大量にある書籍を整理していると、昔、夢中になっていた漫画、花の慶次を発見。暫し、読みふける。
特に最初に見つけた巻は真田幸村初陣の辺り。前田慶次と関わった真田幸村が初陣として小田原征伐、特に松井田城攻めに加わっていくというエピソード。松井田城主として登場した大道寺政繁。強面で剛直そうな人物。
「幸村殿、あれがそなたの初陣の相手だ」と慶次。
しかし、この辺りのお話ですが、どうもすっきりしない。カタルシスというものがない。何故かというと、別に幸村と大道寺政繁が直接、対決するような場面もないし、松井田城攻めの様子も最後まで描かれず。
一体、松井田城攻めはどういう結末？大道寺政繫はどうなったの？
小田原征伐自体の行く末は知っていても、松井田城攻めや大道寺政繫については局地戦ということもあり、よく知らない。
ということで現地に行こうと思い立つ。群馬県安中市へGo

まずは松井田城の麓にある補陀寺へ。

大道寺政繫の菩提寺であり、墓もあります。
戦国時代、関東に広大な領国を築いた後北条氏。その始祖は北条早雲と呼ばれる人物ですが、彼は生きている内にそう呼ばれたことはありません。北条を名乗ったのは二代目から。
死後に北条早雲と呼ばれることになる伊勢新九郎が六人の仲間と共に関東に下向。彼を含む七人の侍は誰か一人が大名になったら、他の六人は家臣となり、盛り立てようと誓いを立てた。後に新九郎が北条氏の礎を築くと、他の六人は盟約通り家臣に。その六人の家は御由緒家と呼ばれ、その内の一人、大道寺太郎の末裔が大道寺政繫であると花の慶次にも書かれていました。
一介の素浪人が仲間と共に徒手空拳から大名に成り上がった。と思うと痛快な話ですが、最近の研究では伊勢新九郎とは室町幕府に仕えていた伊勢氏の一族であった可能性が高いとか。
大道寺氏は藤原氏とも平氏とも言われていますが、代々、平朝臣を名乗っており、家紋もそれを象徴するかのように揚羽蝶。墓石にもその家紋が刻まれています。
子孫は尾張藩に仕えたということで、墓域の改修や祭祀も続けられていたとのことで、墓は良好に保存。
話が現代に飛びますが、日本赤軍に大道寺将司というメンバーがいます。珍しい苗字と漢字は違うものの、同じマサという読みからすると、子孫なのかなあ。
大道寺政繫、通称は孫九郎、官職名は駿河守。北条家内では宿老という立場で、松井田城主になる以前は河越城主だったとか。
これから、松井田城に登城しますということで政繁公にご挨拶を済ませて、いざ城へ。

wikipediaによると、築城年代は不明で安中氏によって築かれたとなっていますが、松井田城址保存会のホームページによると、それ以前から城があったようで、鎌倉時代の弘長二年（1262）に松枝城として築城。
戦国時代になると越後から来た安中氏が支配していましたが、武田氏の上野侵攻に伴い、安中氏は城を失い、武田氏が城取り。
天正十年（1582）三月に武田氏が滅亡すると、その領国の殆どは織田家の版図に。関東申次として前橋城に入った滝川一益は津田小平次政秀に城を守らせました。ところが六月に本能寺の変が勃発。織田信長が横死すると、旧武田領国内は混乱。上野攻略の好機と見た北条氏は兵を進めて、滝川一益と神流川で合戦。
大道寺政繫らの奮戦もあり、敗れた滝川一益は関東を放棄、上方へと落ちていきました。
大道寺政繫が松井田城へ入ったのはこの後。それから大規模な改修が行われ、全山が要塞化されました。現在の遺構はこの北条氏支配時代の物。

大手道に続く登城口には、保存会の方が設置したと思われる小屋。中にはパンフレットや地図。更にスプレー？中身は濃い塩水とのこと。
しかし、空になっていました。このことが後に大変なことになろうとは。（伏線）
鬱蒼と木々が繁っているせいで日当たりも悪く、ジメジメしているからか羊歯類も繁茂。それでも通れる道が確保されているのは保存会の方々の尽力の賜物でしょうか。現在は個人所有の部分が多いそうで植物の採取はしないで下さいとのこと。そうした植物に覆われた山中の彼方此方に堀切や土塁が散見。土の遺構がよく保存されています。
此処は信濃との国境である碓氷峠も近く、重要な境目の城ということから、全山を要塞化して守りを固めて、宿老という地位にあり、河越で内政にも手腕を振るった大道寺政繫を配置したということでしょう。
大道寺政繫が城主となって八年後、天正十八年（1590）に北条氏と豊臣秀吉が手切れとなり関東征伐が開始。碓氷峠を超えて、此処にも前田、上杉、真田から成る北国軍三万五千が襲来。大道寺政繫は三千余の兵力で迎え撃ちました。花の慶次で取り上げられていたのは、この頃の話。
十一倍以上の敵との籠城戦。さぞや激闘が繰り広げられたことだろうと思いながら進んでいく。ふと足元に目を落とす。？？？？！！！
靴の上に糸蚯蚓のように蠢く何か。出た！山蛭。
先程のスプレーに入っていた塩水は蛭よけ。蛭は濃い塩水を嫌うとのこと。それがなかったがために、靴やらズボンの裾に付いてくる蛭。
それらを払いながら先へと。しかし頭上どころか顔の近くにすらも蜘蛛の巣。今はこうしたものたちが松井田城を守っていたのか。
靴にすら付いてくる蛭。城が機能していた戦国の人々は素足に草鞋とか、精々、足袋位しか履いていなかっただろうから、もっと酷いメに遭っていたのか？それとも往時は木々も今ほどではなかったとすれば、そんなに蛭も棲息していなかったのだろうか。
とんでもない所に来てしまった。引き返そうかとも思ったものの、一応の目的は達するべしと奮起して足元、頭上を注意しながら進軍。
彼方此方に堀切とか土塁が散見。しかし足元、頭上が気になって写真を撮っている余裕はない。
ということで、遺構の様子は動画を御覧下さい。
https://youtu.be/kYP459vXFPU

それにしても夏草に覆われたままの土の城の遺構とは、正に「夏草や兵どもが夢の跡」by　松尾芭蕉という風情。
どうにかこうにか本丸に到達。

公園化されておらず、私有地も含まれているということからか、よくある「〇〇城址」と書かれた立派な石碑などはなし。虚空蔵菩薩を祀るお堂がありました。
どうにか本丸に到達したということで、一応の目的は果たしたとして自らを納得させ、下山。他にも見所があるようですが、蛭対策がないままでは更なる攻撃を受ける恐れがある上に、野生動物も出没するとか。（つまり熊？）
焦らずに急いで撤退。

松井田城攻防戦の帰趨ですが、大道寺政繫は一ヵ月余も踏ん張った後に降伏、開城。以来、松井田城は廃城となり、顧みられることもなく草木に埋もれていきました。
大道寺政繫ですが、降伏後はそのまま北国軍に合流。武蔵国、忍城や八王子城攻めの先鋒として活躍、と言っていいものか？
参考までに、忍城の動画をどうぞ。

花の慶次では一本気で剛直そうな武士として描かれていたのですが、実際には、、、
私は別に大道寺政繫を非難しているつもりはありません。華々しく討ち死にしたり、降伏の責任を取って切腹というだけが武士の生きる道ではありませんから。武士は家名を残さねばならず、郎党達の保全も図らなければなりません。生き残るのも武士の道。
ただ、漫画に描かれていたのとはイメージが違ったなあと言っているだけです。
やがて、小田原の北条氏が降伏して関東征伐が終わると、秀吉は戦後処理として、北条方の主だった者に詰め腹を切らせることにしました。
開戦責任を問われて切腹を命じられたのは北条氏政、氏照、松田憲秀、そして大道寺政繫。
忍城や八王子城攻めの先導役として散々に使っておきながら、この仕打ち。狡兎死して、走狗煮らる。by　韓信とはこのことか。
この命令を受けて、大道寺政繫は河越で切腹。一説では江戸で殺されたとも。

おまけのお笑いコ▢ナ劇場。
蛭との激闘に疲れ、血も流れた（つまり吸われた）ので栄養でも取るかと、国道17号近くの印度レストランへ。時々、立ち寄る店。
入口にがっちりとマ〇久をした若いウエイトレス。
「〇スクってお持ちですか？」
「持ってましぇーん」
途端に眉根を顰めて渋面。
「それではこちらで消毒してから、お席へどうぞ」
何だと？この店はいつから客をバイキン扱いするようになったのか。
二か月程前に来た時には、こんな風ではなかったのだが。
マス〇をしろと言わないだけ、まだましなのかと思いながら、消毒するフリして席へ。しかし、こんなモヤモヤした気持ちのままで食事しても、美味い訳もない。やめた！
「悪いけど、気が変わった。帰るわ」
お上に言われた通りに対策していればいいという考えか。残念だが、また一つ入れない店が増えてしまった。
えらい人に言われた通りにしていれば安泰と思っていると、いつか足元を掬われるかもしれませんよ。大道寺政繫のように。

English version.
When I tidied up many books, I found comics of HananoKeiji that was the story about a samurai, Maeda Keiji. i read them for a while.
Especially I read an episode about the 1st battle of Sanada Yukimura. He became a friend of Keiji and they joined a battle at Matuida castle. In it, the master of the castle was Daidouji Masashige. He looked like a strong man.
"Yukimura, he will be your rival" Keiji said so.
But actually I was not satisfied with this episode. Because in the story, Yukimura and Masashige didn't fight ant there was not the finish of this Matuida castle battle.
I wonder how was the battle of Matsuida. How was the end of Daidouji Masashige.
That battle was a part of the war between Toyotomi and Hojo. I know the end of that war but I was not familiar about Matuida battle.
I would like to visit there so I went to Annaka city Gunma.
First I went to Fudaji temple near the castle.

There is the tomb of Daidouji Masashige in this temple.
In the warring states period, Hojo family. The 1st generation of the family was called Hojo Soun. But he had never been called so. His son began to use the family name Hojo.
His real name was Ise Shinkuro. He came to Kanto area with his 6 friends. They swore when one of them could became the lord, other 6 men should be subordinates and help. Later Shinkuro became the lord, 6 men became subordinates. Descendants of 6 men had been called Oyuishoke family. one of 6 men was Daidouji Taro. Daidouji Masashige was a descendant of Taro.
I read so in HananoKeiji. 
Nameless samurai became a lord with his friends. It was an interesting story but these days some researchers say that Ise Shinkuro came from Ise family who was subordinate of Muromachi shogunate.
Daidouji family was said they might be from Fujiwara family or Heishi family. But they have been used family crest of Agehacho, butterfly. And I saw the crest was curved on the tomb so I guess they must be Heishi family. 
Descendants had served to Owari Tokugawa family and had maintained the tomb so it was clean. 
In the modern times, I know a member of the Japan red army. His name was Daidouji Masashi. He has the same family name and similar name Masa. So I wonder Masashi might be a descendant of Masashige.
Daidouji Masashige, another name was Magokuro or Suruganokami. He was an executive of Hojo family. Before he became the master of Matsuida castle, he was the master of Kawagoe castle.
I greeted his tomb before I went to Matsuida castle.

According to Wikipedia, it was not clear when the castle was built but Annaka family built this castle. But I read that before Annaka family came there was the castle. The website of the Maintain circle of Matsuida castle said so. When 1262 A.D.  in Japanese calendar the 2nd year of Kouchou. Then this castle was called Matueda castle.
During the Warring states period about 16th century, Annaka family came from Echigo, now Niigata prefecture, and owned the castle. Takeda family came and invaded then Annaka family run away from here. Takeda family got the castle.
March In 1582 the 10th year of Tensho, Takeda family ruined then Oda family governed almost of all the domain of Takeda. Samurai of Oda, Takigawa Kazumasu came and governed Kouzuke area one of his men, Tsuda Koheiji Masahide was sent to here. But in June of the year, Honnouji incident happened then Oda Nobunaga was killed. So ex-Takeda area became chaos.
Hojo family began to invade this area and battled with Takigawa Kazumasa at Kannnagawa river.
Daidouoji Masashige fought a lot in this battle. Takigawa Kazumasu lost the battle and escaped from this area and went to the west.
After that Daidouji Masashige came to this castle. Masashige renovated the castle and made this castle strong. Now we can see the ruin of this period.

At the entrance of the castle, there is a hut I guess the member of the circle made it. In it, there are pamphlets and maps of the ruin of the castle. And there are some sprays of strong salty water. But Those were vacant. Later it would be the trigger of the tragedy.
There were many trees.  So it was not sunny and wet. There were lot's of ferns.
even so there was road to walk. I guess the members maintain such way.
Now most of this place belongs to someone so it was banned to take plants. 
I saw ruins of the castle those were covered with plants.
This area close to Usui pass where is the border of Kouzuke and Shinano.
It was important castle. So Hojo family made this castle strong and ordered Daidouji to protect this castle since he was an executive and governed Kawagoe well. So he was ordered to be the master of this castle.
8 years later in 1590, the 18th years of Tensho, Hojo domain was invaded by Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Hideyosi army that was led by Maeda, Uesugi and Sanada came here over Usui pass. The number of them was over 35000. Daidouji's soldiers were about 3000. I read the story about this battle in HananoKeiji.
The number of Tototomi soldier was over 11 times. I imagined the battle with walking. Then I looked down.  ????!!!
I saw something was moving on my shoes. It was a leech.
Sprays I had saw at the entrance was filled with salt water. Leech hates salt water. I couldn't use it so leech stuck on my shoes or pants.
I put them away and walked. And i found some webs near my face or head.
I realized such ones protected Matsuida castle now.
Leech stuck even shoes so I guess in old days, people didn't use shoes only straw footwear or wore Tabi which was a kind of socks. so they must be worried about leech more. Or in those days there were less trees so there might be less leech.
I regret about came here I should go back ? But I made up my mind to go to the main area of the castle. I was going on with watchin my feet and head.
I saw many trenchs and mounds but I couldn't take pictures since I had to watch my feet and head.
So please watch the video on youtube about the ruin.

Such trenchs and mounds were covered with plants. Those reminded me Matsuo Basho's Haiku.
"Weeds covers dreams of samurai"
FinallyI reached the main area of the castle.

This place was not a park and owned by someone so there were no stone monuments. But I saw a small Buddhist hall. It enshrined Kokuzou Bodhisattiva.
I reached the main area so I finished my mission. I began to go back. There were many ruins to see but I didn't prepare for leech so I might be attacked and i heard that there were bears. I had to retreat.
The story about Matsuida castle battle, Daidouji Masashige had fought for a month but surrendered. Since then this castle was abandoned and had been covered with plants.
About Masashige, he joined Toyotomi army and led them to attack Oshi castle and Hachiouji castle in Musashi province. 
You can watch the video of Oshi castle from youtube.

In HananoKaiji, he was depicted as a strong man and loyal to Hojo but in fact,,,
I don't mean blaming Daidouji Masashige. I think every samurai should fight and die or do harakiri. Samusai should leave their family and think about their men. So survive is one of way.
I mean real Masashige was different from the image of the comic.
Later Hojo family surrendered. After that Hideyoshi ordered some executives of Hojo to do harakiri. As a penalty.
They were Hojo Ujimasa, Hojo Ujinori, Matsuda Norihide and Daidouji Masashige.
Hideyoshi used Masashige to attack Oshi and Hachiouji castles but ordered him to kill himeself.
It reminded me Kanshin who was a general of ancient China.
He said,
After sly rabbit died, the hound dog should be killed.
He accepted this order and died at Kawagoe or someone killed him in Edo.

Appendix laughing Co,,something theter.
Since I was tired by fighting with leech and bleeding.
I thought I should eat good food so I dropped by an Indian restaurant near the Root 17. I had often come there.
At the entrance, there was a young waitress who wore a mask.
"Do you have a mask?"
"No I don't have it"
Then she made a face.
"All right then after disinfection, come with me"
What? This restaurant must change the attitude for guests. 
I had come here 2 months ago then staff had not say such a thing.
But she didn't say guests must wear a mask. So it was not good but not so bad. But I changed my mind. If I would eat something in such a restaurant, I couldn't enjoy eating. 
"I changed my mind. I have to go"
I guess the restaurant staff must think to obey the government then they would be safe. But I think such ones might be betray like Daidouji Masashige.