In this Japanese name, the family name is Maeda. in modern times usually consist of a Family name ( Surname) followed by a Given name. A family name or last name is a type of Surname and part of a person's name indicating the family to which the person belongs

Maeda Toshiie
Maeda Toshiie
Lord of Kaga
In office 1583 – 1599
Preceded by	none
Succeeded by	Maeda Toshinaga
Born	January 15, 1539(1539-01-15) Arako, Japan
Died	April 27, 1599 (aged 60)
Nationality	Japanese
Spouse	Maeda Matsu

Maeda Toshiie (前田利家, Maeda Toshiie^? January 15, 1539 - April 27, 1599) was one of the leading generals of Oda Nobunaga following the Sengoku period of the 16th century extending to the Azuchi-Momoyama period. The was a powerful Feudal domain in Kaga, Noto and Etchū Provinces of Japan (present-day Ishikawa Prefecture and was a Japanese Daimyo who was the second head of the Kaga Domain. Events 588 BC - Nebuchadrezzar II of Babylon lays siege to Jerusalem under Zedekiah 's reign is the third-largest incorporated city and the fourth most populous urban area in Japan. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. Events 1124 - David I becomes King of Scotland. 1296 - Battle of Dunbar: The Scots are defeated in Japan as o-Matsu no Kata (お松の方(1547-1617 was a Japanese woman of the 16th century Events 588 BC - Nebuchadrezzar II of Babylon lays siege to Jerusalem under Zedekiah 's reign Events 1124 - David I becomes King of Scotland. 1296 - Battle of Dunbar: The Scots are defeated ( June 23, 1534 &ndash June 21, 1582) was a major Daimyo during the Sengoku period of Japanese history The came at the end of the Warring States Period in Japan, when the political unification that preceded the establishment of the Tokugawa shogunate took place His father was Maeda Toshimasa. was a Japanese Samurai of the Sengoku period. Also known as Toshiharu (利春 he was the son of Maeda Toshitaka He was the fourth of seven brothers. His childhood name was "Inuchiyo" (犬千代). His preferred weapon was a yari and he was known as "Yari no Mataza" (槍の又左), Matazaemon (又左衛門) being his common name. Yari (槍 is the Japanese term for Spear, or more specifically the straight-headed spear The highest rank from the court that he received is the Great Counselor Dainagon (大納言). often translated as "Great Councillor" was a government post of the Japanese Ritsuryo governmental system which was in place for much of the classical and

Early years

Statue of a young Maeda Toshiie in Arako, Nagoya

Toshiie was born in Owari Province, the fourth son of Maeda Toshimasa, who held Arako Castle. is the third-largest incorporated city and the fourth most populous urban area in Japan. was an old province of Japan that is now the western half of present day Aichi Prefecture. was a Japanese Samurai of the Sengoku period. Also known as Toshiharu (利春 he was the son of Maeda Toshitaka Toshiie served Oda Nobunaga from childhood (first as a page) and his loyalty was rewarded by being allowed to be the head of the Maeda clan, very unusual for a fourth son with no apparent failures among his elder brothers. Just like Nobunaga, Toshiie was also a delinquent, usually dressed in the outlandish style of a kabukimono. is a form of traditional Japanese theatre. Kabuki theatre is known for the stylization of its drama and for the elaborate Make-up worn by some of its performers It is believed he also became a friend to Kinoshita Tokichiro (later Toyotomi Hideyoshi) in their youth. Just as Hideyoshi was known as Saru, 猴 or "monkey," it is believed that Toshiie was called Inu, 犬 or "dog" by Nobunaga. Due to a long-standing belief that dogs and monkeys are never friendly to each other, Toshiie is often depicted as reserved and stern, in contrast to Hideyoshi's talkative and easy-going nature.

Military life

Grave of Maeda clan at Mount Koya

Toshiie began his career as a member of the akahoro-shū (赤母衣衆), the unit under Oda Nobunaga's personal command. This article is about the mountain in Japan For the historical Haida chief in the Queen Charlotte Islands of British Columbia see Koyah. ( June 23, 1534 &ndash June 21, 1582) was a major Daimyo during the Sengoku period of Japanese history He later became an infantry captain (ashigaru taishō 足軽大将) in the Oda army. During his military career, Toshiie made the acquaintance of many important figures, such as Hashiba Hideyoshi, Sassa Narimasa, Akechi Mitsuhide, Takayama Ukon, and others. 　( February 6, 1536 - July 7, 1588) was a Japanese samurai of the Sengoku through Azuchi-Momoyama period. nicknamed Jūbei or, was a Samurai who lived during the Sengoku period of Feudal Japan. Dom Justo Takayama ( 1552 - February 4, 1615) was a Kirishitan Daimyo and the Japanese Samurai who followed He also made some enemies and rivals such as Mitsuhide, who went on to assassinate Nobunaga; Toshiie also was a lifelong rival of Tokugawa Ieyasu. nicknamed Jūbei or, was a Samurai who lived during the Sengoku period of Feudal Japan.  was the founder and first Shogun  of the Tokugawa shogunate After defeating Asakura, Maeda fought under Shibata Katsuie in the Hokuriku area. or was a Japanese military commander during the Sengoku Period who served Oda Nobunaga. is the (subregion along the Sea of Japan within the Chūbu region, the central region of Honshū, the main island He was eventually granted a han (Kaga Domain) spanning Noto and Kaga Provinces. The, or domains, were the Fiefs of Feudal Lords of Japan that were created by Toyotomi Hideyoshi and existed until their The was a powerful Feudal domain in Kaga, Noto and Etchū Provinces of Japan (present-day Ishikawa Prefecture and was an old province in the area that is today Ishikawa Prefecture in Japan was an old province in the area that is today the southern part of Ishikawa Prefecture. Despite its small size, Kaga was a highly productive province having a net worth of 1 million koku (百万石); thus, it was nicknamed Kaga Hyaku-man-goku (加賀百万石). KOKU (1003 FM, "Hit Radio 100" is a Radio station in the United States territory of Guam.

Toshiie benefited from a core group of very capable senior vassals. Some, like Murai Nagayori and Okumura Nagatomi, were retainers of long standing with the Maeda. ( 1543 - December 6, 1605) was a Japanese Samurai of the Sengoku through Edo period.

After Nobunaga's assassination at Honnō-ji (本能寺) by Akechi Mitsuhide and Mistuhide's subsequent defeat by Hideyoshi, he battled Hideyoshi under Shibata's command in the Battle of Shizugatake. is a temple of the Nichiren branch of Buddhism located in Kyoto, Japan. nicknamed Jūbei or, was a Samurai who lived during the Sengoku period of Feudal Japan. The was a battle in Sengoku period Japan between supporters of Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Oda Nobutaka. After Shibata's defeat, Toshiie worked for Hideyoshi and became one of his leading generals. Later somewhere during this time he was forced to fight another of his friends, Sassa Narimasa. Narimasa was greatly outnumbered and felled by Toshiie, following the major Maeda victory at the Battle of Suemori Castle. The was a battle during the Azuchi-Momoyama period (16th century of Japan Before dying in 1598, Hideyoshi named Toshiie to the council of Five Elders to support Toyotomi Hideyori until he was old enough to take control on his own. The council of five elders, also known as the five Tairō (五大老 go-tairō) was formed by Toyotomi Hideyoshi to rule Japan in the place of his Toyotomi Hideyori (豊臣 秀頼 Toyotomi Hideyori) 1593 - June 5, 1615, was the son and designated successor of Toyotomi Hideyoshi However, Toshiie himself was ailing, and could manage to support Hideyori for only a year before he died as well.

Toshiie was succeeded by his son Toshinaga. was a Japanese Daimyo who was the second head of the Kaga Domain.

Family

Matsu, depicted in a sculpture at the Oyama Shrine in Kanazawa

Toshiie's wife, Maeda Matsu, was famous in her own right. Oyama-jinja (尾山神社 is a Shinto shrine in Kanazawa Ishikawa, Japan. in Japan as o-Matsu no Kata (お松の方(1547-1617 was a Japanese woman of the 16th century Strong-willed from childhood, she was well-versed in the martial arts and was instrumental in Toshiie's rise to success. After her husband died, Matsu, then known by her Buddhist nun name of Hoshun-in, assured the safety of the Maeda clan after the year 1600 by voluntarily going as a hostage to Edo, capital of the new shogun, Tokugawa Ieyasu, whom she loathed throughout her life as she watched him, her husband, and Hideyoshi compete for power.  was the founder and first Shogun  of the Tokugawa shogunate

Toshiie and Matsu had a number of children. Their sons, Toshinaga, Toshimasa, Toshitsune, Toshitaka, and Toshitoyo all became daimyo in their own right. was a Japanese Daimyo who was the second head of the Kaga Domain. was a Japanese Daimyo of the Edo period, who ruled the Kaga Domain. The ( were powerful territorial lords who ruled most of Japan from their vast hereditary land holdings Their daughters married into prestigious families; the eldest, Kō, married Maeda Nagatane, a distant relative of Toshiie who became a senior Kaga retainer; Ma'a, was a concubine of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Gō was adopted by Hideyoshi and became the wife of Ukita Hideie, and Chise, who was first wedded to Hosokawa Tadaoki's son Tadataka, later married Murai Nagayori's son Nagatsugu. Ukita Hideie (宇喜多秀家 1573 - December 17, 1655) was the Daimyo of Bizen and Mimasaka provinces (modern Okayama ( 1543 - December 6, 1605) was a Japanese Samurai of the Sengoku through Edo period.

In popular culture

See Japanese historical people in popular culture. Many significant Japanese historical people appear in works of popular culture such as Anime, Manga, and Video games.

Further reading

• Hanagasaki Moriaki 花ケ前盛明, ed. Maeda Toshiie no Subete 前田利家のすべて. Tokyo: Shin Jinbutsu Ōraisha 新人物往来社, 2001.
• Iwasawa Yoshihiko 岩沢愿彥. Maeda Toshiie 前田利家. Tokyo: Yoshikawa Kōbunkan 吉川弘文館, 1966.
• Kitamura Saburō 北村三郎. Maeda Toshiie monogatari: Kaga hyakumangoku no sō 前田利家物語:加賀百万石の祖. Kanazawa: Hokkoku Shuppansha 北国出版社, 1978.
• Maeda Toshiyasu 前田利祐. Omatsu to Toshiie: Kaga hyakumangoku wo tsukutta hitobito おまつと利家:加賀百万石を創った人びと. Tokyo: Shūeisha 集英社, 2001.
• Tsumoto Yō 津本陽. Maeda Toshiie 前田利家. Tokyo: Kōdansha 講談社, 1994.

External links

• Buke-kaden page on the Maeda clan (in Japanese)
• Maeda Genealogy (in Japanese)
• Genealogy of Kanazawa-han daimyo, including Toshiie (in Japanese)
• Biography (in Japanese)