The Kumano-Arima Clan (熊野有馬) was a minor samurai clan based in the Kumano region of Kii Province, based in Onigajo Castle. The clan would eventually collapse after internal disputes, being usurped by Horiuchi Ujiyoshi in 1574.
History[]
The Kumano region of Kii Province was predominantly ruled by a collection of monks known as the Kumano Betto family, but with the rise of the daimyō across Japan, local Gōzoku families began to take charge in the region. One of these clans, the Arima, were believed to have been descended from the Kumano Betto monks and assumed control of the area between Kumano and Owase cities.
The leader of the Arima clan, Arima Tadachika, built himself a retirement palace in 1521 overlooking the Shichiri-ga-hama coast and Ishozaki Bay. The palace may also have been intended as a base of operations for the Arima to monitor activities in the region.
Tadachika was lacking an heir, however, and so adopted his nephew Tadayoshi. In a cruel twist of fate, soon after his adoption of Tadayoshi, Tadachika's wife gave birth to a son, Magosaburō. Not wanting to complicate the succession, Tadachika had his nephew executed. Relatives of Tadayoshi took their revenge not long after, and Tadachika sensing that his time was up, committed seppuku in Onigajo Castle.
Magosaburō succeeded his father but he himself was without an heir and with his clan rapidly declining, he chose to adopt Horiuchi Ujiyoshi. Magosaburō died without a true born son and so the Kumano-Arima clan ended here, usurped by Ujiyoshi who would then succeed his brother, Ujitaka as head of the Horiuchi clan.