Matsudaira Tadanari

Matsudaira Tadanari was the third son of Matsudaira Tadakata and became daimyō in 1859 on the sudden death of his father. Due to his youth, he had difficulties in holding the clan together during the tumultuous Bakumatsu period. The domain sided with the imperial cause in the Boshin War from 1868 and contributed its military forces to the Battle of Hokuetsu and Battle of Aizu, but its kokudaka was still reduced by the new Meiji government by 3000 koku. In June 1869, he was appointed imperial governor; however, only two months later faced a serious peasant's revolt which was suppressed only with difficulty in his domain.[1] With the abolition of the han system in 1871, he relocated to Tokyo.

The following year, Matsudaira Tadanari, together with his younger brother, Matsudaira Tadaatsu, travelled to America and attended Rutgers University, where he excelled in his studies and where he was inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa honor society. He returned to Japan in 1879. In 1880, he received a post at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In 1884 he became a viscount (shisaku) under the kazoku peerage system. From 1890, he served as a member of the House of Peers in the Diet of Japan. He died in 1895 at the age of 46. His court rank was posthumously was elevated to Third Rank.[1]

Matsudaira Tadanari's wife was a younger daughter of Ōta Sukemoto of Kakegawa Domain. After her death, he remarried to a younger daughter of Yamauchi Toshiyoshi of Tosa Domain. His grave is at the Yanaka Cemetery in Tokyo.[1]

• The content of much of this article was derived from that of the corresponding article on Japanese Wikipedia.

Preceded by Matsudaira Tadakata	7th Daimyo of Ueda 18590-1868	Succeeded by -none-