Fukushima Masanori


Fukushima Masanori was a Japanese daimyō of the late Sengoku period to early Edo period who served as lord of the Hiroshima Domain. A retainer of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, he fought in the battle of Shizugatake in 1583, and soon became known as one of Seven Spears of Shizugatake which also included Katō Kiyomasa and others.

Biography

Fukushima Masanori, or as he was first known, Ichimatsu, was born in Owari Province, the son of Fukushima Masanobu. He is believed to have been the cousin of Toyotomi Hideyoshi. He first engaged in battle at the assault on Miki Castle in Harima Province, and following the battle of Yamazaki, he was granted a 500 koku stipend.
At the battle of Shizugatake in 1583, he defeated Haigo Gozaemon, a prominent samurai. Masanori had the honor of taking the first head, namely that of the enemy general Ogasato Ieyoshi, receiving a 5000 koku increase in his stipend for this distinction, he married with Omasa.
Masanori took part in many of Hideyoshi's campaigns; it was after the Kyūshū Expedition, however, that he was made a daimyō. Receiving the fief of Imabari in Iyo Province, his income was rated at 110,000 koku. Soon after, he took part in the Korean Campaign. Masanori was to once again receive distinction when he took Ch'ongju.
Following his involvement in the Korean campaign, Masanori was involved in the pursuit of Toyotomi Hidetsugu. He led 10,000 men in 1595, surrounded Seiganji temple on Mount Kōya, and waited until Hidetsugu had committed suicide. With Hidetsugu dead, Masanori received a 90,000 koku increase in stipend, and received Hidetsugu's former fief of Kiyosu, in Owari Province as well.
Masanori sided with Tokugawa Ieyasu at the Battle of Sekigahara, and thus ensured the survival of his domain. Although he later lost his holdings, his descendants became hatamoto in the service of the Tokugawa shōgun.

In popular culture

Fukushima Masanori is featured in Koei's video games Kessen, Kessen III, Samurai Warriors, and as a non-playable character in Samurai Warriors 3. He is a playable character in the third installment's expansions, Samurai Warriors 3 Z and, and in the fourth installment, Samurai Warriors 4 and its subsequent expansions. He is a playable character in Pokémon Conquest, with his partner Pokémon being Krokorok and Krookodile.