In 1661, Matsudaira Yorifusa of Mito Domain created Nukada Domain, 20,000 koku subsidiary holding for his fourth son, Matsudaira Yorimoto in what is now part of the city of Naka, Ibaraki. He ruled Nukata until his death in 1693, and was succeeded by his son, Matsudaira Yorisada. By order of Shōgun Tokugawa Tsunayoshi, Yorisada was granted a fief of 20,000 koku in Moriyama in Tamura District in Mutsu Province in 1700. His original holdings reverted to Mito Domain. Although the daimyō of Moriyama were not subject to sankin-kōtai since they were direct relatives of the ruling Tokugawa, they preferred to reside permanently at the clan's Edo residence in Koishikawa and to leave administration of the domain in the hands of overseers appointed by the parent house at Mito Domain. During the Bakumatsu period, many of the samurai of Moriyama supported the Mito Rebellion of 1864, and the clan was punished by the shogunate. When the forces of the anti-Tokugawa Satchō Alliance advanced north during the Boshin War, the domain surrendered without a fight. Following the Meiji restoration, the seat was of the domain was transferred to what is now Ōarai, Ibaraki and it was briefly renamed Matsukawa Domain from 1868 until the abolition of the han system in 1871. Matsudaira Yoriyuki, the last daimyō of Moriyama, was succeeded by Matsudaira Nobunori, the adopted former lord of Aizu who had cut his familial ties to Matsudaira Katamori as imperial governor of Matsukawa..
Holdings at the end of the Edo period
As with most domains in the han system, Moriyama Domain consisted of several discontinuous territories calculated to provide the assigned kokudaka, based on periodic cadastral surveys and projected agricultural yields.
Matsudaira Yorisada was the 2nd and final daimyō of Nukada Domain in Hitachi Province and the 1st daimyō of Moriyama Domain in Mutsu Province. He was the eldest son of Matsudaira Yorimoto. He became daimyō of Nukada on his father's death in 1693. In 1700, he moved his seat to Moriyama. He retired in 1743 and died in 1744.
Matsudaira Yorihiro was the 2nd daimyō of Moriyama Domain. He was the third son of Matsudaira Yorisada. He became daimyō on the retirement of his father in 1738. His wife was a daughter of Matsudaiara Yoritaka of Takasu Domain. To improve the domain's finances, he ordered the planting of 500,000 Chinese lacquer trees throughout the domain. He was a disciple of the noted Confucianism scholar Ogyū Sorai and built a han school to propagate his teachings. he was later called upon for advice in reforming the finances of Mito Domain. He died in 1763.
Matsudaira Yoriakira
Matsudaira Yoriakira was the 3rd daimyō of Moriyama Domain. He was the third son of Matsudaira Yorihiro. He became daimyō on the death of his father in 1763. He implemented a number of fiscal reform measures, including laws to prevent peasants from doing to other domains even on a temporary basis, and cracking down on gambling and prostitution.
Matsudaira Yoriyoshi
Matsudaira Yoriyoshi was the 4th daimyō of Moriyama Domain. He was the second son of Matsudaira Yoriakira. He became daimyō on the death of his father in 1801. He attempted to create new industries, including indigo, safflower oil and sericulture and sponsored a system of loans with no interest payments for the first ten years. He ruled until his death in 30.
Matsudaira Yorinobu
Matsudaira Yorinobu was the 5thdaimyō of Moriyama Domain. He was the eldest son of Matsudaira Yoriyoshi and his mother was a daughter of Tokugawa Harumori of Mito Domain. He became daimyō on the death of his father in 1830. Due to the severe financial situation of the domain, he was forced to borrow 4500 ryo and to increase taxes on the peasants and merchants of the domain. This led to frequent peasant revolts and petitions for debt relief. He ruled until his death in 1862.
Matsudaira Yorinori was the 6th daimyō of Moriyama Domain. He was the sixth son of Matsudaira Yorinobu and his mother was a daughter of Matsudaira Yorihisa of Hitachi-Fuchū Domain. He became daimyō on the death of his father in 1862. From 1864, the Mito rebellion created severe disturbances within the domain. Although he was a signatory to the Ōuetsu Reppan Dōmei, he refused demands to supply troops, and instead surrendered without a battle to the forces of the Satchō Alliance. He participated in the attack on Nihonmatsu Domain and was awarded with 9300 koku in 1869 and was named imperial governor by the new Meiji government, He retired due to ill-health a few months later. He died in 1872.
Matsudaira Yoriyuki
Matsudaira Yoriyuki was the 7thdaimyō of Moriyama Domain. He was the 22nd son of Tokugawa Nariaki of Mito Domain and thus was a half-brother to Shogun Tokugawa Yorinobu, He was adopted as heir to the childless Matsudaira Yorinori in 1869, and the domain was transferred to Matsukawa in Hitachi Province by the Meiji government the same year. He died in 1873, only one year after his adopted father, and the chieftainship of the Moriyama-Matsudaira clan went to Matsudaira Nobunori of Aizu Domain.
