was a
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 ...
Japanese ''
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 ...
'', and the first daimyō of
Hirosaki Domain
Hirosaki Castle, the seat of the Hirosaki Domain
, also known as , was a '' tozama'' feudal domain of Edo period JapanRavina, Mark. (1998) ''Land and Lordship in Early Modern Japan,'' p. 222 It is located in Mutsu Province, in northern Honshū ...
under the
Tokugawa shogunate
The Tokugawa shogunate (, Japanese 徳川幕府 ''Tokugawa bakufu''), also known as the , was the military government of Japan during the Edo period from 1603 to 1868. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005)"''Tokugawa-jidai''"in ''Japan Encyclopedia ...
. He was born as Ōura Tamenobu, and was a hereditary retainer of the
Nanbu clan
The was a Japanese samurai clan who ruled most of northeastern Honshū in the Tōhoku region of Japan for over 700 years, from the Kamakura period through the Meiji Restoration of 1868. The Nanbu claimed descent from the Seiwa Genji of Kai Pr ...
; however, he later rebelled against the Nanbu and established an independent domain, and renamed himself as Tsugaru Tamenobu.
Early life
Much about the early life of Tamenobu and the ancestry of the Ōura clan is uncertain. Tamenobu was born in 1550, as the adopted son and heir of Ōura Tamenori, a retainer of the
Nanbu clan
The was a Japanese samurai clan who ruled most of northeastern Honshū in the Tōhoku region of Japan for over 700 years, from the Kamakura period through the Meiji Restoration of 1868. The Nanbu claimed descent from the Seiwa Genji of Kai Pr ...
, based at
Sannohe Castle
was a Muromachi period Japanese castle located in the center of what is now the town of Sannohe, in Sannohe District of Aomori Prefecture, in the Tōhoku region of far northern Japan. It was located on a river terrace of the Mabechi River, whic ...
. He succeeded his father in 1567 or 1568 as castellan of Ōura Castle, located in what is now part of the city of
Hirosaki
is a city located in western Aomori Prefecture, Japan. On 1 April 2020, the city had an estimated population of 168,739 in 71,716 households, and a population density of . The total area of the city is .
Hirosaki developed as a castle town fo ...
. According to later Tsugaru clan records, the clan was descended from the noble
Fujiwara clan
was a powerful family of imperial regents in Japan, descending from the Nakatomi clan and, as legend held, through them their ancestral god Ame-no-Koyane. The Fujiwara prospered since the ancient times and dominated the imperial court until th ...
and had an ancient claim to ownership of the Tsugaru region of northern Honshu; however, according to the records of their rivals, the Nanbu clan, Tamenobu was born as either Nanbu Tamenobu or Kuji Tamenobu, from a minor branch house of the Nanbu and was driven from the clan due to discord with his elder brother.
In any event, the Ōura were hereditary under the Nanbu clan's local magistrate Ishikawa Takanobu; however, in 1571 Tamenobu attacked and killed Ishikawa and began taking the Nanbu clan's castles in the Tsugaru region one after another.
[ "Tokugawa Bakufu to Tozama 117 han." ''Rekishi Dokuhon''. April 1976 (Tokyo: n.p., 1976), p. 71.] He captured castles at Ishikawa, Daikoji and Aburakawa, and soon gathered support of many former Nanbu retainers in the region.
Independence from the Nanbu
In 1582, with the death of
Nanbu Harumasa Nanbu may refer to:
Places
* Nanbu, Aomori, Japan
* Nanbu, Tottori, Japan
* Nanbu, Yamanashi, Japan
* Nanbu County, Sichuan Province, China
* Nanbu Domain, a feudal domain in northeastern Japan
People with the surname
*, Japanese samurai and ''da ...
, the Nanbu clan collapsed into numerous factions. The 25th hereditary clan chieftain, Nanbu Harutsugu, was a boy of 13, and soon died under uncertain circumstances, and the Kunohe branch of the clan under the warlord Kunohe Masazane began to expand its influence over the Sannohe main branch. Given these circumstances, Tamenobu declared that the western Nanbu territories under his control would be independent for Nanbu rule. Proclaimed a traitor by the Nanbu clan, rivals Nanbu Nobunao and Kunohe Masazane both called for Tamenobu's death. Tamenobu was successful in taking castle after castle in the region due to the divided state of the Nanbu clan, but realising that in the long term he would need to solicit outside help, he approached the
Mogami clan
were Japanese ''daimyōs'', and were a branch of the Ashikaga family. In the Sengoku period, they were the Sengoku ''daimyōs'' who ruled Dewa Province which is now Yamagata Prefecture and part of Akita Prefecture.
The Mogami clan is derived ...
for an introduction to the regime 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 ...
. Tamenobu initially departed by boat from
Ajigasawa, but inclement winds blew the boat north as far as
Matsumae. He made attempts to reach Hideyoshi overland in 1586, 1587 and 1588, but was blocked each time by hostile forces in the territories to the south of Tsugaru.
Service under Hideyoshi
In 1589, Tamenobu approached
Ishida Mitsunari
Ishida Mitsunari (, 1559 – November 6, 1600) was a Japanese samurai and military commander of the late Sengoku period of Japan. He is probably best remembered as the commander of the Western army in the Battle of Sekigahara following the A ...
with gifts of horses and falcons for
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 ...
, and asked for formal recognition as ''daimyō'' over his existing holdings (i.e. the three Tsugaru districts of Hiraga, Hanawa and Inaka of far northwestern
Mutsu Province
was an old province of Japan in the area of Fukushima, Miyagi, Iwate and Aomori Prefectures and the municipalities of Kazuno and Kosaka in Akita Prefecture.
Mutsu Province is also known as or . The term is often used to refer to the comb ...
). The area has had a formally assessed ''
kokudaka
refers to a system for determining land value for taxation purposes under the Tokugawa shogunate of Edo-period Japan, and expressing this value in terms of ''koku'' of rice. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005)"Koku"in ''Japan Encyclopedia'', p. 54 ...
'' of 45,000 ''
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 ...
''. Tamenobu, accompanied by 18 of his closest vassals, participated in the
Siege of Odawara in 1590, and was received in audience by Hideyoshi.
Nanbu Nobunao
was a Sengoku period Japanese samurai, and ''daimyō'' and the 26th hereditary chieftain of the Nanbu clan. His courtesy title was ''Daizen Daibu'', and his Court rank was Junior Fourth Rank, Lower Grade.
Nobunao was the second son of Nanbu ...
, supported by
Maeda Toshiie
was one of the leading generals of Oda Nobunaga following the Sengoku period of the 16th century extending to the Azuchi–Momoyama period. His preferred weapon was a yari and he was known as "Yari no Mataza" (槍の又左), Matazaemon (又左 ...
declared Tamenobu to be a rebellious vassal who had seized the Tsugaru region illegally, and demanded his punishment. Tamenobu was supported by Ishida Mitsunari,
Hashiba Hidetsugu
was a daimyō during the Sengoku period of Japan. He was the nephew and retainer of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the unifier and ruler of Japan from 1590 to 1598. Despite being Hideyoshi's closest adult, male relative, Hidetsugu was accused of atrocities ...
and
Oda Nobukatsu
was a Japanese samurai of the Azuchi–Momoyama period. He was the second son of Oda Nobunaga. He survived the decline of the Oda clan from political prominence, becoming a ''daimyō'' in the early Edo period. Though often described as an inco ...
and as he had pledged fealty to Hideyoshi earlier than Nanbu Nobunao, his claims to Tsugaru were officially recognised.
Tamenobu also revived his clan's claims to have been descended from the
Fujiwara clan
was a powerful family of imperial regents in Japan, descending from the Nakatomi clan and, as legend held, through them their ancestral god Ame-no-Koyane. The Fujiwara prospered since the ancient times and dominated the imperial court until th ...
and made lavish presents to the ''
kampaku''
Konoe Sakihisa
(1536 – June 7, 1612), son of regent Taneie, was a court noble of Japan. His life spanned the Sengoku, Azuchi–Momoyama, and early Edo periods. He served as kampaku-sadaijin and ''daijō-daijin'', rising to the junior first rank. He was ka ...
into order to receive former recognition of this claim. he also changed his family name from Ōura to Tsugaru at this time. In 1591, he accompanied Toyotomi forces in the suppression of the
Kunohe Rebellion
The was an insurrection of the Sengoku period of Japan that occurred in Mutsu Province from 13 March to 4 September 1591. The Kunohe Rebellion was the final battle in Toyotomi Hideyoshi's campaigns during the Sengoku period and completed the u ...
. During Hideyoshi's
invasion of Korea
An invasion is a Offensive (military), military offensive in which large numbers of combatants of one geopolitics, geopolitical Legal entity, entity aggressively enter territory (country subdivision), territory owned by another such entity, gen ...
, he was stationed at
Fushimi Castle
, also known as or Fushimi-Momoyama Castle, is a Japanese castle located in Fushimi Ward, Kyoto.
Fushimi Castle was constructed from 1592 to 1594 by Toyotomi Hideyoshi at the end of the Sengoku period as his retirement residence. Fushimi Castle ...
near Kyoto, and in 1597 moved his seat from Ōura Castle to Horikoshi Castle.
Battle of Sekigahara
In 1600, Tamenobu received the courtesy title of ''Ukyo-no-daifu'', and together with his third son,
Tsugaru Nobuhira
was the second ''daimyō'' of Hirosaki Domain in northern Mutsu Province, Honshū, Japan (modern-day Aomori Prefecture). His courtesy title was '' Etchū-no-kami,'' and his Court rank was Junior Fifth Rank, Lower Grade.
Biography
Tsugaru Nobu ...
, participated in the
Battle of Sekigahara
The Battle of Sekigahara (Shinjitai: ; Kyūjitai: , Hepburn romanization: ''Sekigahara no Tatakai'') was a decisive battle on October 21, 1600 (Keichō 5, 15th day of the 9th month) in what is now Gifu prefecture, Japan, at the end of ...
as part of the Eastern Army under
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 ...
. However, at the time, his eldest son Tsugaru Nobutake, was serving
Toyotomi Hideyori
was the son and designated successor of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the general who first united all of Japan. His mother, Yodo-dono, was the niece of Oda Nobunaga.
Early life
Born in 1593, he was Hideyoshi's second son. The birth of Hideyori cre ...
as a page in
Osaka Castle
is a Japanese castle in Chūō-ku, Osaka, Japan. The castle is one of Japan's most famous landmarks and it played a major role in the unification of Japan during the sixteenth century of the Azuchi-Momoyama period.
Layout
The main tower ...
, so the situation of the Tsugaru clan was similar to that of the
Sanada clan
The is a Japanese clan. Papinot, Jacques Edmond Joseph. (1906). ''Dictionnaire d'histoire et de géographie du Japon''; Papinot, (2003).html" ;"title="DF 56 of 80">("Sanada," ''Nobiliare du Japon'', p. 52 [PDF 56 of 80/nowiki>">DF 56 of 80">("Sa ...
in that it was divided between the two armies. After the battle, he took in the orphaned children of Ishida Mitsunari and provided them shelter in Tsugaru, and even married Nobuhira to Mitsunari's daughter. As a reward for his efforts at the Battle of Sekigahara, his rewards were remarkable low - only an additional 2000 ''koku'' in Kozuke Province, which brought his ''kokudaka'' to ''47,000 koku''.
Tamenobu also feared a rebellion within his domains during his absence, and had the suspected leader, Morioka Nobumoto, put to death before his departure. The rebellion occurred anyway, and the rebels briefly occupied Horikoshi Castle before receiving word of the defeat of the Western Army, and surrendering without a fight. Afterwards, Tamenobu decided to relocate his seat to a location called Takaoka, sandwiched between the
Iwaki River
The is a river that crosses western Aomori Prefecture, Japan. It is in length and has a drainage area of . Under the Rivers Act of 1964 the Iwaki is designated as a Class 1 River and is managed by the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, ...
and the Tabuchi River, and began work on a new castle on a massive scale. The new castle was
Hirosaki Castle
is a city located in western Aomori Prefecture, Japan. On 1 April 2020, the city had an estimated population of 168,739 in 71,716 households, and a population density of . The total area of the city is .
Hirosaki developed as a castle town for ...
.
In 1607, Tamenobu received word that his eldest son, Nobutatsu, was ill in
Kyoto
Kyoto (; Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in Japan. Located in the Kansai region on the island of Honshu, Kyoto forms a part of the Keihanshin metropolitan area along with Osaka and Kobe. , the ci ...
and set out from Hirosaki to visit him. However, Nobutake died in October, before Tamenobu arrived, and Tamenobu himself died in Kyoto that December at the age of 58. His grave is at the Tsugaru clan temple of Kakushū-ji in Hirosaki.
As Tamenobu's second son, Nobukata, had died in 1597, the title went to his third son, Nobuhira. This immediately resulted in an ''
O-Ie Sōdō O-Ie Sōdō (, "house strife") were noble family disputes within the samurai and aristocratic classes of Japan, particularly during the early Edo period (17th century). The most famous is the ''Date Sōdō'', which broke out among the Date family in ...
'', as many retainers felt that Nobutake's son was the legitimate heir. However, the Tokugawa shogunate intervened and proclaimed Nobuhira as the next ''daimyō''.
References
* ''The content of much of this article was derived from that of the corresponding article on Japanese Wikipedia.''
*Koyasu Nobushige (1880). ''Buke kazoku meiyoden'' 武家家族名誉伝 Volume 1. Tokyo: Koyasu Nobushige. (Accessed fro
National Diet Library 17 July 2008)
* Kurotaki, Jūjirō (1984). ''Tsugaru-han no hanzai to keibatsu'' 津軽藩の犯罪と刑罰. Hirosaki: Hoppō shinsha.
* Narita, Suegorō (1975). ''Tsugaru Tamenobu: shidan'' 津軽為信: 史談. Aomori: Tōō Nippōsha.
Notes
External links
(17 February 2008)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tsugaru, Tamenobu
Tozama daimyo
1550 births
1607 deaths
Tsugaru clan
People of Azuchi–Momoyama-period Japan
People of Edo-period Japan