Niwa Nagahide


Niwa Nagahide, also known as Gorōzaemon, his other legal alias was Hashiba Echizen no Kami, 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.

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 Kannonji Castle, Battle of Tedorigawa, and Second Tenshō Iga War.
He stayed by Nobunaga's side when his brother defied him during the Battle of Inō. Nagahide also had military service during the Battle of Okehazama, but he wasn't a part of the main strike force. He fought in the Battle of Kannonji Castle against Rokkaku clan, according to the Nobunaga Kōki, he also served in the Mino campaign against Saitō Tatsuoki, the Ikko-ikki, and Nobunaga's Kyoto campaign. He contributed in the conquest of Ōmi Province against Azai Nagamasa-Asakura Yoshikage and he was a part of Nobunaga's personal formation. His participation made him favored by Nobunaga. When he wasn't in battle, he was aiding Nobunaga's conquests by taking care of political affairs and was the building magistrate for Azuchi castle, among many of other deeds. 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.
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.
In 1583 at the subsequent meeting in Kiyosu Castle where the future of the Oda clan was discussed, Nagahide supported Hideyoshi's position, He also assisted Hideyoshi at the Battle of Shizugatake 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.

Death

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.