Matsumoto Domain (1/2)ruled by six houses

The Matsumoto domain was a 60,000 koku domain that existed in Nagano Prefecture during the Edo period. It was ruled by six families until the end of the Edo period, including the Ogasawara clan, which was a feudal lord and the shugo of Shinano from the Muromachi period, the Mizuno clan, and the Toda clan. The domain office was located at Matsumoto Castle, which still exists today.
Here, let's look back at the history of Matsumoto Castle.

Matsumoto before the Edo period

Before the Edo period, the Ogasawara clan was appointed as the shugo of Shinano by the Muromachi shogunate and ruled the area.
However, Takeda Shingen invaded Shinano in 1550 and expelled the Ogasawara clan. After that, the Takeda clan ruled Shinano for 23 years. However, in 1582, Oda Nobunaga destroyed Takeda Katsuyori, and Shinano came under Oda Nobunaga's control.
In the same year, Oda Nobunaga was defeated in the Honnoji Incident, and the Ogasawara clan regained control of Shinano. First, Ogasawara Tosessai, with the help of Kiso Yoshimasa and the backing of Uesugi Kagekatsu, recaptured Fukashi Castle. After that, Ogasawara Sadakiro, the son of Ogasawara Nagatoki, who had been exiled from Shinano by Takeda Shingen, took back Fukashi Castle from Ogasawara Tosetsusai.

Sadayoshi Ogasawara and his son Hidemasa focused on rebuilding Fukashi Castle, which later became Matsumoto Castle, and creating a castle town, but when Tokugawa Ieyasu was moved to the Kanto region by order of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, he followed in his father's footsteps. Hidemasa Ogasawara, who succeeded him, followed Ieyasu to the Kanto region and became the lord of the Shimousa-Koga domain, which was worth 30,000 koku.

Kazumasa Ishikawa, a senior vassal of Tokugawa Ieyasu, who was known as the ``Battlehead of Mikawa,'' came to rule the empty Matsumoto domain in his place. Kazumasa Ishikawa effectively became the first lord of Matsumoto. Throughout the Edo period, the Matsumoto domain was ruled by six families.

Rule of the Ishikawa family and Ogasawara family

Kazumasa Ishikawa and his son Yasunaga Ishikawa built the current Matsumoto Castle and worked to build the castle town of Matsumoto. The age of Matsumoto Castle is not clear as there are various theories. However, based on the records left behind, it is most likely that it was built by Yasunaga Ishikawa in 1590.

It is said that when Yasunaga Ishikawa built Matsumoto Castle, he imposed harsh corvée duties on the people.
Yasunaga Ishikawa sided with the eastern army at the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600, and was relieved of Matsumoto's territory.
However, in 1610, a conflict arose between the chief retainer of the Matsumoto domain, Watanabe Kinnai, and the young and powerful Ban Sanzaemon, who took control of the domain's politics.

The shogunate took this as a blessing and tried to tempt Yasunaga Ishikawa. The shogunate was so active in reforming the country that some people believed that Tokugawa Ieyasu was the mastermind.

This commotion was calmed down through the intercession of Nagayasu Okubo, who was at one time a relative of Yasunaga Ishikawa.
However, when Okubo Nagayasu died in 1613, suspicions arose that he had a huge amount of hidden wealth. Nagayasu Okubo was a close aide to Tokugawa Ieyasu and was the person who developed the Sado gold mine and Iwami silver mine, so it was probably easy for him to make a hidden fortune. As a result of the investigation, Nagayasu Okubo's property was confiscated by the shogunate, and Yasunaga Ishikawa was exonerated. (Okubo Nagayasu Incident)

Due to the Ishikawa clan's change, Hidemasa Ogasawara was transferred from the Iida domain to the Matsumoto domain with 80,000 koku. Hidemasa Ogasawara carried out a scheme to repatriate peasants who had fled to other countries due to Yasunaga Ishikawa's heavy taxation on foot workers and craftsmen. In order to weaken their power, we increased the number of territories under their direct control.

In addition, we will improve the inn station system and renovate the Hokkoku Waki Okan (Zenkoji Road).
Hidemasa Ogasawara led a good government, but was killed in battle during the summer campaign in Osaka in 1615.
His successor was his son Tadamasa Ogasawara. Immediately after becoming the lord of the castle, he was given an additional 20,000 koku due to his achievements during the Osaka Natsujin, and was transferred to the Harima Akashi domain. It is said that at this time, many retainers of the Ogasawara clan who had remained in Matsumoto when the Ishikawa clan was the lord of the castle followed them to the Akashi clan.

Rule of Matsudaira Toda

After Ogasawara Tadamasa was transferred to the Akashi domain, Matsudaira Yasunaga entered Matsumoto Castle. As his name suggests, the Matsudaira clan was such a talented man that he married Ieyasu's sister-in-law and served as a close aide to the third shogun, Tokugawa Iemitsu. Transferred as a Fudai daimyo, he added local samurai to his vassals, completed the separation of soldiers and farmers, and established new administrative divisions, creating the basis for the politics of the Matsumoto clan. The surname Matsudaira was given to him in recognition of Yasunaga's achievements, and his original name was Toda Yasunaga. Therefore, it is called the ``Toda Matsudaira clan,'' and in some books it is sometimes referred to as the Toda clan. After Yasunaga Matsudaira died in Matsumoto at the age of 71, he became one of the deities enshrined at Matsumoto Shrine. He was succeeded by his third son, Yoshinao Matsudaira, who moved to Akashi, Harima in 1633.

The Toda Matsudaira clan was succeeded by Naomasa Matsudaira, the third son of Tokugawa Ieyasu and Hideyasu Yuki. He renovated Matsumoto Castle and minted Kanei Tsuho Matsumoto coins, but it is thought that this was allowed because he was a direct descendant of Tokugawa Ieyasu. While he was still alive, he was transferred to the Matsue domain in Izumo Province in 1638.

After that, Masamori Hotta, who served as roju under Tokugawa Iemitsu, became the lord of the castle. Since I was concurrently serving as a senior citizen, I rarely traveled to Matsumoto. Also, in 1641 and 1642, when he was the lord of the castle, a great famine called the ``Migo Famine'' occurred, and many people died of starvation.
During that time, the unpaid annual tax was divided and paid to the shogunate by the Mizuno clan, who later became the lord of the castle.

Mizuno family era

After the era of the Toda Matsudaira family, Tadakiyo Mizuno became the lord of the castle. He is Tokugawa Ieyasu's cousin.
The Mizuno family ruled for 6 generations, lasting 72 years. The Mizuno family carried out detection, rebuilding their financial base, and worked to establish civil government by enacting the Peasant Litigation Law. However, during the era of Mizuno Tadatoki, there was a famine in the Kan'ei era, and famines occurred one after another during the Enpo era. The Mizuno family tried to rebuild their finances by practicing frugality, but it did not go well.