Sanada clan - Sanadauji

A clan of warriors based in Shinano Province (Nagano Prefecture) since the Sengoku period. The clan originated in Sanada (Ueda City), Chiisagata County, Shinano Province, and is said to have descended from the Unno clan. During the Tenbun era (1532-1555), Yukitaka belonged to the Takeda clan of Kai and participated in Shingen's invasion of Shinano, expanding his influence. Towards the end of the Takeda clan's reign, he invaded northern Kozuke, and with the downfall of the Takeda clan, he became independent as a small Sengoku daimyo with dominion over Chiisagata County and the Agatsuma region of Kozuke Province. Furthermore, Yukitaka's third son Masayuki, who succeeded his elder brother Nobutsuna, who was killed in the Battle of Nagashino, moved his base to Ueda in 1583 (Tensho 11), and established control over Ogata County more clearly. In the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 (Keicho 5), Masayuki and his second son Nobushige (Yukimura) fought on the Western side, while his eldest son Nobuyuki (Nobuyuki) fought on the Eastern side. After the Western side was defeated, Masayuki and Nobushige were imprisoned in Mount Koya. Masayuki later died in Mount Koya, and Nobushige escaped Mount Koya in 1614 and fought on the Osaka side in the Winter and Summer Sieges of Osaka, where he was killed in battle. Meanwhile, after the Battle of Sekigahara, Nobuyuki was granted Masayuki's former territory and made Ueda Castle his residence. In 1622 (Genwa 8), he was transferred from Ueda to Matsushiro (Nagano City) with a fief of 100,000 koku. At the beginning of the Matsushiro transfer, the fief was financially prosperous, but gradually fell into poverty. The sixth lord, Yukihiro, appointed Onda Moku to help restore the finances through frugality, which is famously depicted in the book "Higurashi Suzuri." The Sanada family continued to exist by welcoming the 7th head, Yukitaka, from the Ii family, the 8th head, Yukitsura, from the Echizen Matsudaira family, and the 10th head, Yukitami, from the Date family, and during the time of Yukitami, they became a member of the nobility with the Meiji Restoration.

[Tetsuaki Godo]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

戦国以来信濃国(しなののくに)（長野県）に根拠を有した武士の一族。発祥地は信濃国小県(ちいさがた)郡真田（上田市）で、海野(うんの)氏より出たとされる。天文(てんぶん)年間（1532～55）、幸隆(ゆきたか)が甲斐(かい)武田氏に属し、信玄(しんげん)の信濃侵攻に参加したことにより勢力を伸ばし、武田氏の末期から上野(こうずけ)北部に侵攻し、その滅亡とともに、小県郡および上野国吾妻(あがつま)地方を領有する小戦国大名として自立した。さらに、長篠(ながしの)の戦いで戦死した兄信綱(のぶつな)の後を受け、家督を継いだ幸隆の三男昌幸(まさゆき)は、1583年（天正11）本拠地を上田に移し、小県郡支配をより明確なものとした。1600年（慶長5）の関ヶ原の戦いにおいて、昌幸と二男信繁(のぶしげ)（幸村(ゆきむら)）は西軍、嫡男信幸（信之）(のぶゆき)は東軍に分かれて戦い、西軍敗北により昌幸、信繁は高野山(こうやさん)に幽閉された。こののち昌幸は高野山で没し、信繁は1614年高野山を脱出し、大坂冬の陣・夏の陣に大坂方として参戦し、戦死した。一方信幸は、関ヶ原の戦いののち昌幸の旧領を安堵(あんど)され、上田城を居城とした。1622年（元和8）上田から松代(まつしろ)（長野市）へ転封となり10万石を領した。松代移封当初は財政も豊かであったが、しだいに窮乏した。6代幸弘(ゆきひろ)が恩田木工(おんだもく)を登用して、倹約を中心とした財政の立て直しを図ったことは『日暮硯(ひぐらしすずり)』で有名である。また真田家は、7代幸専(ゆきたか)を井伊(いい)家から、8代幸貫(ゆきつら)を越前(えちぜん)松平(まつだいら)家から、10代幸民(ゆきたみ)を伊達(だて)家から迎えて家を存続させ、幸民のとき明治維新を迎え華族となった。

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