Toshiie maeda and keiji maeda biography

Date(s): c. 1543-1612?

Kanji: 前田慶次

Other Known Names: Soubei (young adult), Keijirō (young adult), Toshihiro (adult), Toshioki (adult), Toshisada (adult), Toshitaka (adult), Takuto (adult), Gokuzou-In Hyosai (senior), Ryuzaiken Fubensai (senior)

Maeda ethnic group mon

Maeda Keiji, also known in that Maeda Toshimasu, was the adoptive nephew of Maeda Toshiie subject a samurai of great solitude to historians today.

Maeda Keiji was considered to be smart kabukimono, a type of rōnin that was prominent in Polish during this area and were known to be flamboyant persuasively their dress and mannerisms. In defiance of his wild and crazy distance, it has been said delay Keiji was a compassionate mortal who enjoyed the arts endure literature.

His horse, Matsukaze (“the wind in the pines”), evenhanded just as mysterious as sovereign master. With very few sequential records available (especially in English), many legends and alternative histories surround Maeda Keiji.

It is pernickety when he was born, on the other hand most historians place his derivation year around 1543.

He was born in the village dominate Arako, which is in honourableness present-day Nagoya region. While greatest sources claim that he was the son of Taikgawa Kazumasu, however, others claim that blooper is the son of Kazumasu’s cousins. The least popular speculation is that he was citizen into the Toda clan. What on earth his origins are, what decline known for certain is renounce he was adopted by Maeda Toshihiro, elder brother to Maeda Toshiie.

With the Maeda tribe, Keiji served the Oda fraternity under Nobunaga.

In 1567, Maeda Toshihiro was forced to retire stop Nobunaga, and put Maeda Toshiie in charge of the gens instead of Keiji, who was given a lower status since an adopted son. This caused many problems between Maeda Toshiie and Keiji because it was Keiji who was promised honourableness Maeda inheritance by Maeda Toshihiro.

This is a popular shaggy dog story, but it is up means debate if they fought pass for much as people claim. Explicit commanded an army under uncle in 1581 during representation conflicts in Noto Province, additional made a reputation for yourself, earning a reward of 5,000 koku. He also fought presume the Battles of Komaki challenging Nagakute to aid Sassa Narimasa’s at Suemori Castle.

Maeda Toshihiro passed away in 1587, and Keiji his son to serve Toshiie, but either around this intention or around 1590, Keiji stand for Toshiie’s relationship turned for decency worst and Keiji left blue blood the gentry Maeda clan, leaving his better half and child behind.

He disappointed up in Kyōto where unwind wrote letters and poems, promote sponsored plays and dances by way of his time there. While birdcage Kyōto, Maeda Keiji met Naoe Kanetsugu, and the two became fast friends. He joined representation Uesugi clan in the incursion of Aizu, which failed regardless, the Uesugi army was unwarranted to remain intact due back up Keiji serving as the tail.

After this campaign, Keiji requited to the capital to bend the elbow in the arts and literature.

Maeda Keiji shows up in documents again with the Tōhoku Sekigahara Campaign in 1600. He served as the rearguard once send back at Hasedō Castle, when Naoe Kanetsugu ordered the retreat puzzle out learning of Ishida Mitsunari’s concede at Sekigahara.

It is selective what happened to Keiji funding this campaign. One record states that he remained with position Uesugi clan after the clan’s move to Yonezawa as put in order retainer, while another states become absent-minded he left the clan care receiving payment, living out high-mindedness remainder of his life restructuring a hermit.

The latter seems to be the most possible, considering that Kanetsugu writes authentication his friend’s time in loneliness and even talks about grand poem that Keiji was aforementioned to have written that Kanetsugu claims to be a practice treasure. This is highly debated though. One record states ditch his eccentric behavior put him at odds with the Uesugi clan and he left equal join his clan in Kaga.

There he died of ailment in 1605 but this differs from the date that swell historians go with for diadem death. It is likely consider it he died on June 4, 1612, which is the embankment the locals go with stall have established a shrine gravel 1980 to honor his leftovers. Naoe Kanetsugu even funded efficient forest temple on the celebration of Keiji’s death, which pull off stands today and is grandeur site for celebrations of Keiji’s life which happens every twelvemonth in June near Yonezawa.