Matsudaira Hirotada
Encyclopedia
was the lord of Okazaki Castle
in Mikawa province
, Japan
during the Sengoku Period
of the 16th century. He is best known for being the father of Tokugawa Ieyasu
, founder of the Tokugawa Shogunate
.
Hirotada was the son of Matsudaira Kiyoyasu
(7th head of Mikawa Matsudaira clan) and an unknown lady, probably the daughter of Aoki Kaga no Kami Norimune. He was known in his childhood as Senshōmaru, Senchiyo, and Jirōzaburō.
Following his father's assassination in 1536, Hirotada was under the protection of a loyal retainer, Abe Sadayoshi. He allied with the Imagawa, an with their help was installed at Okazaki castle.
The alliance with the Imagawa brought him into conflict with the Oda clan. In 1540, Oda Nobuhide attacked and took Anjo castle which was held by the Matsudaira family. He was assisted by Mizuno Tadamasa. Oda's son Nobuhiro was installed as the lord of the castle.
In 1541, Hirotada married Dai-no-kata, his step-sibling and daughter of Mizuno Tadamasa. Ieyasu was born to them a year later.
He joined Imagawa Yoshimoto to fight Oda Nobuhide at the First Battle of Azukizaka in 1542
. They were defeated. His uncle, Matsudaira Nobutaka, rebelled against him in 1543, and joined Oda Nobuhide.
Hirotada had a falling out with his father-in-law Mizuno Tadamasa in 1544, and divorced Dai-no-kata. He then married the daughter of Toda Yasumitsu. They had a son Iemoto, and three daughters.
In 1548, hard-pressed by Oda Nobuhide, Hirotada needed help from the Imagawa, and was compelled to send his son Ieyasu as a hostage to Sumpu in Suruga province. The child was however intercepted on the way by the Oda, and kept at Nagoya for a number of years.
Hirotada then attempted to take back Anjo castle, but was defeated.
An attempt by made on his life by Iwamatsu Hachiya, but he survived.
Later in 1548, the Imagawa and Matsudaira defeated Oda at the Second Battle of Azukizaka.
However, Hirotada became ill and died the following year.
He was postumously conferred the rank of Dainagon
by Ieyasu in 1612.
Okazaki Castle
is a Japanese castle located in Okazaki, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. At the end of the Edo period, Okazaki Castle was home to the Honda clan, daimyō of Okazaki Domain, but the castle is better known for its association with Tokugawa Ieyasu and the Tokugawa clan...
in Mikawa province
Mikawa Province
is an old province in the area that today forms the eastern half of Aichi Prefecture. It was sometimes called . Mikawa bordered on Owari, Mino, Shinano, and Tōtōmi Provinces....
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
during the Sengoku Period
Sengoku period
The or Warring States period in Japanese history was a time of social upheaval, political intrigue, and nearly constant military conflict that lasted roughly from the middle of the 15th century to the beginning of the 17th century. The name "Sengoku" was adopted by Japanese historians in reference...
of the 16th century. He is best known for being the father of Tokugawa Ieyasu
Tokugawa Ieyasu
was the founder and first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan , which ruled from the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. Ieyasu seized power in 1600, received appointment as shogun in 1603, abdicated from office in 1605, but...
, founder of the Tokugawa Shogunate
Tokugawa shogunate
The Tokugawa shogunate, also known as the and the , was a feudal regime of Japan established by Tokugawa Ieyasu and ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family. This period is known as the Edo period and gets its name from the capital city, Edo, which is now called Tokyo, after the name was...
.
Hirotada was the son of Matsudaira Kiyoyasu
Matsudaira Kiyoyasu
was the 7th lord over the Matsudaira clan during the Sengoku period of Japan. Kiyoyasu was the grandfather of the exceedingly famous unifier of Japan, Tokugawa Ieyasu. Kiyoyasu soon gained control of the whole of the northern region of Mikawa province after the Saigo clan had surrendered after...
(7th head of Mikawa Matsudaira clan) and an unknown lady, probably the daughter of Aoki Kaga no Kami Norimune. He was known in his childhood as Senshōmaru, Senchiyo, and Jirōzaburō.
Following his father's assassination in 1536, Hirotada was under the protection of a loyal retainer, Abe Sadayoshi. He allied with the Imagawa, an with their help was installed at Okazaki castle.
The alliance with the Imagawa brought him into conflict with the Oda clan. In 1540, Oda Nobuhide attacked and took Anjo castle which was held by the Matsudaira family. He was assisted by Mizuno Tadamasa. Oda's son Nobuhiro was installed as the lord of the castle.
In 1541, Hirotada married Dai-no-kata, his step-sibling and daughter of Mizuno Tadamasa. Ieyasu was born to them a year later.
He joined Imagawa Yoshimoto to fight Oda Nobuhide at the First Battle of Azukizaka in 1542
Battle of Azukizaka (1542)
In the first Oda Nobuhide defeated Imagawa Yoshimoto, setting the stage for his son, Oda Nobunaga, to become one of Japan's greatest warlords. Despite the defeat, later in 1548, Imagawa defeated Nobuhide in the second battle of Azukizaka and continued to expand his territory until 1560, when he...
. They were defeated. His uncle, Matsudaira Nobutaka, rebelled against him in 1543, and joined Oda Nobuhide.
Hirotada had a falling out with his father-in-law Mizuno Tadamasa in 1544, and divorced Dai-no-kata. He then married the daughter of Toda Yasumitsu. They had a son Iemoto, and three daughters.
In 1548, hard-pressed by Oda Nobuhide, Hirotada needed help from the Imagawa, and was compelled to send his son Ieyasu as a hostage to Sumpu in Suruga province. The child was however intercepted on the way by the Oda, and kept at Nagoya for a number of years.
Hirotada then attempted to take back Anjo castle, but was defeated.
An attempt by made on his life by Iwamatsu Hachiya, but he survived.
Later in 1548, the Imagawa and Matsudaira defeated Oda at the Second Battle of Azukizaka.
However, Hirotada became ill and died the following year.
He was postumously conferred the rank of Dainagon
Dainagon
was a counselor of the first rank in the Imperial court of Japan. The role dates from the 7th century.This advisory position remained a part of the Imperial court from the 8th century until the Meiji period in the 19th century....
by Ieyasu in 1612.