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.
Naomasa was born on August 5, 1601, in Nakagouchi, Ika District, Omi Province, as the third son of Hideyasu Yuki, lord of Echizen Kitanosho, and Gesshoin. His father, the second son of Tokugawa Ieyasu, was estranged from Ieyasu and denied the opportunity to become his heir. At birth, Naomasa was named Kawachimaru, later changed to Kunimaru.
In 1605, at the age of four, he was entrusted to Shigemasa Asahi, a loyal retainer, who raised and mentored him. Two years later, in 1607, Naomasa’s father, Hideyasu, passed away, leaving him under the guardianship of his elder half-brother, Tadanao Matsudaira, Hideyasu’s successor.
On April 17, 1611, Tadanao arranged for Naomasa to meet their grandfather, Tokugawa Ieyasu, at Nijo Castle in Kyoto. As Naomasa matured, he adopted parts of his brother Tadanao’s name, "Nao," and his guardian Asahi Shigemasa’s name, to become Naomasa Matsudaira.
During the Osaka Winter Siege in 1614, Naomasa, despite his youth, displayed exceptional courage. His bravery in combat at Sanada Maru, defended by Nobushige Sanada, earned him admiration even from his adversary. Yukimura reportedly praised Naomasa’s skill as a young samurai and gifted him a military fan, a token that became a treasured artifact in Naomasa’s family.
The following summer, Naomasa participated in the Osaka Summer Campaign alongside Tadanao, achieving military success, including contributing to the defeat of Yukimura Sanada. For his valor, Ieyasu personally commended Naomasa and gifted him a prized uchai-bukuro (a bag for food and money). Tadanao also rewarded him with 10,000 koku of land.
In May 1616, Naomasa received another 10,000 koku from the Kazusa Anegasaki domain, and by June, he held the Junior Fifth Rank Lower court title, Dewa no Kami, officially becoming a daimyō. These honors marked an extraordinary rise for someone initially considered unlikely to succeed in his family.
In 1623, Tadanao Matsudaira was forced to step down as family head due to misconduct and tensions with their uncle, Shogun Tokugawa Hidetada. This allowed Naomasa to further ascend. In 1624, he was granted the Echizen Ono Domain with a stipend of 50,000 koku. That same year, he was promoted to Junior Fourth Rank and appointed Chamberlain, demonstrating continued favor from the shogunate.
Naomasa relocated to the Shinano Matsumoto Domain in 1633 with an increased income of 70,000 koku. As lord of Matsumoto Castle, he undertook significant projects, such as repairing castle gates and turrets, minting Kanei Tsuho coins, and instituting tax reforms that benefited local craftsmen and townspeople. His leadership earned him a reputation as a wise ruler, and his transfer to the Izumo Matsue Domain in 1638 was met with regret by his former subjects.
In Izumo, Naomasa was assigned 186,000 koku, along with 14,000 koku in Oki Province, solidifying his position as a prominent daimyō. He implemented strict governance, including the suppression of Christianity within his domain, aligning with shogunate policies. Despite his harsh measures, he effectively managed the domain’s resources, encouraging economic growth through monopolies on key commodities such as wax, ginseng, cotton, and iron.
Naomasa’s achievements were recognized by the shogunate, and in 1663, he was entrusted with escorting Emperor Reigen’s enthronement envoy to Kyoto. However, his health began to decline that year, and he passed away on February 3, 1666, at the age of 66. His posthumous Buddhist name was Kōshinin Kinyoichiku Dozen, and he was interred at Gesshoji Temple in Matsue, which became the family mausoleum.
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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Ishikawa Kazumasa
Ishikawa Kazumasa (1534–1609) was a prominent Japanese retainer who began serving Tokugawa Ieyasu during his youth. Their relationship began in 1551 when both were hostages under the Imagawa clan. Kazumasa remained a loyal companion to Ieyasu, participating in key events such as the Siege of Terabe in 1558 and the Siege of Marune in 1560. After Ieyasu broke away from the Imagawa following the latter event, Kazumasa became a trusted retainer and administrator in his service.
