Sassa Narimasa

Sassa Narimasa (佐々 成政, February 6, 1536 – July 7, 1588), also known as Kura-no-suke (内蔵助), was a Japanese samurai of the Sengoku through Azuchi–Momoyama period.[1] Narimasa was born in what is now Nishi-ku, Nagoya (situated in contemporary Aichi District, Owari Province). He became a retainer of Oda Nobunaga in 1550[1]

In this Japanese name, the family name is Sassa.

Sassa Narimasa 佐々 成政
Sassa Narimasa
Born	February 6, 1536 (1536-02-06) Nishi-ku, Nagoya, Owari Province, Japan
Died	July 7, 1588(1588-07-07) (aged 52)
Allegiance	Oda clan Tokugawa clan Toyotomi clan
Unit	Oda clan
Battles/wars	Siege of Inabayama Battle of Anegawa Battle of Nagashino Battle of Tedorigawa Battle of Arakawa Siege of Uozu Siege of Suemori Siege of Toyama
Spouse(s)	Jikoin (wife) Sayuri (concubine)

Biography

Narimasa served Nobunaga throughout the latter’s career. In 1567, he fought in the Siege of Inabayama Castle against Saitō clan. He was present at the Battle of Anegawa in 1570, where he was in the rear guard, and fought at Battle of Nagashino (1575). In 1575 he was given Komaru Castle in Echizen, where he had recently helped put down rioting Ikkō-ikki, and became a member of the so-called Sanninshu (Echizen Triumvir) along with Maeda Toshiie and Fuwa Mitsuharu. In 1577, he participated in the Battle of Tedorigawa against the Uesugi clan. In 1581, he defended Toyama Castle against Kawada Nagayori in the Battle of Arakawa. In 1582, he and Shibata Katsuie successfully laid siege to Uozu against the Uesugi clan.[2] He was granted Etchū Province as a reward for helping Shibata Katsuie fight the Uesugi clan.

After Oda Nobunaga's death in 1582, Narimasa joined Tokugawa Ieyasu. The Tokugawa alliance unsuccessfully challenged Toyotomi Hideyoshi at the Siege of Suemori in 1584 and Siege of Toyama in 1585. Narimasa submitted to Hideyoshi and his life was spared.

In 1587, he was given a fief in Higo Province in Kyushu. However, due to difficulties in suppressing a local revolt, he committed suicide (seppuku) by Hideyoshi's instruction in 1588.[1]

Narimasa's daughter Teruko married kuge Takatsukasa Nobufusa and they had a son, Nobuhisa and a daughter, Takako.[3][4]

• 
  Sassa Narimasa (1536–1588) battle standard, left

Family

• Father: Sassa Morimasa
• Siblings:
  • Sassa Magosuke (distinguished as one of the Seven Spears of Azukizaka. Died in Battle of Inabugahara against Oda Nobuyuki; 1556)
  • Sassa "Hayato no Kami" Masatsugu (distinguished as one of the Seven Spears of Azukizaka. Died in battle of Okehazama; 1560)
• Wife: Haruhime later Jiko-in
• Children:
  • Matsuchiyomaru (died in third siege of Nagashima in 1574)
  • Teruko (d. 1630), who married Takatsukasa Nobufusa
• Concubine: Sayuri

Notes

1. 佐々成政資料館 Archived 2007-01-17 at the Wayback Machine
2. Turnbull, Stephen (2000). The Samurai Sourcebook. London: Cassell & C0. pp. 228, 230–231. ISBN 1854095234.
3. 鷹司家（摂家） Archived 2007-09-27 at the Wayback Machine
4. japan world

See also

• Battle of Nagashino[1]

1. Turnbull, Stephen (1977). The Samurai. New York: Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc. pp. 156–160. ISBN 9780026205405.