Naomori Sakazaki - Upside-down weight

A military commander from the Sengoku to the early Edo period. Lord of Tsuwano Domain in Iwami Province (Shimane Prefecture). He was known by many aliases, including Naoyuki, Shigenaga, Nobuaki, Akiie, and Narimasa, and was also known as Masachika and Takachika. He was Sakyonosuke, eventually Tsushima no Kami, and later Dewa no Kami. He was born in Bizen Province (Okayama Prefecture). He was a member of the Ukita clan, a feudal lord during the Sengoku period, and his father was Ukita Dewa no Kami Tadaie (pen name Anshin). He first served two generations of Ukita Naoie and Hideie, with a stipend of over 24,000 koku. In 1599 (Keicho 4), he left his master's house due to internal conflict and served Tokugawa Ieyasu. The following year, he participated in the Battle of Sekigahara, changing his surname from Ukita to Sakazaki. Later, he was awarded 30,000 koku of land in Tsuwano for his military achievements, and he renovated Sanbonmatsu Castle (Tsuwano Castle) and worked to develop a modern castle town. In 1615 (Genwa 1), during the Summer Siege of Osaka, he was credited with helping Toyotomi Hideyori's wife (Ieyasu's granddaughter) Senhime escape from Osaka Castle. He had strongly desired to marry Senhime, but was not able to do so. He felt resentment and rumors spread that he was planning to steal Senhime away from her when she was to be married to Honda Tadatoki in 1616. In September of the same year, he was killed by a retainer who feared that his master would be held responsible for the crime. It is also said that he committed suicide. His land was confiscated and the family line was extinguished.

[Matsuo Hisashi]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

戦国～江戸初期の武将。石見(いわみ)国（島根県）津和野(つわの)藩主。直行、重長、信顕(のぶあき)、詮家(あきいえ)、成正（政）(なりまさ)など異名多く、正親、孝親ともある。左京亮(さきょうのすけ)、やがて対馬守(つしまのかみ)、のち出羽(でわ)守。備前(びぜん)国（岡山県）生まれ。戦国大名宇喜多(うきた)氏の一門で、父は宇喜多出羽守忠家(ただいえ)（号安心）。初め宇喜多直家(なおいえ)・秀家(ひでいえ)2代に仕え、2万4000石余。1599年（慶長4）内紛により主家を退去、徳川家康に仕え、翌年関ヶ原の戦いに従軍、宇喜多姓を改め坂崎を名のった。後の戦功により津和野3万石を与えられ、三本松城（津和野城）を大改築、近世的城下町の整備に努めた。1615年（元和1）大坂夏の陣において豊臣秀頼(とよとみひでより)室（家康の孫）千姫(せんひめ)の大坂城脱出に功あり、千姫を妻に強く所望したがいれられず、それを怨(うら)みに思い、16年本多忠刻(ただとき)のもとに嫁ぐ千姫を途中で奪わんとしているとの噂(うわさ)がたち、同年9月、主人が罪を被ることを恐れた家臣によって殺された。自害ともいう。所領は没収され、家は断絶した。

［松尾　寿］

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