Matsudaira Tadaakira (松平忠明)
Tadaakira MATSUDAIRA was a daimyo (Japanese feudal lord) who lived from the Azuchi-Momoyama period to the early Edo period. He was shukuro (chief vassal) and saigoku tandai (local commissioner in the western part of Japan) of the Edo shogunate. He was the first head of the Okudaira-Matsudaira family. This section explains about him.
He was hatamoto (a direct retainer of the Shogun) who lived in the late Edo period (1765-?). He served as koshogumi (page corps), shoinban (castle guard), Nikko bugyo (Magistrate in Nikko) and the chief of Ezoshima kenbuntai (field surveying party in Ezo).
Tadaakira MATSUDAIRA was a busho (Japanese military commander) who lived in the Azuchi-Momoyama period. He was the lord of Tsukude Domain in Mikawa Province. He later became the first lord of Himeji Domain in Harima Province after being the lord of Ise-Kameyama Domain, Osaka Domain in Settsu Province and Koriyama Domain in Yamato Province. He was the first head of the Okudaira-Matsudaira family.
Biography
In 1583, he was born the fourth son of Nobumasa OKUDAIRA, a senior vassal of the Tokugawa clan. His mother was Princess Kame (Seitokuin), a daughter of Ieyasu TOKUGAWA, so he was a sotomago (grandchild from a daughter married into another family) of Ieyasu.
In 1588, he was adopted by Ieyasu TOKUGAWA, and he was allowed to have the family name of Matsudaira.
Since his older brother Ieharu MATSUDAIRA died in 1592, he took over the reigns of the family, and was given seven thousand koku (crop yield) in Nagane, Kozuke Province
On April 6, 1599, he was given the letter 'Tada' from Hidetada TOKUGAWA, and he called himself Tadaakira.
He participated in the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 as the Tokugawa side together with his father,
On October 15, 1602, he became the lord of Tsukude Domain in Mikawa Province.
On September 14, 1610, he was changed to the lord of Ise-Kameyama Domein, added up to 50 thousand koku. At the Siege of Osaka starting from 1614, he became Taisho (general) in charge of the Kawachi entrance, leading territorial lords of Mino Province. Although it was originally a role of Tadamasa OKUDAIRA, his older brother, in Kano Domain, to lead warlords of Mino, he died before the departure, and his soldiers just became under Tadaakira's command even without the alternate participation by his father Nobumasa from Kano. That was how Tadaakira alternatively got to take charge of the warlords of Mino including the forces of Kano. This was why Tadaakira's mobilized strength was extremely higher than his territory distribution in Ise-Kameyama.
Later when the armistice agreement was concluded with the Toyotomi clan, he served as bugyo for landfilling of the outer and inner moats of Osaka-jo Castle by order of Ieyasu. At the Siege of Osaka starting from 1615, he participated in the Domyoji War.
After the war, his distinguished war service at the Siege of Osaka was considered, and he became the lord of Osaka Domain in Settsu Province with 100 thousand koku by special order of Ieyasu, then he tried war-damage reconstruction. The excavation of a canal which was suspended during the wartime was restarted by volunteers, and he praised this when it was completed. It is said that it was Tadaakira who named this canal Dotonbori. In 1619, he was transferred to Koriyama Domain in Yamato Province, added up to 120 thousand koku by the shogunate which appreciated his ability of reconstruction. In August, 1626, he went to Kyoto with Iemitsu TOKUGAWA, the third shogun, and on October 9, he was appointed Jushiinoge (Junior Fourth Rank, Lower Grade) and Jiju (chamberlain). While he was the lord of Koriyama Domain, he employed Mataemon ARAKI, a master of swordplay, as his vassal for a short time.
On April 6, 1639, he was transferred to Himeji Domain in Harima Province, added up to 180,000 koku. In his later years, he had influence on the shogunate administration as shukuro of the Edo shogunate along with Naotaka II. On May 1, 1644, he died at the residence in Edo. He died at the age of 62. His oldest son Tadahiro MATSUDAIRA succeeded him.
Personality
Hidetada TOKUGAWA asked him to look after future affaires in case of occurrence of rebellion against the shogunate family. He participated in the shogunate administration as shukuro together with Naotaka II when Iemitsu TOKUGAWA became shogun.
He wrote "Todaiki" (a famous chronicle describing the Early Modern age), a first-class historical material.
Career
1583: Birth
1592: Succession to the family headship
1615: Summer Siege of Osaka
1644: Death (at the age of 62)
Official rank and Court rank
1600: Jugoinoge (Junior Fifth Rank, Lower Grade), Shimousa-no-kami (Governor of Shimousa Province)
1626: Jushiinoge (Junior Fourth Rank, Lower Grade), Jiju (Chamberlain)
Territory
1592: New territory in Ogo Domain in Kozuke Province (7,000 koku)
1602: Tsukude Domain in Mikawa Province (17,000 koku)
1610: Ise-Kameyama Domain in Ise Province (50,000 koku)
1615: Osaka Domain in Settsu Province (100,000 koku)
1619: Koriyama Domain in Yamato Province (120,000 koku) (November)
1639: Himeji Domain in Harima Province (180,000 koku) (April 6)