| Tōdō Takatora | |
|---|---|
 | |
| First Lord of Imabari | |
| In office
1600–1608 | |
| Preceded by | none |
| Succeeded by | Matsudaira Sadafusa |
| First Lord of Tsu | |
| In office
1608–1630 | |
| Preceded by | none |
| Succeeded by | Tōdō Takatsugu |
| Personal details | |
| Born | February 16, 1556 |
| Died | November 9, 1630 (aged 74) |
| Nationality | Japanese |
Tōdō Takatora (藤堂 高虎?, February 16, 1556 – November 9, 1630) was a Japanesedaimyo of the Azuchi–Momoyama period through Edo period. He rose from relatively humble origins as an ashigaru (a foot soldier) to become a daimyo. During his lifetime he changed his feudal master seven times and worked for ten people, but in the end he rendered loyalty to Tokugawa Ieyasu, who became his last master.[1][2]
At the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600, although he was one of Toyotomi's main generals, he sided with Tokugawa Ieyasu. After the war he was given a larger fiefdom, Iyo-Imabari, assessed at 200,000 koku. Later in life he was made lord of Tsu (with landholdings in Iga and Ise), a domain of 320,000 koku.Todo Takatora was promoted rapidly underHashiba Hidenaga, the younger brother ofToyotomi Hideyoshi, and he participated in theinvasions of Korea as a commander of Toyotomi's fleet. His fiefdom at that time wasIyo-Uwajima. During the Edo period, the wealth of each fiefdom was measured as a volume of rice production in koku. Iyo-Uwajima was assessed at 70,000 koku.[1][2]
After the death of Akai Naomasa, some members of the Akai clan became retainers to the Tōdō house.[3]
Todo Takatora is also famous for excellence in castle design. He is said to have been involved in building as many as twenty castles.[1][2]
External links[edit][]
- Momoyama, Japanese Art in the Age of Grandeur, an exhibition catalog from The Metropolitan Museum of Art (fully available online as PDF), which contains material on Tōdō Takatora
| Preceded by
none |
First Lord of Imabari
1600–1608 |
Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | First Lord of Tsu
1608–1630 |
Succeeded by |