Ii Naotaka, the second son of Tokugawa general Ii Naomasa, later became the Daimyo of Omi (Shiga Prefecture) due to his commendable efforts during the Siege of Osaka in 1614. The origin of the Maneki Neko, the iconic lucky cat seen in homes and shops across Japan, is attributed to Ii Naotaka.
At the age of ten, Ii Naotaka experienced the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600, where his father was severely wounded and eventually succumbed to his injuries in 1602. Having been granted the lands of Sawayama (Hikone City), Naomasa had initiated the construction of Hikone Castle, a project continued by Naotaka's elder brother, Naokatsu, who assumed control of the castle from 1606.
In 1614, Naokatsu fell ill and couldn't participate in the Siege of Osaka, prompting him to send his younger brother, Naotaka, in his place. Naotaka's exceptional performance, particularly at the Battle of Sanada-maru and Tenno-ji, earned him recognition from Tokugawa Ieyasu. Ieyasu appointed Naotaka as the head of the esteemed Ii clan and lord of Hikone Castle, reassigning Naokatsu to Annaka Domain (modern-day Gunma Prefecture), where a new branch of the clan was established.
Before his death, the second Shogun, Hidetada, summoned Naotaka and requested his continued service to Iemitsu, ensuring a peaceful passing. In 1632, Ii Naotaka, highly respected, joined the third Shogun, Iemitsu, on a pilgrimage to Nikko Toshogu, the resting place of Iemitsu's grandfather, Tokugawa Ieyasu.
Ii Naotaka, married to Aki-hime, daughter of the daimyo Hachisuka Iemasa, had three concubines and five children. His eldest, Ii Naozumi, succeeded him upon Naotaka's death at the age of 69 in 1659.
See also
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Matsudaira Kiyoyasu
Matsudaira Kiyoyasu (September 28, 1511 – November 29, 1535) served as the 7th lord of the Matsudaira clan during Japan's tumultuous Sengoku period. Renowned as the paternal grandfather of Tokugawa Ieyasu, one of Japan's "great unifiers," Kiyoyasu expanded his clan’s influence, bringing all of northern Mikawa Province under his control after subduing the Saigo clan. His power was further symbolized by the construction of Okazaki Castle, a testament to the Matsudaira’s growing dominance.
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Matsudaira Hirotada
Matsudaira Hirotada (June 9, 1526 – April 3, 1549) was a daimyo and lord of Okazaki Castle in Mikawa Province during Japan’s turbulent Sengoku Period. He is best known as the father of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the Tokugawa shogunate.
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Ikeda Tsuneoki
Ikeda Tsuneoki (1536 – May 18, 1584), also known as Ikeda Nobuteru, was a prominent daimyo of the Ikeda clan and a distinguished military commander during Japan's Sengoku and Azuchi-Momoyama periods. He served under the influential warlords Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Tsuneoki’s connection to Nobunaga began early, as his mother, Yotokuin, was Nobunaga’s wet nurse and later became a concubine to Oda Nobuhide, Nobunaga's father.
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Oda Nobutaka
Oda Nobutaka (1558–1583) was a samurai of the Oda clan, also known as Kanbe Nobutaka after being adopted as the head of the Kanbe clan, which governed the central region of Ise Province. He was the third son of Oda Nobunaga, born to a concubine named Sakashi. Nobutaka was referred to as "San Shichi," possibly because he was born on the seventh day of the third month in the Japanese lunar calendar. However, there is a theory suggesting he was born twenty days earlier than his elder brother, Oda Nobukatsu, but due to delays in reporting and the low status of his mother’s family, he was acknowledged as Nobunaga’s third son.
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Yamauchi Kazutoyo
Yamauchi Kazutoyo (also spelled Yamanouchi; 1545/1546? – November 1, 1605) was a prominent samurai and retainer who served Oda Nobunaga and later Toyotomi Hideyoshi during Japan's Sengoku and Azuchi-Momoyama periods. His father, Yamauchi Moritoyo, was a descendant of Fujiwara no Hidesato and a senior retainer of the Iwakura Oda clan, which opposed Oda Nobunaga. Moritoyo was also the lord of Kuroda Castle in Owari Province. Kazutoyo is especially renowned for his marriage to Yamauchi Chiyo, whose wisdom and resourcefulness played a key role in his rise to prominence.
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Saito Tatsuoki
Saito Tatsuoki (6 September 1548 - 1573) was a daimyo of Mino Province during Japan's Sengoku period and the third-generation lord of the Saito clan. He was the son of Saito Yoshitatsu and grandson of Saito Dosan. His mother was a daughter of Azai Hisamasa, making him a nephew of Azai Nagamasa and a relative of Oda Nobunaga's first wife, Nohime, who was also a daughter of Saito Dosan.
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Kyogoku Tadataka
Kyogoku Tadataka (1593–1637) was a Japanese nobleman and the head of the Kyogoku clan during the early 17th century, a pivotal time marked by the Tokugawa consolidation of power. His childhood name was Kumamaro, and he hailed from a lineage claiming descent from Emperor Uda (868–897). Tadataka was the son of Kyogoku Takatsugu and one of his concubines, with his paternal grandfather being Kyogoku Takayoshi.
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Matsudaira Naomasa
The late Muromachi period, also known as the Sengoku period, was an era of continuous conflict and upheaval, often likened to periods of chaos in Chinese history. This turbulent era was brought to an end by Tokugawa Ieyasu, who, with the support of loyal retainers, established the Edo Shogunate and became the ruler of Japan. Among Ieyasu’s descendants, Naomasa Matsudaira, his grandson, played a significant role during the Osaka Siege. He earned praise from his adversary, Nobushige Sanada (Yukimura Sanada), for his valor as a young warrior and maintained strong relations with successive Tokugawa shoguns.
