Andō Morinari

Andō Morinari (安藤守就, Andō Morinari, 1503 – June 27, 1582) was a man renowned as being one of three "Mino Triumvirs" (along with Inaba Ittetsu and Ujie Bokuzen) under the Saitō clan during the Sengoku period of Feudal Japan. Conjectively serving as a Head retainer under Saitō Dōsan during his daimyo headship over Mino Province, following the former's overthrownment of Toki Yorinari—the original ruler over Mino—Morinari evidentially began his many recorded feats under Dōsan's illegitamate son, Saitō Yoshitatsu, to which he attained a great reputation for his loyalty under the crest of Saitō. As Yoshitatsu died in 1561, he irrationally restricted Oda Nobunaga from any form of access into Mino despite their contracted alliance, resulting in the young Saitō Tatsuoki succeeding to headship and being too incompetent to know how to prevent any additional form of detriment that could potentially come about for the Saitō. Morinari, seeing that the mutual cooperation of Mino Province was falling into chaos at the result of this successorship, and that it would better his reputation and position to be recognized as a retainer under a man as politically able as that of Nobunaga, defected to the forces of Oda that same year—including the other two members of the Mino Triumvir.

Now being recognized by Nobunaga as a retainer of trustworthiness, Morinari notably served under his new lord during the Battle of Anegawa of 1570, and followed by consecutively serving in each battle that involved the seizing of the Ishiyama Hongan-ji up until the year of 1580. As Nobunaga finally subdued the Honganji stronghold of Ishiyama that same year, Morinari was resigned from his position for reasons unknown, resulting in his evidential retirement from the forces under Oda. All potential service following this period is not recorded to any means, but Morinari during the year of 1582, presently as a wandering ronin.

References

1. Ando Morinari. Samurai Archives.
2. Saito Tatsuoki. Samurai Archives.