Matsudaira Tadaharu (松平忠晴)
Tadaharu MATSUDAIRA (1598-April 23, 1669) was a lord of the Tanaka Domain in Suruga Province. He was a lord of the Kakegawa Domain in Totomi Province. He was the first lord of the Tanba-Kameyama Domain in Tanba Province. He was the first generation of the Fujii-Matsudaira family in Iga no kami (Governor of Iga Province) line.
He was the second son of Nobuyoshi MATSUDAIRA. His mother was the daughter of Nobukazu FUJII-MATSUDAIRA. His older brother was Tadakuni MATSUDAIRA (the lord of the Akashi Domain in Harima Province). His lawful wife was the daughter (the adopted daughter of Nagaakira ASANO) of Nagafusa SUGIHARA. His children were Tadatoshi MATSUDAIRA (the oldest son), Tadaaki MATSUDAIRA (the Fujii-Matsudaira family) (the second son), and Tadachika MATSUDAIRA (the third son). His official rank was Jugoinoge (Junior Fifth Rank, Lower Grade), the Governor of Iga Province.
In 1598, he was born in Fukawa, Shimosa Province. He was named as Tadaharu ("忠晴") by incorporating one Chinese character used by Hidetada TOKUGAWA ("徳川秀忠"). He was appointed Jugoinoge, the Governor of Iga Province in 1615. In 1619, he received 2,000 koku from his father, Nobuyoshi MATSUDAIRA, who was the lord of the Tsuchiura Domain of 35,000 koku, in Hitachi Province. In 1633, around the time of the Shogun Iemitsu TOKUGAWA, he first worked as Shoinbanshi (the shogun's body guard or the castle guard) and Sojaban (an official in charge of the ceremonies). His dedication to his duties were so evaluated that he was given 2,000 koku for Awa Province and 1,000 koku for Shimosa Province. Since he was a Controller of the Tsuchiura Domain, his holdings totaled in 5,000 koku. In August 1642, he became a daimyo of 25,000 koku in the Tanaka Domain, Suruga Province.
In April 1644, he was transferred to Kakegawa in Enshu (Totomi Province) and blessed with his second illegitimate son Sentaro. His son's real mother was a concubine of the Onogi clan (a daughter of Tadaharu's vassal). In an intercalary month of February 1648, he was transferred to the Tanba Kameyama with an increase in the revenues of 8,000 koku. In September of the same year, he was assigned to receive the castellany in association with the maladministration of Norimichi INABA, the lord of the neighboring Fukuchiyama Domain in Tanba Province. Although it is not known which month it was, he lost his lawful wife in an Edohantei (a residence maintained by a daimyo in Edo) in the same year. His lawful wife was given the posthumous title of Choseiin and she gave birth to two children including the oldest son Tadayoshi.
In April 1661, his third son Yojuro was born in the Kameyama Domain of Tanba Province. His son's real mother was a concubine of the Kimura clan (a daughter of Tadaharu's vassal).
After the death of his oldest son Tadatoshi, he adopted Tadahide MATSUDAIRA (a legitimate child of the Kameyama Domain), the fifth son of his older brother Tadakuni. However, he sent Tadahide back to his birthplace and requested the bakufu (Japanese feudal government headed by a shogun) to designate his illegitimate son Sentaro (who later became Tadaaki) as his legitimate heir and his third son Yojuro (who later became Tadachika) as Sentaro's adopted son, which was finally approved in 1667. Tadaharu presented gift to the Shogun family and Roju (senior councillors) as an expression of gratitude. On April 2 of the same year, he then transferred responsibility as a head of the family to his second son Tadaaki and retired, calling himself Chuzan (忠山).
On April 23, 1669, he died at the age of 72. Posthumous Buddhist Title: Ryoko Chuzan Zentokuin. Graveyard: Komyo-ji Temple, Sakyo Ward, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture.
Upon the death of Tadaharu, the lord Tadaaki was on the way to Edo; Shingozaemon MATSUNOMIYA hurried his horse from Tanba Kameyama to Ise, where he caught up with Tadaaki and delivered the message. It is said that when Tadaaki received the news of Tadaharu's death, his procession hastily turned around and went back the way they came.