Toshiie To Matsu
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was one of the leading
general A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of highest military ranks, high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers t ...
s of
Oda Nobunaga was a Japanese ''daimyō'' and one of the leading figures of the Sengoku period. He is regarded as the first "Great Unifier" of Japan. Nobunaga was head of the very powerful Oda clan, and launched a war against other ''daimyō'' to unify ...
following the
Sengoku period The was a period in History of Japan, Japanese history of near-constant civil war and social upheaval from 1467 to 1615. The Sengoku period was initiated by the Ōnin War in 1467 which collapsed the Feudalism, feudal system of Japan under the ...
of the 16th century extending to the
Azuchi–Momoyama period The was the final phase of the in Japanese history from 1568 to 1600. After the outbreak of the Ōnin War in 1467, the power of the Ashikaga Shogunate effectively collapsed, marking the start of the chaotic Sengoku period. In 1568, Oda Nobuna ...
. His preferred weapon was a yari and he was known as "Yari no Mataza" (槍の又左), Matazaemon (又左衛門) being his common name. He was a member of the so-called Echizen Sanninshu (Echizen Triumvir) along with Sassa Narimasa and
Fuwa Mitsuharu was a Japanese samurai of the Sengoku period, Sengoku and Azuchi-Momoyama periods. Originally a retainer of Saitō Dōsan, Mitsuharu went on to serve Oda Nobunaga, he received a land in Echizen Province and became a member of the so-called Echiz ...
. The highest rank from the court that he received is the Great Counselor '' Dainagon'' ( 大納言).


Early life

His father was Maeda Toshimasa and his wife was Maeda Matsu. His childhood name was "Inuchiyo" (犬千代). Toshiie was born in the village of Arako (present-day Nakagawa-ku, Nagoya), He was the fourth of seven brothers, of Maeda Toshimasa, who held Arako Castle. Toshiie served
Oda Nobunaga was a Japanese ''daimyō'' and one of the leading figures of the Sengoku period. He is regarded as the first "Great Unifier" of Japan. Nobunaga was head of the very powerful Oda clan, and launched a war against other ''daimyō'' to unify ...
from childhood (first as a page) and his loyalty was rewarded by being allowed to be the head of the Maeda clan, very unusual for a fourth son with no apparent failures among his elder brothers. Just like Nobunaga, Toshiie was also a delinquent, usually dressed in the outlandish style of a kabukimono, they committed delinquent and deviated behaviors together. It is believed he also became a friend to Kinoshita Tokichiro (later
Toyotomi Hideyoshi , otherwise known as and , was a Japanese samurai and ''daimyō'' (feudal lord) of the late Sengoku period regarded as the second "Great Unifier" of Japan.Richard Holmes, The World Atlas of Warfare: Military Innovations that Changed the Cour ...
) in their youth. Just as Hideyoshi was known as ''Saru'', 猴 or "monkey," it is believed that Toshiie was called ''Inu'', 犬 or "dog" by Nobunaga. Due to a long-standing belief that dogs and monkeys are never friendly to each other, Toshiie is often depicted as reserved and stern, in contrast to Hideyoshi's talkative and easy-going nature.


Military life

Toshiie began his career as a member of the ''akahoro-shū'' (赤母衣衆), the unit under
Oda Nobunaga was a Japanese ''daimyō'' and one of the leading figures of the Sengoku period. He is regarded as the first "Great Unifier" of Japan. Nobunaga was head of the very powerful Oda clan, and launched a war against other ''daimyō'' to unify ...
's personal command. He later became an infantry captain (''ashigaru taishō'' 足軽大将) in the Oda army. During his military career, Toshiie made the acquaintance of many important figures, such as
Hashiba Hideyoshi , otherwise known as and , was a Japanese samurai and ''daimyō'' ( feudal lord) of the late Sengoku period regarded as the second "Great Unifier" of Japan.Richard Holmes, The World Atlas of Warfare: Military Innovations that Changed the Co ...
, Sassa Narimasa,
Niwa Nagahide , also known as Gorōzaemon (五郎左衛門), his other legal alias was Hashiba Echizen no Kami (羽柴越前守), was a Japanese samurai of the Sengoku through Azuchi-Momoyama periods of the 16th century. He served as senior retainer to the Od ...
, Ikeda Tsuneoki, and others. Toshiie also was a lifelong rival of
Tokugawa Ieyasu was the founder and first ''shōgun'' of the Tokugawa Shogunate of Japan, which ruled Japan from 1603 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. He was one of the three "Great Unifiers" of Japan, along with his former lord Oda Nobunaga and fellow ...
. After defeating the Asakura clan, Maeda fought under Shibata Katsuie in the Hokuriku area. In 1554, he took part in the war for the first time in the Battle of Kiyosu Castle which was broken out between Nobunaga and Oda Nobutomo, the Kiyosu Oda clan. In 1556, he fought in the Battle of Ino against Oda Nobuyuki, younger brother of Nobunaga. In 1558, he also took part in the Battle of Ukino which was a conflict with Oda Nobukata, a son of Oda Nobuyasu, the Iwakura Oda clan. It is said that it was about the time of this battle that he began to be called by another name like "Yari no Matazaemon" or "Yari no Mataza". In 1560, he took part in the Battle of Okehazama against Imagawa Yoshimoto. Later he was fought in the 1561 Battle of Moribe, the 1570 Siege of Kanegasaki and
Battle of Anegawa The Sengoku period (30 July 1570) occurred near Lake Biwa in Ōmi Province, Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is border ...
, the 1575 Battle of Nagashino, the 1577 Battle of Tedorigawa. In 1580, He was eventually granted the fief of Fuchu, and a
han Han may refer to: Ethnic groups * Han Chinese, or Han People (): the name for the largest ethnic group in China, which also constitutes the world's largest ethnic group. ** Han Taiwanese (): the name for the ethnic group of the Taiwanese p ...
(
Kaga Domain The , also known as the , was a domain of the Tokugawa Shogunate of Japan during the Edo period from 1583 to 1871.
) spanning Noto and Kaga Provinces. Despite its small size, Kaga was a highly productive province which would eventually develop into the wealthiest ''han'' in
Edo period The or is the period between 1603 and 1867 in the history of Japan, when Japan was under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate and the country's 300 regional '' daimyo''. Emerging from the chaos of the Sengoku period, the Edo period was characteriz ...
Japan, with a net worth of 1 million ''
koku The is a Chinese-based Japanese unit of volume. 1 koku is equivalent to 10 or approximately , or about . It converts, in turn, to 100 shō and 1000 gō. One ''gō'' is the volume of the "rice cup", the plastic measuring cup that is supplied ...
'' (百万石); thus, it was nicknamed ''Kaga Hyaku-man-goku'' (加賀百万石). Toshiie benefited from a core group of very capable senior vassals. Some, like Murai Nagayori and
Okumura Nagatomi Okumura (written: 奥村) is a Japanese surname. Notable people with the surname include: *Chiyo Okumura (born 1947), popular Japanese Pop singer and former fashion model *Haruhiko Okumura, Japanese engineer * Okumura Hatsune (born 1990), Japanese ...
, were retainers of long standing with the Maeda. In 1582, after Nobunaga's assassination at Honnō-ji (本能寺) by Akechi Mitsuhide and Mitsuhide's defeat by Hideyoshi, at the subsequent meeting in Kiyosu Castle where the future of the Oda clan was discussed, Toshiie supported Shibata Katsuie's. In 1583, he battled Hideyoshi under Katsuie's command in the Battle of Shizugatake, but later during the battle, he changed side to Hideyoshi. In 1584, after Shibata's defeat, Toshiie become leading general for Hideyoshi in Komaki Nagakute Campaign and was forced to fight another of his friends, Sassa Narimasa at the
Battle of Suemori Castle The was a battle during the Azuchi–Momoyama period (16th century) of Japan. At the time of the Battle of Komaki and Nagakute, Sassa Narimasa sided with Tokugawa Ieyasu, while his former companion, Maeda Toshiie stood with Toyotomi Hideyoshi. ...
. Narimasa was greatly outnumbered and felled by Toshiie. In 1587, following the major Maeda victory, Toshiie sheltered his fellow daimyo Dom Justo Takayama after Justo was expelled from his position as representative of Christians by the shogun's Bantenren order. Later in 1590, Toshiie fought in the
Odawara Campaign Odawara Castle in today's Odawara city, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, was besieged three times. *Siege of Odawara (1561) The 1561 Siege of Odawara, a battle of Japan's Sengoku period, Uesugi Kenshin attacked Odawara castle, this was the first ...
against Later Hōjō clan.


Death

Before dying in 1598, Hideyoshi named Toshiie to the
council of Five Elders The Council of Five Elders (Japanese: :jp:五大老, 五大老, ''Go-Tairō'') was a group of five powerful feudal lords (Japanese: 大名, ''Daimyō'') formed in 1598 by the Regent (Japanese: 太閤 ''Sesshō and Kampaku, Taikō'') Toyotomi Hideyo ...
to support Toyotomi Hideyori until he was old enough to take control on his own. However, Toshiie himself was ailing, and could manage to support Hideyori for only a year before he died as well in 1599. Toshiie was succeeded by his son Toshinaga.


Family

*Father: Maeda Toshimasa *Mother: Nagayowai-in (d.1573) *Siblings: ** Maeda Toshihisa (d. 1583) ** Maeda Toshifusa ** Sawaki Yoshiyuki (d. 1572) *Half-Siblings: ** Maeda Yasukatsu (d. 1594) ** Maeda Hidetsugu (d. 1585) ** Maeda Masa (given in marriage to Takabatake Sadayoshi) Toshiie's wife, Maeda Matsu, was famous in her own right. Strong-willed from childhood, she was well-versed in the martial arts and was instrumental in Toshiie's rise to success. After her husband died, Matsu, then known by her Buddhist nun name of Hoshun-in, assured the safety of the Maeda clan after the year 1600 by voluntarily going as a hostage to Edo, capital of the new shōgun,
Tokugawa Ieyasu was the founder and first ''shōgun'' of the Tokugawa Shogunate of Japan, which ruled Japan from 1603 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. He was one of the three "Great Unifiers" of Japan, along with his former lord Oda Nobunaga and fellow ...
, whom she loathed throughout her life as she watched him, her husband, and Hideyoshi compete for power. *Wives, concubines, children: ** Wife: Maeda Matsu (1547-1617) *** First Daughter: Kohime (1559–1616) married Maeda Nagatane *** First Son: Maeda Toshinaga (1562-1614) *** Second daughter: Shohime married Nakagawa Mitsushige *** Third daughter: Maahime (1572–1605) become
Toyotomi Hideyoshi , otherwise known as and , was a Japanese samurai and ''daimyō'' (feudal lord) of the late Sengoku period regarded as the second "Great Unifier" of Japan.Richard Holmes, The World Atlas of Warfare: Military Innovations that Changed the Cour ...
’s concubine later Madenokoji Atsufusa’s concubine *** Fourth daughter: Gohime (1574–1634) married
Ukita Hideie was the ''daimyō'' of Bizen and Mimasaka Provinces (modern Okayama Prefecture), and one of the council of Five Elders appointed by Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Son of Ukita Naoie, he married Gōhime, a daughter of Maeda Toshiie. Having fought again ...
, Toyotomi Hideyoshi's adopted son. *** Fifth Daughter: Yome,
Asano Yoshinaga was a Japanese samurai and feudal lord of the late Sengoku and early Edo periods. His father served as one of the '' Go-Bugyō'' in the late Azuchi–Momoyama period. Asano Yoshinaga was born at Odani, in the Asai district of Ōmi Province, in ...
's fiancée *** Second Son: Maeda Toshimasa (1578-1633) *** Seventh Daughter: Chisehime (1580–1641) married Hosokawa Tadataka later married Murai Nagatsugu ** Concubine: Chiyobo (1570-1631) later Kinse-in *** Fourth son:
Maeda Toshitsune was an early-Edo period Japanese samurai, and the 2nd ''daimyō'' of Kaga Domain in the Hokuriku region of Japan, and the 3rd hereditary chieftain of the Maeda clan. Toshitsune was a brother of Maeda Toshinaga and a son of Maeda Toshiie. He was ...
(1594-1658) ** Concubine: Oiwa, later Ryujo-in *** Sixth daughter: Maeda Kikuhime (1578–1584) *** Ninth daughter: Yoshi, Takeda Nobuyoshi's fiancée, later married Shinohara Sadahide *** 3 boys (early life) ** Concubine: Ozai, later Kinse-in *** Eighth daughter: Fuku, married Cho Yoshitsura, later married Nakagawa Mitsutada *** Third son: Maeda Tomoyoshi (1591-1628) ** Concubine: Jufuku-in *** Fifth son: Maeda Toshitaka (1594–1637) ** Concubine: Kaishoin *** Sixth son: Maeda Toshisada (1598-1620) ** unknown *** girl (early life) ** Nephew: Maeda Toshimasu (1543-1612) Their sons all became ''
daimyō were powerful Japanese magnates, feudal lords who, from the 10th century to the early Meiji era, Meiji period in the middle 19th century, ruled most of Japan from their vast, hereditary land holdings. They were subordinate to the shogun and n ...
s'' in their own right. Their daughters married into prestigious families; the eldest, Kō, married
Maeda Nagatane was a Japanese samurai of the Azuchi-Momoyama period through early Edo period. He served the Maeda clan of Kaga as one of its senior retainers. He married Ko, daughter of Maeda Toshiie was one of the leading generals of Oda Nobunaga follo ...
, a distant relative of Toshiie who became a senior Kaga retainer; Ma'a, was a concubine of
Toyotomi Hideyoshi , otherwise known as and , was a Japanese samurai and ''daimyō'' (feudal lord) of the late Sengoku period regarded as the second "Great Unifier" of Japan.Richard Holmes, The World Atlas of Warfare: Military Innovations that Changed the Cour ...
later Married Marikouji Mitsurubo, Gō was adopted by Hideyoshi and became the wife of
Ukita Hideie was the ''daimyō'' of Bizen and Mimasaka Provinces (modern Okayama Prefecture), and one of the council of Five Elders appointed by Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Son of Ukita Naoie, he married Gōhime, a daughter of Maeda Toshiie. Having fought again ...
, and Chise, who was first wedded to Hosokawa Tadaoki's son Tadataka, later married Murai Nagayori's son Nagatsugu. Sho married Nakagawa Mitsushige. Toshi married Shinohara Sadahide. Fuku married Nakagawa Mitsutada.


Ōdenta sword

"Ōdenta" or "Great Denta" or "The Best among Swords Forged by Denta". Along with "Onimaru" and "Futatsu-mei", the sword was considered to be one of the three regalia swords of the shoguns of the Ashikaga clan. Later passed down to Maeda Toshiie. A legend says the sword healed a daughter of Toshiie and another legend says birds never try to approach to a warehouse where this sword is stored.


In popular culture

He is a playable character in video game ''
Sengoku Basara 2 is a series of video games developed and published by Capcom, and a bigger media franchise based on it, including four anime shows, an anime movie, a live action show, a magazine series, a trading card game, and numerous drama CDs, light nove ...
'' (PS2) and an unplayable character in video game ''
Sengoku Basara 4 is the fourth main installment of the ''Sengoku BASARA'' video game series, developed and published by Capcom for the PlayStation 3. The game was released in Japan on January 23, 2014. An expanded version of the game for the PlayStation 3 and Pl ...
'' (PS3). He wields a large Nodachi and fire-based attacks. In anime, they were initially servants of Oda Nobunaga, later turned to Toyotomi Hideyoshi. He is a playable character in the video game "Samurai warriors 2 Extreme legends" (PS2) and appears in every major samurai warriors title following his first appearance . He wields a single sword and twin spears.


Honours

*
Junior First Rank The court ranks of Japan, also known in Japanese as ''ikai'' (位階), are indications of an individual's court rank in Japan based on the system of the state. ''Ikai'' as a system was originally used in the Ritsuryo system, which was the politi ...
(24 March 1599; posthumously)


See also

* Battle of Nagashino *
People of the Sengoku period in popular culture Many significant Japanese historical people of the Sengoku period appear in works of popular culture such as anime, manga, and video games. This article presents information on references to several historical people in such works. Akechi Mitsuhid ...


Further reading

*Hanagasaki Moriaki 花ケ前盛明, ed. ''Maeda Toshiie no Subete'' 前田利家のすべて. Tokyo: Shin Jinbutsu Ōraisha 新人物往来社, 2001. *Iwasawa Yoshihiko 岩沢愿彥. ''Maeda Toshiie'' 前田利家. Tokyo: Yoshikawa Kōbunkan 吉川弘文館, 1966. *Kitamura Saburō 北村三郎. ''Maeda Toshiie monogatari: Kaga hyakumangoku no so'' 前田利家物語:加賀百万石の祖. Kanazawa: Hokkoku Shuppansha 北国出版社, 1978. *Maeda Toshiyasu 前田利祐. ''Omatsu to Toshiie: Kaga hyakumangoku wo tsukutta hitobito'' おまつと利家:加賀百万石を創った人びと. Tokyo: Shūeisha 集英社, 2001. *Tsumoto Yō 津本陽. ''Maeda Toshiie'' 前田利家. Tokyo: Kōdansha 講談社, 1994.


References


External links


Buke-kaden page on the Maeda clan (in Japanese)
* ttp://www2s.biglobe.ne.jp/~gokuh/ghp/busho/mbu_001.htm Biography (in Japanese) {{DEFAULTSORT:Maeda, Toshiie 1539 births 1599 deaths Daimyo Tairō Maeda clan Japanese pages People from Nagoya Oda retainers Toyotomi retainers Deified Japanese people