Yabe Sadamasa (矢部定政)
Sadamasa YABE (date of birth and death unknown), a busho (Japanese military commander) in Azuchi-Momoyama period, served Nobunaga ODA, and then served Hideyoshi TOYOTOMI as a vassal. He was an adopted child of Iesada YABE. His father was Yasushige HONGO.
His official position was Bungo no kami (governor of Bungo Province.)
Biography
Sadamasa's foster father, Zenshichiro Iesada YABE served Nobunaga ODA as his kinju (attendant), and was called ODA ke bugyo goninsyu (five administrators of the ODA family) together with Nagayori SUGAYA, Hidekazu HASEGAWA, Hidekatsu FUKUTOMI, and Hidemasa HORI. His natural father, Yasushige HONGO was a member of Murakami-Genji (Minamoto clan) and lived in Hongo, Oi-gun, Wakasa Province, where his family has been around for generations as the birthplace of clan. In 1570, Yasushige was affiliated with Nobunaga through the assistance of Iesada, and it seems that he gave Sadamasa for adoption based on the relationship at that time.
After the Honnoji Incident, Sadamasa served Hideyoshi TOYOTOMI as umamawarishu (horse guard) with his foster father, and it is said that he took over the family estate after taking a part in the campaign of Odawara no eki (the Siege of Odawara.)
In Bunroku Keicho no eki (the Bunroku-Keicho War), he protected Ninomaru (second bailey) of Nagoya-jo Castle in Hizen Province that was the foothold of that war. He possessed 10,000 koku (crop yields) during Keicho era, however, where his domain was is unknown.
In the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600, he belonged to the West squad and joined the battle in Fushimi-jo Castle and the battle in Otsu-jo Castle, however, he returned to Osaka before the fall of Otsu-jo Castle. He forfeited his position and properties (Kaieki) after the war because he participated in the West squad.
The family line of Nobutomi HONGO, Sadamasa's real elder brother, continued as hatamoto (direct retainers of the bakufu, which is a form of Japanese feudal government headed by a shogun)