Yamazaki Iemori (山崎家盛)
Iemori YAMAZAKI (1567 - November 19, 1614) was a daimyo (Japanese feudal lord) who lived in the Azuchi-Momoyama period and the Edo period. He was a legitimate son of Kataie YAMAZAKI. Iemori was given an official court rank of Jugoinoge (Junior Fifth Rank, Lower Grade), being a Sama no jo (the third-ranked officer of Samaryo or the Left Division of Bureau of Horses). Iemori's lawful wife was Tenkyuin, who was a daughter of Tsuneoki IKEDA and an older sister of Terumasa IKEDA.
Biography
In 1591, following his father Kataie's death, he succeeded the position of the Lord of Sanda-jo Castle in Settsu Province with a stipend of 23,000 koku. At the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600, Iemori informed Ieyasu TOKUGAWA in Oyama, Shimotsuke Province, of the rise of Mitsunari ISHIDA's army, thus appearing to have worked on the Tokugawa side. The fact was, however, that Iemori decided to work on the Ishida side after his report of the rise of Mitsunari's army to Ieyasu, pledging an allegiance to Mitsunari vis-à-vis at Ogaki-jo Castle by joining the West squad.
Iemori joined an attack on Yusai HOSOKAWA's Tanabe-jo Castle in Tango Province (which was known as the Battle of Tanabejo [the Battle of Tanabe-jo Castle])
Iemori avoided voluntarily penetrating deep into the castle, leaving the battle deadlocked in the end.
After the battle, Ieyasu TOKUGAWA was about to punish Iemori by means of Kaieki (forfeit rank of Samurai and properties) on the ground that Iemori had taken sides with the Ishida's alliance, but Iemori was forgiven taking into account a petition for mercy made by Terumasa IKEDA, who was Iemori's older brother-in-law, as well as Iemori's distinguished war service in terms of his report of the rise of Mitsunari Ishida's army. Thus, the Yamazaki family successfully survived to be kinsei daimyo (early modern daimyo who lived under the Tokugawa regime in the Edo period). Thereafter, in 1601, the following year, Iemori was transferred from Sanda Domain to larger Wakasa Domain of Inaba Province with an additional property of 30,000 koku, where he died in 1614. Iemori's grave belongs to Ryutoku-ji Temple (in Wakasa Town).