Japanese Pirates’ Medieval Times (11) ——The Rise of Sea People (2)——

Kumano sea people were composed of Koyama Family, Shiozaki Family, Taiji Family, and other families, each of which was based in a certain bay along the southeastern coast of the Kii Peninsula. Yet, they were more or less unified under Kumano Betto. Kumano used to be sacred mountains. Later, three shrines came to be formed in the mountains, and the three came to be recognized as one network of shrines. Kumano Betto was a managerial position which was established as early as in the 9th century and lasted till the 14th century. They practically governed the area under an honorary post, Kumano Kengyo, who usually stayed in the Heian-kyo Capital. Betto not only managed religious establishments and priests, but ran the shrines’ fiefs, and also kept law and order in the area. All the sea people in Kumano were, accordingly, glued together under Kumano Betto’s politico-economic, as well as religious, influence.