Asano Nagaakira - Biography

Biography

Born Asano Iwamatsu, he was the son of Asano Nagamasa, who was a senior retainer of Toyotomi Hideyoshi. In 1594, Nagaakira was made a retainer of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and awarded a stipend of 3,000 koku. Allying his forces to Tokugawa Ieyasu six years later at the Battle of Sekigahara, he was subsequently awarded with the 24,000 koku fief of Ashimori han. As his brother Yukinaga died heirless in 1613, Nagaakira succeeded him, becoming daimyo of Wakayama han. At the Siege of Ōsaka, he commanded a portion of Tokugawa Ieyasu's army. In the summer of 1615, Toyotomi Hideyori's Western Army moved to attack Asano's castle at Wakayama. Though most of Asano's forces were at Ōsaka, besieging Toyotomi's fortress, the remaining garrison outnumbered the Western warriors, and Asano led his men in sallying forth to meet the enemy in the Battle of Kashii.

Asano also fought in the Battle of Tennoji, the decisive final battle in the Siege of Ōsaka, where he commanded Tokugawa's rear guard. In 1619, he was granted the fief of Hiroshima, in Aki Province, which would be the home of the Asano family for many generations. Nagaakira was married to Furi-hime, the third of Tokugawa Ieyasu`s daughters.