Nabeshima Naoshige (鍋島 直茂, April 12, 1538 – July 24, 1618) was a warlord of the Sengoku and early Edo periods and progenitor of the Nabeshima lords of the Saga Domain.[2][3] Naoshige was the second son of Nabeshima Kiyofusa (鍋島清房). His mother was the daughter of Ryūzōji Iesumi (龍造寺家純). He was a vassal of the Ryūzōji clan during the Sengoku period of the 16th century.[4]

Nabeshima Naoshige
鍋島直茂
Portrait of Nabeshima Naoshige
18th century portrait by Miura Shisan. From the Nabeshima family museum.[1]
Lord of Saga domain
In office
1607–1618
Personal details
Born1538
Died1618
ChildrenNabeshima Katsushige
Parents
NicknameNobumasa (信昌)[2]
Military service
AllegianceRyūzōji clan
Toyotomi clan
Eastern army
Tokugawa Shogunate
Battles/warsSiege of Saga Castle
Siege of Suko Castle
Battle of Okitanawate
Siege of Kurume
Kyushu Campaign
Korean campaign
Siege of Udo
Siege of Yanagawa

Biography

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Portrait of Naoshige as warlord (Kōden-ji)[5]

Naoshige proved himself in battle as he led forces of Ryūzōji Takanobu.

In 1570, Naoshige assisted Takanobu while at Saga Castle when it was surrounded by a 60,000-man Ōtomo clan army. However, Naoshige had only 5,000 troops, so he suggested a night raid on the enemies camp which successfully routed them.

In 1575, he attacked Suko Castle in western Hizen and forced its commander, Hirai Tsuneharu, to commit suicide.[citation needed]

In 1584, Naoshige also assisted Takanobu during the Battle of Okitanawate but was unable to prevent their rout which later ended in Takanobu's death. Naoshige was the chief retainer for the Ryūzōji Takanobu of Hizen, when Takanobu died, Ryūzōji's Saga Castle was taken over by Naoshige.[4]

In 1585, Naoshige participated in the anti Ōtomo alliance massive invasion which led by Ryūzōji Ieharu against they Ōtomo clan. The alliance has begun their attacks towards Kurume town.[6][7] However In April 23, two Ōtomogenerals Tachibana Dōsetsu and Takahashi Shigetane engaged the allied forces with the combination of skillful artillery salvos, defensive formation tactics, and timely counterattacks, which in the end caused the allied siege collapsed.[8][9]

In 1587, Naoshige took this chance of having a weak heir to leave the Ryūzōji and to support Toyotomi Hideyoshi while during his battle against Kyūshū. Nabeshima distinguished himself in battle by killing hundreds of men.

In 1592, he was sent on Hideyoshi's Korean campaigns where he struck up a friendship with Katō Kiyomasa and upon his return to Hizen, with Tokugawa Ieyasu.[citation needed] Naoshige followed in leading over 12,000 men to Korea in the First Korean Campaign.[citation needed]

In 1600, Naoshige fought at Siege of Udo and Siege of Yanagawa in Tokugawa side. At the Battle of Sekigahara, Naoshige sent his son, Nabeshima Katsushige to assist Tokugawa Ieyasu. Following the victory of the Tokugawa clan, their 357,000-koku fief went untouched by Ieyasu.

Afterwards, control of the domain passed to Naoshige, much of the Ryūzōji clan territory, when Ryūzōji Masaie was killed in battle in 1607.[10]

Following Naoshige's death his family became very well known.[citation needed]

Nabeshima's actions and sayings are immortalized in the third chapter of the Hagakure by writer Tsunetomo Yamamoto, a close attendant of Nabeshima Naoshige's grandson, Mitsushige.[citation needed]

Legacy

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Naoshige is known for re-settling potters from Korea in Hizen.[3]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ 鍋島直茂像 [Portrait of Nabeshima Naoshige] (in Japanese). Nabeshima Hōkōkai. Retrieved 31 August 2019.
  2. ^ a b 日本人名大辞典 [Nihon Jinmei Daijiten] (in Japanese). Kodansha. 2001.
  3. ^ a b Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Nabeshima Naoshige" in Japan Encyclopedia, p. 680.
  4. ^ a b Papinot, Jacques Edmond Joseph. (1906). Dictionnaire d’histoire et de géographie du Japon; Papinot, (2003). "Ryūzōji," Nobiliare du Japon, p. 50 [PDF 54 of 80]; retrieved 2013-5-2.
  5. ^ 藩祖 鍋島直茂 [Han Progenitor Nabeshima Naoshige] (in Japanese). Nabeshima Hōkōkai. Retrieved 31 August 2019.
  6. ^ Kazusada Yano; Yoshinaga masaharu (1927). "筑後国史 : 原名・筑後将士軍談 上巻" [History of Chikugo: Original name: Military stories of Chikugo generals, Volume 1]. 筑後遺籍刊行会 (in Japanese). pp. 423~428. Retrieved 11 May 2024.
  7. ^ Yoshinaga 1977, pp. 198~200.
  8. ^ 吉永 正春 (2009, p. 200)
  9. ^ 久留米市史 第6巻 [Kurume city history; Vol.6] (in Japanese). Kurume City History Editorial Committee. 1981. p. 62. Retrieved 12 May 2024.
  10. ^ Nussbaum, "Ryūzōji" at p. 802.

Sources

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  • 吉永 正春 (2009). 筑前戦国史 増補改訂版 (in Japanese). 海鳥. ASIN 4874157394.
  • *Yoshinaga, Masaharu (1977). 筑前戦国史 [Chikuzen Sengoku History]. 葦書房.ASIN B000J8REN4