Isobe Toyonao (磯部豊直)
Toyonao ISOBE (years of birth and death unknown) was a busho (Japanese military commander) who lived in the Azuchi-Momoyama period. Toyonao's father was Kazusanosuke YAMANA, and Toyonao's official court rank was the hyobu no taifu (the Commissioner of War). Toyonao was also called Toyonao YAMANA, but in some documents his real name was written to be 康氏 in Japanese which is read Yasuuji. Toyonao's younger sisters were the wife of Shigekata KINOSHITA and the wife of Mototsugu NANJO.
Biography
Toyonao's father Kazusanosuke YAMANA was a kokujin (or ji-samurai, which was a lord of smaller rural domains in feudal Japan) who ruled Asago-gun County of Tajima Province, and Toyonao took over as head of the family, thereby becoming the Lord of Yakuno-jo Castle. In 1571, Toyonao followed Suketoyo YAMANA invading Tanba Province, and the Yamagai-jo Castle of the Adachi clan fell to them (the Battle of Kuroijo-Castle). After following Hideyoshi TOYOTOMI, Toyonao joined an army to subjugate Inaba Province in 1580 and entered Kageishi-jo Castle, where Toyokuni YAMANA, siding with the Mori clan at that time, forced them out of the castle. In 1581 the subjugation of Inaba Province was completed with the surrender of Tottori-jo Castle, Toyonao who had worked under Shigekata KINOSHITA was awarded a landholding of Chizu no kori County with a stipend of 3,000 koku, thus reentering the Kageishi-jo Castle. During the Battle of Sekigahara, Toyonao himself did not go to the front, but he was punished by 'joho' sanction (also known as 'kaieki' which was shogunal sanction by means of sudden dismissal and deprivation of position, privileges and properties) for siding with the 'western' army.
After the sentence of the sanction, Toyonao went under the protection of Korenori KAMEI who was the Lord of Shikano-jo Castle and hired Toyonao by paying him a stipend of 500 koku, thereby Toyonao moved to Shikano, finally moving again to Kyoto to follow the Kamei clan who was transferred by the shogunate (which was called 'tempo' in Japanese.)
Toyonao is said to have died in Kyoto, but the year of his death and other details are unknown. Toyonao is said to have lived a destitute life in the last years of his life.