahito's
conquest reached to the middle of Miyagi Prefecture,; peace was restored by
Sakanoue no Tamuramaro up to the southern part of Iwate Prefecture, farther
north of Ichi no Seki. The distance between these two casltes is roughly 110
kilometers. (Rest omitted)
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少年日本史 (平泉澄)
The story of Japan （Hiraizumi Kiyoshi)
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