Niwa Nagahide

Niwa Nagahide (丹羽 長秀, October 16, 1535 – May 15, 1585), also known as Gorōzaemon (五郎左衛門), was a Japanese samurai of the Sengoku through Azuchi-Momoyama periods of the 16th century. He served as a retainer to the Oda clan, and was eventually a daimyō in his own right.

In this Japanese name, the family name is Niwa.
Niwa Nagahide
丹羽 長秀
Niwa Nagahide
Nickname(s)Gorōzaemon
Born(1535-10-16)October 16, 1535
Nishi-ku, Nagoya
DiedMay 15, 1585(1585-05-15) (aged 49)
Nagakute, Aichi
Allegiance Oda clan
Toyotomi clan
Unit Niwa clan
Battles/warsBattle of Anegawa
Battle of Nagashino
Battle of Tedorigawa
Tenshō Iga War
Battle of Yamazaki

Biography

Nagahide was born in what is now Nishi-ku, Nagoya, but then part of Aichi District, Owari Province. From his youth, Nagahide served Oda Nobunaga and became one of his senior retainers, going on to fight in the Oda clan's major battles. One such example was the Battle of Anegawa (1570), Battle of Nagashino (1575), Battle of Tedorigawa (1577).[1] and Second Tenshō Iga War (1581).

He was also an effective governor tasked with the construction of Azuchi Castle, among many of other deeds.[2] The extent of Nobunaga's trust can be seen by the fact that Nagahide married Nobunaga's niece, while his son was Niwa Nagashige. These services let Nagahide rule over the fief of Obama in Wakasa Province, and Sawayama Castle in Ōmi Province.[3]

In 1581, in a military parade held at Kyoto before the eyes of the Emperor as well as foreign missionaries, Nagahide was given the honor of leading the procession.

In 1582, as Oda Nobutaka's second in command, Nagahide launched a campaign on Shikoku; but before he made any progress, Nobunaga died during an attack by Akechi Mitsuhide. Nagahide abandoned the campaign and turned back to help Hashiba Hideyoshi avenge this by killing Mitsuhide at Battle of Yamazaki.

At the subsequent meeting in Kiyosu Castle where the future of the Oda clan was discussed, Nagahide supported Hideyoshi's position,[4] and gained Echizen Province and Kaga Province to rule, worth over 1,230,000 koku. He thus became one of the most powerful retainers and daimyō. However, Nagahide died of illness in 1585 without making any impact at all. There is a conflicting record that Nagahide had not died of an illness, but on seeing Hideyoshi gather more power and eclipsing the Oda clan Nagahide had so long served, he felt that he had not lived up for the good of Nobunaga and the Oda clan as whole and committed suicide.

His son Niwa Nagashige later became lord of Shirakawa Castle in northern Japan, and by the time of Nagahide's grandson Mitsushige, the family's 100,000 koku landholding was moved to Nihonmatsu, where they remained for the duration of the Edo Period.

References
  1. Turnbull, Stephen (2000). The Samurai Sourcebook. London: Cassell & C0. p. 67-68,228. ISBN 1854095234.
  2. Turnbull, S.R. (1977). The Samurai. New York: MacMillan Publishing Co., Inc. p. 167. ISBN 0026205408.
  3. Turnbull, Stephen (1998). The Samurai Sourcebook. London: Cassell & Co. pp. 67–68. ISBN 9781854095237.
  4. Sansom, George (1961). A History of Japan, 1334-1615. Stanford: Stanford University Press. p. 311. ISBN 0804705259.
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