Hachisuka Masakatsu
Encyclopedia
, also Hachisuka Koroku (蜂須賀小六), was a daimyo
and retainer of Toyotomi Hideyoshi
during the Azuchi-Momoyama period
of Japanese history
. He was the son of Hachisuka Masatoshi.
The Hachisuka clan
were the kokujin
of the Kaitō District of Owari Province
(in present-day Ama District
, Aichi Prefecture
). They controlled water transport on the Kiso River
. Their knowledge of local terrain made them useful to the Oda
and Saitō clan
s, although they remained independent of control of the powerful clans.
Later, Masakatsu served Toyotomi Hideyoshi
, and may have participated in the building of Sunomata Castle
as well as the campaigns against the Mōri
. In 1585, Hideyoshi awarded him Awa Province
as a fief, but he declined in favor of his son, Iemasa
, serving instead as an intimate of Hideyoshi.
Daimyo
is a generic term referring to the powerful territorial lords in pre-modern Japan who ruled most of the country from their vast, hereditary land holdings...
and retainer of Toyotomi Hideyoshi
Toyotomi Hideyoshi
was a daimyo warrior, general and politician of the Sengoku period. He unified the political factions of Japan. He succeeded his former liege lord, Oda Nobunaga, and brought an end to the Sengoku period. The period of his rule is often called the Momoyama period, named after Hideyoshi's castle...
during the Azuchi-Momoyama period
Azuchi-Momoyama period
The came at the end of the Warring States Period in Japan, when the political unification that preceded the establishment of the Tokugawa shogunate took place. It spans the years from approximately 1573 to 1603, during which time Oda Nobunaga and his successor, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, imposed order...
of Japanese history
History of Japan
The history of Japan encompasses the history of the islands of Japan and the Japanese people, spanning the ancient history of the region to the modern history of Japan as a nation state. Following the last ice age, around 12,000 BC, the rich ecosystem of the Japanese Archipelago fostered human...
. He was the son of Hachisuka Masatoshi.
The Hachisuka clan
Hachisuka clan
The ' are descendants of Emperor Seiwa and are a branch of the Ashikaga clan and the Shiba clan .Ashikaga Ieuji , son of Ashikaga Yasuuji was the first who adopted the name of Shiba...
were the kokujin
Ji-samurai
The ', also known as ', were lords of smaller rural domains in feudal Japan. They often used their relatively small plots of land for intensive and diversified forms of agriculture; the kokujin sought to be as productive and self-sufficient as possible, hoping to gain wealth and power...
of the Kaitō District of Owari Province
Owari Province
was an old province of Japan that is now the western half of present day Aichi Prefecture, including much of modern Nagoya. Its abbreviation is Bishū .-History:The province was created in 646....
(in present-day Ama District
Ama District, Aichi
is a district located in Aichi, Japan.As of September 1, 2011, the district has an estimated population of 71,240 and a density of 1,770 persons per km²...
, Aichi Prefecture
Aichi Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region. The region of Aichi is also known as the Tōkai region. The capital is Nagoya. It is the focus of the Chūkyō Metropolitan Area.- History :...
). They controlled water transport on the Kiso River
Kiso River
The is a river in Japan roughly 193 km long, flowing through the prefectures of Nagano, Gifu, Aichi, and Mie before emptying into Ise Bay a short distance away from the city of Nagoya. It is the main river of the Kiso Three Rivers and forms a major part of the Nōbi Plain...
. Their knowledge of local terrain made them useful to the Oda
Oda clan
The was a family of Japanese daimyo who were to become an important political force in the unification of Japan in the mid-16th century. Though they had the climax of their fame under Oda Nobunaga and fell from the spotlight soon after, several branches of the family would continue on as daimyo...
and Saitō clan
Saito clan
The was a Japanese clan in Mino Province during the Sengoku period in the 16th century. According to records, the Saitō clan descended from the Fujiwara clan...
s, although they remained independent of control of the powerful clans.
Later, Masakatsu served Toyotomi Hideyoshi
Toyotomi Hideyoshi
was a daimyo warrior, general and politician of the Sengoku period. He unified the political factions of Japan. He succeeded his former liege lord, Oda Nobunaga, and brought an end to the Sengoku period. The period of his rule is often called the Momoyama period, named after Hideyoshi's castle...
, and may have participated in the building of Sunomata Castle
Sunomata Castle
is a Japanese castle in Ōgaki in Gifu Prefecture. It was constructed by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, one of the generals of Oda Nobunaga, while they were doing a siege on Inabayama Castle in the mid-16th century. Hideyoshi also found a secret path into the castle and they found Saitō Tatsuoki. Oda Nobunaga...
as well as the campaigns against the Mōri
Mori Terumoto
Mōri Terumoto , son of Mōri Takamoto and grandson and successor of the great warlord Mōri Motonari, fought against Toyotomi Hideyoshi but was eventually overcome, participated in the Kyūshū campaign on Hideyoshi's side and built Hiroshima Castle, thus essentially founding Hiroshima.Terumoto was a...
. In 1585, Hideyoshi awarded him Awa Province
Awa Province (Tokushima)
was an old province of Japan in the area that is today a part of Tokushima Prefecture on Shikoku. Awa was bordered by Tosa, Sanuki, and Iyo Provinces. It was sometimes called .-References:...
as a fief, but he declined in favor of his son, Iemasa
Hachisuka Iemasa
was a Japanese daimyo of the early Edo period. Iemasa, the son of Hachisuka Koroku, was the founder of the Tokushima Domain. He served both Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi, taking part in Hideyoshi's Korean campaign...
, serving instead as an intimate of Hideyoshi.